Research Fellow – Women’s Economic Empowerment and Digital Connectivity Initiative

Research Fellow – Women’s Economic Empowerment and Digital Connectivity Initiative

Deadline : Ongoing

Position Summary: Brac Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), based at Brac University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, seeks a Research Fellow for the new research initiative on Women’s Economic  Empowerment and Digital Connectivity (WEE-Connect) which is being considered for funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We are looking for a promising early-career researcher with a strong interest in research at the intersection of gender and digitization. The Research Fellow will develop research projects with BIGD around gender and digitization and function as an Investigator in the funded projects.  S/he will also support proposal teams in drafting competitive proposals, facilitate the selection of high-quality research projects, and help monitor the quality of the projects funded through the initiative. The Research Fellow must be trained in empirical research methods and have a passion for digital inclusion and women’s economic empowerment.

About BIGD: By influencing policy and practice through rigorous research and quality academic programs, BIGD aims to promote innovation in governance and development processes toward a more just and prosperous society. Partnering with academics around the world, BIGD conducts multi-methods research on governance and development issues in close collaboration with several crucial departments of the Government of Bangladesh, large non-profits such as BRAC, and international organizations such as the World Bank. We lead the research on the socioeconomic empowerment programs of BRAC—the global leader among NGOs focusing on poor and marginal people—including their ultra-poor graduation, integrated development, skills development, migration, microfinance, gender justice and diversity, community empowerment, climate change, humanitarian, and urban development programs.

Responsibilities:

Research, Proposal Development, and Matchmaking (35%)

  1. Develop research projects for BIGD In collaboration with other researchers and implementing partners, with the potential to apply as a Principal Investigator for competitive project funding to this initiative or other sources
  2. Proactively engage potential researchers, encouraging them to apply for funding to the initiative and supporting them to effectively align research proposals with existing gaps in the literature
  3. Assist with facilitating matchmaking between potential researchers and implementation partners—policymakers, non-profits, multilateral organizations, financial service providers, and commercial enterprises
  4. Personally participate in major global research events and relevant stakeholder events to promote the initiative,  facilitate matchmaking, and disseminate outputs

Facilitating Research Proposal Selection (35%) 

  1. Support the execution and management of Requests for Proposal (RFPs) for soliciting research grant proposals
  2. Help manage the proposal evaluation and selection process
  3. Lead technical communications with research teams and the advisory board
  4. Help strategize ways to improve the quality, quantity, and breadth of proposal submissions to WEE-Connect
  5. Support additional WEE-Connect operations, as needed

Capacity Building (30%)

  1. Support WEE-Connect’s efforts to facilitate best-case practices regarding inclusivity in development research financing, including developing resources and providing direct support to proposal teams
  2. While serving as an Investigator in BIGD research projects, work to build the capacity of Research Associates and staff involved in the projects related to project implementation, data analysis, and academic publishing

Teaching Opportunities (Optional)

  1. here is the potential to teach academic classes offered by BIGD, for which s/he will be compensated separately  according to BIGD policy

Qualifications:

Required

  1. PhD or PhD coursework with 2023 dissertation completion in Economics/Public Policy/Development Studies or other relevant disciplines
  2. Relevant publications, specifically peer-reviewed journal articles
  3. At least two years of experience working as a Research Manager/Coordinator/Associate in a major quantitative field research project
  4. Research skills and experience:
    1. Demonstrated capacity to work with implementing partners and academic leads to set up, support, and analyse rigorous research studies, particularly randomized evaluations
    2. Strong data analysis skills, including data cleaning, management, and econometric analysis for impact  evaluation
    3. Skills in developing research instruments (e.g. questionnaires) and coding for digitizing complex questionnaires
    4. High level of expertise in data analysis software (preferably Stata)
  5. Ability to understand and communicate how rigorous research can influence policy decisions
  6. Exceptional communication skills, including speaking and writing effectively in English

Preferred

  1. Relevant publications, particularly peer-reviewed journal articles
  2. Working experience in research grant-making facilities
  3. Knowledge of and experience in financial inclusion as well as women’s economic empowerment
  4. Sound knowledge of the current scenario and major trends of empirical research in social science
  5. Verbal and aural language proficiency in Bangla

Additional Information: This position reports to the Initiative Director of WEE-DiFine. Location requirements are flexible, and compensation will be up to 85,000 USD, commensurate with experience, plus a benefits package. Additionally, this position holds the possibility for collaboration with top-tier North American, European, and Australian universities and research institutes.

Eligibility: BIGD will recruit one individual with the right to work in Bangladesh. BIGD recognizes the value that diversity brings to the organization in terms of experience, skills, talent, and cultural perspectives. The organization is committed to building an environment and culture where all staff feel valued, are treated fairly, and are respected. BIGD is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all current and prospective staff members and will not discriminate on grounds of sex (female, male, or other) race, age, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship, medical condition (with certain exceptions based on job role), class, caste, ethnicity, disability, location, pregnancy, maternity or paternity, or religion. BIGD’s commitment to equal opportunity covers all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, selection, compensation, promotion, professional development, termination, and participation in BIGD-sponsored employee activities.

How to apply: Please send your resume (not more than three pages) along with a cover letter, clearly explaining your interest in and qualifications for this position. Please send your application to wee_difine@bracu.ac.bd and mention “Application for the position: Research Fellow” in the subject line. Applications that do not comply with the instructions will not be considered.

Last Date of Application: applications will be accepted until the position is filled

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