Senior Research Specialist (Contractor)

YLabs

6d•$35,460 - $55,896•Remote

About The Position

YLabs is a global design and research organization focused on creating technologies that empower youth. They partner with young people to co-create digital products and services that improve their lives, particularly in areas like health, climate, and livelihoods. YLabs operates in Rwanda and the USA and has worked in 18 countries. This role is for a Senior Research Specialist (contractor) based in Africa to lead research initiatives for a YLabs project, driving high-impact research, innovation, and strategic decision-making using cutting-edge methodologies. The ideal candidate will work independently, manage projects with minimal supervision, and generate actionable insights for sectors such as education, youth entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion.

Requirements

Currently based in Africa
Experienced in conducting research on economic empowerment initiatives and working with youth.
Proactive in recommending how to adapt the research approach based on evidence
An excellent collaborator who understands working with a diverse, multi-cultural team across time zones
Adaptable to diverse field conditions including rural and hard-to-reach areas
Able to communicate succinctly to non-academic audiences about research findings and their relevance
Able to travel to and stay in rural areas for up to 7 days at a time
5 or more years of experience leading research studies (qualitative and/or mixed-methods), particularly interviews, focus groups, and community-based research activities
Experience managing or contributing to donor-funded research projects.
Demonstrated experience turning research findings into actionable insights to guide programmatic or design decisions
Demonstrated ability to recruit research participants, especially adolescents and youth
Strong project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects concurrently.
Proficiency in research and data analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R, NVivo).
A strong commitment to driving innovation and measurable impact in research initiatives.
Fluency in English is required.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in other regional languages is highly desirable.
Masters degree or PhD in a related field (Development Studies, Development Economic, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, etc)
Previous research experience on projects related to economic empowerment for youth is highly desirable
Experience in community-based and/or participatory research and facilitation with vulnerable populations, including young people, is highly desirable
Experience with youth-driven design, co-design, and rapid prototyping methods is a plus

Responsibilities

Lead the design, execution, and management of large-scale, high-impact research projects.
Develop innovative, adaptable research methodologies and tools to address project challenges and promote best practices in thematic areas such as economic development and youth employment.
Foster collaboration with cross-functional teams, including stakeholders, funders, and regional partners, to ensure research initiatives align with the broader impact goals.
Build the capacity of regional teams to conduct high-quality research and innovation activities by leading training and knowledge transfer sessions.
Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, including interviews, focus groups, stakeholder engagements, and data analysis.
Utilize quantitative methods to analyze large datasets, providing data-driven recommendations for decision-making.
Perform qualitative analysis to identify patterns and outcomes that can inform future innovations.
Use innovative frameworks like Human-Centered Design, Participatory Action Research, to inform user-centric, actionable solutions for complex development issues.
Identify emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges across sectors like education, youth entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion and translate these findings into strategic insights that inform broader efforts.
Capture and synthesize research findings into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring insights are actionable and aligned with strategic goals.
Facilitate knowledge-sharing and capacity-building sessions to ensure insights are embedded across teams and projects.
Manage the collection, storage, and dissemination of research outputs, ensuring they contribute to an institutional knowledge base.
Engage with key stakeholders within YLabs and partner organizations to understand research needs and priorities.
Actively build and maintain relationships with research institutions, academic partners, and sector experts to ensure research outputs are innovative and aligned with best practices.
Provide high-quality data, insights, and narratives that demonstrate the impact of the research and innovation initiatives to support donor reporting.
Collaborate with MEL teams to ensure research outputs are effectively integrated into the project’s monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
Contribute to the iterative improvement of research processes and MEL frameworks to continuously apply learnings from innovation.
Manage project timelines and deliverables, ensuring research initiatives are completed on time and within scope.
Provide regular updates and reporting on project progress, challenges, and recommendations to senior leadership.