Senior Research Specialist (Contractor)

ABOUT YLABS

YLabs is a leading global design and research organization designing technologies that amplify youth power, agency, and opportunity. Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people to co-create inclusive digital products and services that improve their lives. Our design process opens spaces where young people’s ideas can become a reality – where they are the architects of the solutions to their most pressing challenges.

YLabs multidisciplinary team delivers youth-driven innovation and impact at scale. Our team combines expertise in youth-driven design with adolescent health, climate, livelihoods, digital product design, behavioral science, and epidemiology. Based in Rwanda and the USA, we’ve worked in 18 countries to date on projects spanning three focus areas: optimum health and wellness, improved economic opportunity, and increased climate resilience.

Find out more about our projects here: https://www.ylabsglobal.org/work

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an African-based Senior Research Specialist (contractor) to lead research initiatives for a YLabs project. This individual will drive high-impact research, innovation, and strategic decision-making using cutting-edge research methodologies and frameworks. The ideal candidate must be able to operate independently, navigate ambiguity, and manage research and innovation projects with minimal supervision. They will be responsible for generating actionable insights that influence strategic initiatives and innovation across sectors like education, youth entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion.

JOB TYPE

This is an independent contractor (consultancy) position based in Africa. The anticipated contract duration is up to 12 months, with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2026. This role can be based anywhere in Africa. The successful candidate must be willing and able to travel across Africa for fieldwork.

LOCATION

This role can be based anywhere in Africa. The successful candidate must be willing to travel for field work within the Africa Region.

PAY RATE

This is a 12-month consultancy contract with an annual gross range of USD 35,460 - USD 55,896 commensurate with qualifications and experience. Payments will be made monthly, based on approved deliverables and submitted invoices, via bank transfer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research Strategy and Leadership
  • 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.
• Quantitative and Qualitative Research
  • 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.
• Innovation and Insight Development
  • 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.
• Strategic Knowledge Management
  • 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.
• Stakeholder and Partnership Engagement
  • 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.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Integration
  • 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.
• Project Management
  • 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.

YOU ARE:

• 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

YOU HAVE:

• 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. Proficiency in other regional languages is highly desirable.

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

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

YLabs recognizes the time and effort that goes into submitting an application and reviews every submission carefully. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we will contact candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the role to discuss next steps in the hiring process. Thank you for your interest in joining our team. All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background check and criminal record clearances. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

YLabs is committed to building teams and policies that promote equity, justice, and belonging at work. We strongly encourage people from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, marital status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Salary: USD 35,460 - USD 55,896

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