Research Associate

Vacancy: Research Associate

Location: New Delhi

Employment Type: Full-time

Number of Vacancies: 2 (Two)

Experience: 0-1 year; fresh graduates with relevant skills and aptitude are encouraged to apply

About the Position

Applications are invited for the position of Research Associate to support research, monitoring and evaluation, programme documentation and knowledge-management functions at the ISDRR. The Research Associate will work with multidisciplinary teams on research studies, baseline and other assessments, programme monitoring, primary and secondary research, data management and analysis, and preparation of technical reports and knowledge products. The position is suitable for early-career professionals who have a strong interest in applied research and the development sector and are keen to build practical experience through public health and social development programmes.

Key Responsibilities

The Research Associate will support the following areas:

Research and Assessments

• • Support the design and implementation of research studies, surveys, baseline/end-line assessments, programme evaluations and other research assignments.
  • Undertake literature reviews, desk research and analysis of secondary data and relevant policy/programme documents.
  • Assist in the development, testing and finalisation of questionnaires, interview schedules, discussion guides, checklists and other research tools.
  • Support primary data collection, interviews, consultations and field-based research activities.

Data Management and Analysis

• • Support data entry, cleaning, validation, coding and preparation of analysis-ready datasets.
  • Undertake descriptive and basic statistical analysis and support interpretation of quantitative and qualitative findings.
  • Prepare analytical tables, charts, summaries and presentations.
  • Work with digital data-collection platforms and support data-quality checks during field implementation.
  • Support maintenance and analysis of programme monitoring and research databases.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• • Support monitoring and evaluation activities across programmes and research assignments.
  • Compile, review and validate monitoring data received from project and field teams.
  • Support development and tracking of indicators, monitoring formats and reporting tools.
  • Assist in documenting programme results, implementation experiences, good practices and lessons learned.

Technical Documentation and Reporting

• • Contribute to preparation of research reports, baseline and assessment reports, programme reports, case studies, briefs, presentations and other technical documents.
  • Assist in synthesising quantitative and qualitative findings into clear and well-structured outputs.
  • Support documentation of programme activities, field observations, outcomes and learning.
  • Contribute to the development of knowledge products and evidence-based communication materials.

Programme and Field Support

• • Participate in field visits, surveys, consultations, monitoring visits and other research activities as required.
  • Coordinate with field teams for timely collection and compilation of programme and research data.
  • Support research- and evidence-related requirements of ongoing programmes and assignments.
  • Undertake other research, monitoring, analysis and documentation responsibilities assigned by the team.

Educational Qualification

Minimum: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Public Health, Data Science, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Development Studies, Rural Development, Economics, Statistics, Population Studies, Life Sciences, Social Sciences or another relevant discipline.

Required Skills and Competencies

The candidate should demonstrate:

• • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
  • Good analytical, reading and comprehension skills.
  • Basic understanding of research methods and quantitative and/or qualitative data.
  • Working knowledge of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
  • Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
  • Willingness to undertake field travel and interact professionally with communities, field teams and other stakeholders.
  • Strong willingness to learn and take responsibility for assigned work.

Knowledge of SPSS, Stata, R, ODK platforms or similar research and data-management tools and data visualisation platforms such as Power BI, Tableau will be an advantage, but the same is not mandatory for fresh graduates.

What the Position Offers

The position provides an opportunity for an early-career professional to gain practical exposure to applied research and development-sector programmes, including:

• • Research design and implementation
  • Primary and secondary research
  • Survey tool development and digital data collection
  • Field research and programme monitoring
  • Data management, analysis and interpretation
  • Monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • Technical and analytical report writing

Note: ISDRR maintains zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and other forms of misconduct. All personnel are required to comply with the organisation’s Safeguarding, PSEA and Code of Conduct requirements. Recruitment may include appropriate reference and background checks, particularly for positions involving direct engagement with children, adolescents and communities.