Mid-Level Researchers for Evaluation of 3 Resilience Food Security Activities At NORC

Context

The International Programs Department of NORC at the University of Chicago is currently seeking qualified candidates for three (3) Mid-Level Researcher positions for a performance evaluation (PE) of three Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs) in the Kasaï and Kasaï-Central provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The goal of the three RFSAs is to achieve sustainable food, nutrition, and economic security outcomes in Kasaï and Kasaï-Central provinces through activities to strengthen livelihoods and increase incomes, focusing on improving the usage of credit and capital, increasing the profitability and diversity of enterprises, and increasing sustainable agricultural production.

This PE is conducted under the Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D) Activity and funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). The purpose of this PE is to assess, using rigorous evaluative methods, how the RFSAs have been managed and implemented, their role in improving food security outcomes and strengthening resilience, and the progress made towards sustainability. The PE will take place over the life of the RFSAs using a mixed methods approach with multiple rounds of data collection, including a baseline survey in 2024, two rounds of process monitoring in 2025-27, and a mixed methods final evaluation including a quantitative endline survey and a qualitative endline study during 2027-28.

Job description

The Mid-Level Researchers will be primarily responsible for (1) supporting the on-the-ground coordination of the RFSA evaluation, serving as a channel of communication between the NORC evaluation team, the implementing partners of the RFSAs, the data collection firm, and USAID’s local team; (2) observing the implementation of RFSA activities through site visits and regular interactions with RFSA implementation partners; and (3) supporting and observing the various rounds of data collections for the PE, with responsibility for assisting the NORC evaluation team in ensuring that each part of the PE is conducted in accordance with the study design and protocols.

More specifically, his/her role will include the following responsibilities:

• Facilitate regular communication and coordination between the relevant staff of the RFSAs and the NORC research team.
• Cooperate effectively with all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the evaluation, as well as with representatives of national, regional and local governments, and any other external stakeholders or collaborators.
• Support regular coordination between the NORC research team and the contracted data collection firm and its various staff (e.g., survey managers, field-based team supervisors), especially during data collection periods.
• Review some of the key PE design documents (e.g., evaluation design report) and RFSA documents (e.g., annual work plans) to gain an in-depth understanding of the work to be conducted. Be ready to review new documents that reflect changes in the design and implementation of the PE.
• Review survey and qualitative data collection instruments in French and their translation into local languages (e.g., Tshiluba and Lingala) and provide feedback and suggestions.
• Help organize and plan the quantitative and qualitative trainings for each data collection round, then attend these trainings led by NORC’s PIs and observe and report on the pilot in the field to be held at the end of trainings.
• Independently observe the work of the survey and qualitative data collection teams during the various rounds of fieldwork to ensure data quality (e.g. identify and report any issues and coach investigators and supervisors, if necessary), take detailed field notes while observing data collection efforts.
• Attend and contribute to the regularly scheduled check-in calls that will be organized during fieldwork (these calls will serve to share progress updates, challenges and solutions, and lessons learned). Share field notes and project updates from data collection.
• Conduct regular site visits in communities selected in collaboration with the NORC research team to observe on RFSA implementation progress, challenges, and successes. Document these visits for the NORC research team using a checklist.
• Provide inputs on evaluation deliverables such as baseline report, process evaluation reports and final evaluation report.

The study is expected to begin in August 2024, and baseline data collection is planned for November 2024. Final data collection is planned for late 2027 or early 2028. As a result, the level of effort of the Mid-Level Researchers will vary greatly over the course of the study and will be mainly concentrated around the data collection periods. In between, the Mid-Level Researchers should be able to ensure coordination and communication between stakeholders and occasionally (e.g. every 4-6 months) carry out field visits of a few days to observe the implementation of RFSA activities in target communities.

The Mid-Level Researchers must be based in the DRC (ideally in Kasaï or Kasaï-Central) and must have previous work experience in DRC and the ability to travel to remote communities in Kasaï or Kasaï-Central as part of data collection and field observation.

Required Qualifications

The candidate must have the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a field such as agricultural economics or agronomy, public health, natural resources management, statistics, economics, or sociology.
• A minimum of three years of demonstrated experience in one or more of the following fields: maternal health and child nutrition (MHCN), water and sanitation (WASH), rural agriculture and agricultural value chains, or natural resources management.
• A minimum of two years of demonstrated experience working on large-scale studies and/or rigorous social science evaluations.
• Proven experience with data quality assurance mechanisms (e.g., assistance with and observation of fieldwork, quality control of data during collection, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and facilitate communication between different project stakeholders (e.g., evaluation team, implementation partners, local and national governments).
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated and successful work in a cross-cultural team environment in a developmental context.
• Proven ability to effectively and clearly assist with reporting tasks on progress, challenges and lessons learned.
• Previous work experience in the DRC and fluency in French

Desired Qualifications

The candidate will be considered more competitive if they have the following qualifications:

• A Master’s degree or Doctorate in a field such as agricultural economics or agronomy, public health, natural resources management, statistics, economics, or sociology.
• Be presently based in Kasaï or Kasaï-Central (e.g., Tshikapa City or Kananga)
• Experience developing, implementing, or evaluating social behavior change communication (SBCC) activities.
• Experience in collecting reliable and accurate survey data (as a survey enumerator, supervisor, or manager and using platforms such as Survey Solutions, Survey CTO, Kobo Toolbox, Tangerine) and/or qualitative data (as a facilitator of focus groups and/or individual interviews).
• Experience planning, organizing, and delivering survey and qualitative data collection trainings.
• Working proficiency in English.
• Proven ability to contribute to evaluation reports.

What We Do

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created, and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

Who We Are

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications, and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

EEO Statement

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally- protected characteristics. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.