Description
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, is a not-for-profit research and training organization with partners in over 100 countries. Please refer to our website for more information: www.cimmyt.org

We are seeking skilled, and motivated candidates to fill the position of Assistant Research Associate, Applied Economics to provide support to the USAID-funded “Accelerated Intervention Delivery Initiative (AID-I)” implemented in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia from 2023 to 2024. The goal of the AIDI project is to ensure smallholder farmers in important food production regions in Sub-Saharan Africa have the information and innovations needed, using market-based approaches, to maintain or increase food production to mitigate the impacts of the global food, fuel, and fertilizer price increases resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These accelerated delivery activities need to be gender sensitive and inclusive.

The position will support the learning component of the AID-I project around seed systems strengthening and agricultural advisories in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. The overall goal of the learning agenda is to assist last-mile delivery partners scale out innovations quickly and effectively and inclusively. The incumbent will support research with development aimed to assess various key aspects of accelerated delivery approaches such as demand creation, distribution channels, and demand assessment, with a deliberate emphasis on gender and inclusion. The Research Associate will participate in designing learning activities, value chain analysis, demand analysis, and market research, organizing workshops where applicable, collecting, and analyzing primary data, and reporting.

This position is based in Lusaka, Zambia, and is open to all Zambians with excellent academic and professional track records.

Main duties and responsibilities

Contribute to qualitative and quantitative data collection in the target regions of Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, including but not limited to household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews.
As an effective team member, contribute to rigorous impact evaluation designs using both experimental and quasi-experimental methods such as panel household surveys, randomized controlled trials, and lab-in-the-field economic experiments.
Lead field teams in qualitative and quantitative data collection in the target regions of Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, likely to include household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) platforms.
Contribute to data analysis, likely to include coding and qualitative analysis of interview data, basic descriptive statistics, cost-benefit and econometric analyses, and value chain analysis.
Conduct literature reviews on relevant topics as guided by the supervisor.
Support manuscript and report writing and other reporting as required.
Establish and maintain contacts with external collaborating organizations and partners.
Organize logistics and financial arrangements related to data collection, team travel, etc.
Lead in organizing stakeholder meetings and workshops, and oversee taking minutes.
Other duties and miscellaneous tasks as required and as assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Applied Economics (Agriculture Economics, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Natural Resource Economics, or related fields) with 5 years of post-qualification relevant work experience.
Demonstrated high levels of competence in designing CAPI-based data collection protocols (e.g., Survey Solutions), and proficiency in the management and analysis of large datasets. Proven experience with econometric analysis using Stata will be an added advantage.
Demonstrated proficiency with rigorous impact evaluation methods using both experimental and quasi-experimental methods such as panel data methods, instrumental variables, randomized controlled trials, and lab-in-the-field economic experiments.
Strong knowledge and command of research design processes from pre-field research questions, planning, field logistics and supervision, data analysis, and report writing. Demonstrated good command of scientific writing will be an added advantage.
Good command of spoken and written English and at least two local Zambian languages.
Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a range of institutions.
Demonstrated proficiency in the use of standard software (Ms office etc), Stata, and Survey Solutions at an advanced level.
Demonstrated ability to write reports, scientific publications, and promotional materials.
Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multicultural environment.
Clean driver’s license is essential. Defensive Driving Certificate will be an added advantage.
Benefits
Private Health Insurance
Pension Plan
Paid Time Off
Work From Home
Training & Development