Job Opportunity for Research Assistant – Stanford University at Poverty Action Lab in in Bhopal

Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Soledad Artiz Prillaman, is seeking a field research assistant to be based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, starting as early as January 2023. This research assistant will be responsible for overseeing the evaluation of an upcoming research initiative geared toward amplifying women’s voices in policymaking. The project(s) that will be assigned to this research assistant are part of the research portfolio at Stanford’s Inclusive Democracy and Development (ID2) Lab. For more information about the lab, please visit our website: https://www.id2lab.org/.

Global attention on women’s political inclusion has coalesced into solutions that enable women’s descriptive representation – the guarantee of women’s presence in political spaces. But presence does not guarantee voice. In fact, despite widespread policies aimed at gender equality, women’s voices – their demands, needs, and interests – remain poorly represented in politics and policy. This imperfect representation of the voices of women in political institutions yields the underrepresentation of women’s interests and gender inequalities in policy access and social outcomes. Nowhere is this more salient than in India, where women continue to face chronic underrepresentation in politics.

Accordingly, the primary research project for which we are seeking a full-time assistant will be focused on evaluating a proposed solution to women’s underrepresentation in politics – establishing a feedback loop between women citizens and representatives. In addition to overseeing the implementation and analysis of this intervention, the research assistant may also be tasked with managing field operations for other related projects in the ID2 Lab’s portfolio. Specifically, this research assistant may also be responsibile for overseeing an ID2 Lab initiative focused on the role that government-funded vocational training agencies may play in reinforcing women’s labor force retention.

This position requires a self-starting candidate who can conduct in-depth interviews and scoping activities with partner organizations, manage field activities and coordinate field staff for the execution of surveys and RCTs, and support with high quality cleaning and rigorous analysis of both primary and secondary data. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to join a team working on cutting-edge development research and gain first-hand experience in working with policy partners, implementing surveys and field experiments, and conducting rigorous data analysis. Specific responsibilities and desired qualifications for the position are outlined in greater detail below.

Responsibilities:

• Launch and pilot new interventions in collaboration with implementing partners (NGOs, government agencies, etc.)
• Oversee the day-to-day implementation of field-based research (scoping, surveying, project implementation) – including the management of field personnel, procurement, budgets, and reporting
• Assist in the design and field-testing of survey instruments and develop and implement appropriate structures and systems for a larger randomized intervention, including the procurement of supplies; development and oversight of field and quality control protocols; recruitment, training, and leading of field staff; and coordination with local partners
• Seek out and collect administrative data from policy partners and government agencies
• Conduct data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis using multiple primary and secondary data sources
• Manage day-to-day relationships with national, state, and lower-level government officials and other potential partners (academics, policy organizations, NGOs, etc.) as requested

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s candidates with at least two years of experience in data-based research, preferably in political science or a related field
• Strong interest in public policy and social development in low-income countries
• Excellent oral and written English and Hindi communication skills
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite
• Experience with data analysis software such as Stata or R is strongly preferred
• Mature, self-directed individual with ability to balance multiple tasks and prioritize effectively to meet deadlines in a fast-paced working environment

How To Apply: 

Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. After completing a brief registration, choose the “Research” job category, then select “Research Assistant – Stanford University” and include your resume and cover letter. 

In addition to completing the J-PAL/IPA common application, interested applicants should also email their resume and cover letter to the ID2 Lab’s Research Program Manager, Somer Bryant at somerkb@stanford.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and no later than on February 28th, 2023. The selected candidate for the position will be hired through J-PAL. Given the volume of applications received, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.