Part Time - Research Associate - Digital Skills for Women Entrepreneurship

About CERP

The Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan, or CERP, is a leading independent nonpartisan policy institution focused on improving decision making in Pakistan through evidence-informed research, engaging with policy counterparts with real policy challenges and designing and advising on high impact reforms based on data. At CERP, we also deploy cutting edge pedagogy tailored for Pakistan and provide data insights to the private sector on product and process design.

Project Description

The Digital Skills for Women Entrepreneurship project at CERP aims to increase women’s entrepreneurship and income by improving their access to digital marketplaces. We will conduct a rigorous evaluation through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the impact of digital marketplace access on women’s labor market outcome. Specifically, we will measure business outcomes, expenditures, employment status, market access and other outcomes of respondents. A sub-arm will include additional training for mothers (mothers-in-law) in the participants’ households to change their beliefs and understanding of business through e-commerce and its potential to provide a safe and profitable opportunity for females to generate income. The team of principal investigators leading the project includes Dr. Sabrin Beg (University of Delaware), Dr. Adrienne Lucas (University of Delaware) and Attique Ur Rehman (University of Delaware).

Position

The Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan seeks a qualified applicant for the position of Research Associate for the project. The position will perform a diverse range of functions, including research, fieldwork, and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with project partners including the Social Welfare Department and Daraz.
• Design and implement data collection tools and surveys.
• Help with training of enumerators of the survey firm.
• Conduct field visits and oversee data collection process.
• Analyze data using Stata and prepare reports and presentations on research findings.
• Ensure data quality protocols are followed, including verification of administrative data and performing daily checks of incoming data.
• Assist with final deliverables to IGC, by conducting desk review and compiling reports and working papers.
• Regularly meet and coordinate with organizational partners to ensure deadlines are met.

Entry Requirements

• Minimum of a Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, or a related discipline from an internationally recognized university.
• 1-2 years of relevant experience in research/programme design and/or evaluation, including the design of focus groups and interviews.
• Ability to both work closely in with a team and work independently.
• Ability to take a well-defined problem and come up with a response based on an independent analysis of the data.
• Strong statistical programming skills (R preferred, otherwise STATA).
• Familiarity with various research and evaluation design concerns.
• Willingness to travel to Islamabad for field work.
• Demonstrated ability to manage various tasks effectively and coordinate between project members.
• Comfortable communicating with key stakeholders, including policy actors in the public sector.
• Fluent in English and Urdu.
• Willing to take on added responsibility as the project progresses.