The Research Fellows are expected to guide and manage the Lab’s research program, a role that will include directing and supervising the Lab’s Research Associates, supporting other junior researchers and PhD Fellows at UNU-MERIT, interacting with researchers from the two research units of UNU-MERIT, and actively seeking and acquiring funding for the Lab’s activities. The expected outputs of this work include research articles in high-impact journals, policy reports with partner institutions, stakeholder workshops, conferences, and high-level presentations to government officials. Candidates should be comfortable in actively engaging with practitioners and policy makers on real-world cases. This requires a strong motivation to understand the context of policy problems, and to work with various – often heterogeneous or incomplete – types of data at the micro, meso and macro level.
The new Lab will be formally launched in Spring 2023. In the pre-launch phase of the Lab, the inaugural team of Computational Innovation Lab Research Fellows and Associates will co-create with UNU-MERIT staff a strategy for data analytics, information management and the data analysis platform addressing the complex challenges described above. This strategy process will identify and prioritize ideas and initial projects to maximize impact, visibility and partnerships for the institute.
Responsibilities:
Under the overall supervision of the Director of the institute, the Research Fellow on Data and Information Management (P-3) undertakes research, education and outreach activities in support of the institute’s Strategic Plan. The Research Fellow’s responsibilities include the following:
Data analysis and conducting research in support of the Institute’s program of work through both disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research:
Organize, design and carry out the evaluation and analysis of specific datasets on topics of relevance to the Computational Innovation Lab and the institute more generally
Produce and update high-quality information products and online services; maintain a data repository and ensure that the data are documented and accessible
Producing research papers individually or in collaboration with others (internally and externally) that fit within the disciplinary research activities of the institute and/or cross-cutting and inter-disciplinary horizontal research initiatives
Contributing to the writing of research reports, including reports for and on behalf of other UN agencies
Jointly develop research activities with colleagues in the Institute, striving for policy impact in the UN system, at international, regional, and national levels
Database and web management:
Design, develop and manage databases and platforms
Establish joint standards and processes for data collection, cleaning and checking
Ensure that platform design allows for easy and open access while retaining highest privacy and security standards
Design web user interfaces and programming of website and underlying software architecture
Design, implement and maintain features of the platform website using MySQL, CSS, HTML and other programming languages
Manage and continuously update content on the platform, provide overall quality control for the platform and ensure content is current and comprehensive
Understand, document, and ensure the quality of data for accuracy, consistency and comparability
Contribute to the fundraising activities of the Institute:
Lead funding acquisition to develop the computational innovation lab research agenda with respect to its data and information management research ambitions
Interact with researchers from the two research units of UNU-MERIT to develop joint research proposals and activities
Establish and maintain partnerships and professional relationships:
Build and maintain networks with relevant stakeholders, such as academics, donors, the UN system, governments, and private sector, for potential collaboration internationally
Engage policy consumers/partners to ensure policy impact of research outputs
Engage professional networks to raise visibility of the Institute
Support outreach and the dissemination of results
Strategy development and management of the Computational Innovation Lab:
Guide and manage the Computational Innovation Lab’s research program
Co-direct and supervise the Lab’s Research Associates, support other junior researchers and PhD Fellows
Co-create a strategy for data analytics, information management and the data analysis platform
Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor
Key Performance Indicators:
Timely and quality delivery of databases, data analysis, platforms and websites
Timely and quality research publications
Timely and quality delivery of other outputs (dissemination, database development, organization of events, supervision of PhD fellows, etc.)
Timely and quality delivery of inputs to curated fundraising opportunities
Quality and level of engagement with other researchers, teams, consultants, and partners
Quality and level of engagement with partners, related networks and working groups
Qualifications:
Education and certification:
A PhD (completed) in information management, information systems or software engineering or relevant quantitative discipline related to data science, complexity science or computer science.
Experience and other requirements:
Required:
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively relevant work experience in the area of (humanitarian) crisis management, green transformation or sustainable development, some of which should include managing teams of three or more staff;
A body of research on data and information management as demonstrated by a record of scientific publications, such as journal articles, book chapters, and scientific advisory reports
Excellent writing skills and a proven ability to communicate research findings to diverse audiences
A track record in funding acquisition and outreach as demonstrated through projects funded via public or private organizations
Strong communication and presentation skills, along with excellent drafting skills
Good team player with strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
Professionalism, flexibility and ability to work to realistic deadlines, creative thinking, results driven, foreseeing risks and allowing for contingencies when planning
Experience working with diverse stakeholders including public, private, non-profit and intergovernmental organizations
Experience in managing research projects in academia, research or other organizations
Desirable:
Experience in (humanitarian) crisis management, sustainable development or green transformation policy contexts within the UN common system or other international organizations
Experience in interacting with policy-makers, participatory research, and translating data- driven findings into meaningful insights and policy-focused reports
Experience in managing research finances and budgets
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English
Knowledge of another UN official working language is an asset, as is knowledge of Dutch.
