Agroecological Systems Analyst

Reference number: 2024010
Job status: In-progress
Job category: Local Position
Duty station: Nairobi, Kenya
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CIFOR-ICRAF
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) envision a more equitable world where trees in all landscapes, from drylands to the humid tropics, enhance the environment and well-being for all. CIFOR and ICRAF are non-profit science institutions that build and apply evidence to today’s most pressing challenges, including energy insecurity and the climate and biodiversity crises. Over a combined total of 65 years, we have built vast knowledge on forests and trees outside of forests in agricultural landscapes (agroforestry). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we seek to improve lives and to protect and restore ecosystems. Our work focuses on innovative research, partnering for impact, and engaging with stakeholders on policies and practices to benefit people and the planet. Founded in 1993 and 1978, CIFOR and ICRAF are members of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.

Overview

The agroecological systems analyst will contribute to the development, implementation and documentation of analytical and modeling frameworks that integrate biophysical, ecological, and socioeconomic domains to evaluate the impacts of agroecological interventions on livelihood systems and ecosystems. Other responsibilities will be to support the management and co-development of interactive web-based dashboards and databases.

Duties and responsibilities

1.Research Design & Data Collection:

·Support the design of research projects in agroecology with an eye to
ensuring they will be able to collect high-quality data to address project
goals.

·Design surveys and focus group discussion guides for data collection.

·Translate questions into digital collection tools such as ODK and Kobo
Collect to emphasize question quality, data validation framework and option
relevance.

·Train enumerators and team members on data collection, interviewing and
note-taking for easy translation to viewable data.

·Undertake literature reviews and other desk-based data collection methods.

·Ensure data are stored in secure and ethical ways.

2.Data Analysis:

·Clean and curate data to enable analysis.

·Design data analysis frameworks that connect the available data to the
expected results and formulate hypotheses.

·Conduct exploratory data analysis to uncover insights in the data that
will advise the next course of analysis action.

·Analyze data to test hypotheses and create predictive models using R or Python.

·Create visualizations and graphs of the data, including using spatial
tools such as QGIS.

3.Database/dashboard development:

·Contribute to the development of digital dashboards that allow
stakeholders to interact with data, including:

·Farmer dashboards with personalized data collected in projects.

·Metrics dashboards/databases allowing users to develop monitoring systems
using existing metrics.

·Project dashboards showing implementation progress or other metrics aimed
at donors/investors.

4.Communications & Stakeholder Engagement.

·Interact with multiple actors (farmers, development actors, donors, NGO
etc.) to ensure user-centred design of dashboard/database interfaces.

·Develop presentations, briefs, data visualizations or other tools to
report on data/results to diverse stakeholders, particularly policy makers
developing agroecological strategies.

·Disseminate research results and original ideas through diverse channels,
including giving presentations, attending conferences, or other fora.

5.Publications & Reporting:

·Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, particularly supporting the
writing of methods and results sections.

·Contribute to project reporting and presentation of results to
stakeholders.

·Write briefs/info notes on results of data analyses, such as ROI of
agroecology, or performance of novel holistic metrics for diverse audiences.

6.Management & Oversight:

·Ensure high-quality data collection in the field through training and
supervising teams of enumerators and field technicians.

·Manage field work budgets as appropriate the ensure collection of
high-quality data and smooth stakeholder engagement.

·Supervise junior data analysts and research assistants.

7.Resource Mobilization:

·Contribute to the development of proposals related to agroecology,
sustainable food systems monitoring, climate adaptation, or other strategic
areas through idea development, writing and contributing data/analyses.

8.Other Duties as commensurate with the position and assigned by the
supervisor.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Data science, Statistics, or related field such as
  Agriculture, Environmental Science, Economics, with demonstrated analytical
  skills.
• Minimum of 3 years relevant professional level work experience.
• Experience in designing experiments to answer targeted questions and
  conducting exploratory data analysis.
• Strong technical skills in statistical analysis, data modeling,
  programming languages (R or Python), and machine learning to solve
  problems/predict patterns in scientific projects, and visualizing results.
  

Education, knowledge and experience

•Master’s Degree in Data science, Statistics, or related field such as Agriculture, Environmental Science, Economics, with demonstrated analytical skills.
•Minimum of 3 years relevant professional level work experience.
•Experience in designing experiments to answer targeted questions and conducting exploratory data analysis.
•Strong technical skills in statistical analysis, data modeling, programming languages (R or Python), and machine learning to solve problems/predict patterns in scientific projects, and visualizing results.

Terms and conditions

•This is a Locally Recruited position. CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in local currency commensurate with skills and experience.

•The duty station will be in Nairobi, Kenya CIFOR-ICRAF Offices.

Application process

The application deadline is 26 Mar 2024
We will acknowledge all applications, but will contact only short-listed candidates.