Website: Website http://precisionag.org

  • Kenya Research and Operations Manager

    Kenya Research and Operations Manager

    Job Description
    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) seeks a Kenya Research and Operations Manager to support PAD research, operations, and scale-up activities in Kenya by overseeing multiple research projects in collaboration with our key partner organizations.
    PAD was established with a keen eye towards rigorous evaluation and constant experimentation. Each of our programs and partnerships have a strong complement of research, ranging from large- and small-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to A/B tests to pilot trials. Most of PAD’s research projects are led by Shawn Cole (Harvard Business School) and Michael Kremer (Harvard University). PAD’s research activities are also supported by affiliated researchers from other institutions and are overseen by PAD’s Boston-based Senior Researcher.
    Kenyan and East African citizens are strongly encouraged to apply.
    Organization background
    PAD is a US-based non-profit organization with a mission to support smallholder farmers in developing countries by providing customized agricultural information and services that increase productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. PAD is pioneering a model for agricultural extension: delivering farmers personalized agricultural advice via their mobile phones. PAD implements this model in collaboration with partner organizations and gathers evidence on its impact. PAD aims to improve the lives of 100 million farmers in developing countries with its services.
    A key element of our approach is helping partners with wide reach such as governments, contract farming organizations, telecommunications firms, agribusiness, and NGOs to design, build, evaluate, and improve customized mobile phone-based agricultural advisory systems. We help partners structure and improve their service offerings through incorporation of the latest availability technologies and data as well as insights from behavioral economics and social learning theory. Taking a global approach, we bring experience on what has worked elsewhere to every engagement and continue to optimize to local contexts using A/B testing and rigorous evaluation.
    PAD currently has operations in seven countries – Kenya, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Uganda. These opportunities have allowed PAD to reach over 2.5 million farmers in the second quarter of 2019, both with our own services and research efforts as well as through partnerships.
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Research and Operations Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Supervise the implementation of PAD mobile services in Kenya, including developing protocols for monitoring our SMS platform, ensuring rigorous testing and piloting of the platform, collecting feedback from the platform users, and planning the development of new features;
    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch new research projects;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing research designs and proposals, managing data collection activities, and conducting data cleaning and analysis;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project staff (Research Associates, Field Staff, Interns), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects;
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Keep the Kenya Country Director appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.
    Strong technical understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
    At least 2 years’ experience running or managing quantitative research projects focusing on impact evaluation.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging with high level policy contacts (e.g. senior officials, senior staff from international organizations).
    Proficient in using Stata or R for data analysis.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff.
    Willingness to travel both within Kenya and the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Knowledge of SQL and Python.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Previous work experience in Kenya or East African countries.

    Position details

    Full time
    Start date: ASAP
    Location: Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel to Western Kenya and intermittent travel across East Africa
    Compensation: commensurate with experience

  • Intern / Junior Software Engineer

    Intern / Junior Software Engineer

    Job description

    Intern / Junior Software Engineer
    PAD Kenya runs an SMS platform that offers agronomic advice to 330,000 registered farmers. The platform is custom-built in Erlang and offers functionality for developing SMS-based surveys and other tools. The system is hosted in a distributed manner on AWS, with deployment built around Docker. We are looking for a software engineer or intern with an interest in functional programming, who is comfortable working in Linux.
    Organization background
    PAD is a US-based non-profit organization with a mission to support smallholder farmers in developing countries by providing customized agricultural information and services that increase productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. PAD is pioneering a model for agricultural extension: delivering farmers personalized agricultural advice via their mobile phones. PAD implements this model in collaboration with partner organizations and gathers evidence on its impact. PAD aims to improve the lives of 100 million farmers in developing countries with its services.
    The initial phase of PAD’s work consisted of testing the impact of similar mobile phone-based agricultural extension services in multiple contexts across the developing world. That research found that while careful attention to design and context and careful evaluation was critical, mobile phone-based agricultural extension could increase adoption of appropriate farm management practices, yields, and incomes, with point estimates suggesting a benefit cost ratio of 10/1. Based on our initial evidence around a proof of concept technology, PAD began working with partners capable of scaling and further testing this approach, while simultaneously continuing to build its own research efforts.
    A key element of our approach is helping partners with wide reach such as governments, contract farming organizations, telecommunications firms, agribusiness, and NGOs to design, build, evaluate, and improve customized mobile phone-based agricultural advisory systems. We help partners structure and improve their service offerings through incorporation of the latest availability technologies and data as well as insights from behavioral economics and social learning theory. Taking a global approach, we bring experience on what has worked elsewhere to every engagement and continue to optimize to local contexts using A/B testing and rigorous evaluation.
    PAD currently has operations in four countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan), is advising a partner in Rwanda, and is working towards new endeavors in Ecuador and Uganda. These opportunities have allowed PAD to reach over 900,000 farmers by 2019, both with our own services and research efforts as well as through partnerships.
     Responsibilities
    The Software Engineer or intern will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Development of platform functionality and content
    Development of data flows
    Administration and monitoring of the running system
    Technical support where necessary

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    Programming experience in a production environment
    Familiarity with Linux

    Desirable:

    Experience with functional programming (Erlang)
    Deployment experience using Docker (swarm)
    Familiarity with git
    Familiarity with one or more of Python/R/SQL

     Position details

    Part-time or full-time, dependent on preferences and experience
    Start date: ASAP
    Location: Nairobi, Kenya
    Compensation: Negotiable
    To apply: Please fill out our online application form with your CV attached on our website.

  • Junior Accountant

    Junior Accountant

    Position Details:
    Summary:
    This is a full-time position based at the PAD Kenya Office in Nairobi. The Junior Accountant will be reporting to the Kenya Finance and HR Coordinator with a dotted line to the Director of Finance and Operations. The Junior Accountant has primary responsibility for supporting the day-to-day Accounting for PAD Global. PAD currently has about 65 professional staff in 6 different countries plus another 60 call center staff and field enumerators. This role will work closely with the current Kenya Finance and HR Coordinator. Together with PAD Country Leads and the Director of Finance and Operations, this person will do the day-to-day accounting and management of the Quickbooks integrity and accuracy.
    Start date: As soon as possible, no later than May 1st
    Compensation: Competitive
    Responsibilities in Accounting:

    Enter all PAD invoices and bills into accounting software (Quickbooks Online Version) and help to manage day-to-day finance and accounting procedures including: accounts payable, accounts receivable, recording and financial reporting of grants & donations. Manage all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) standards, non-profit rules, and other regulatory requirements.
    Follow internal controls and accounting procedures set by the Director of Finance and Operations as necessary for a rapidly growing organization to ensure timely and accurate reporting.
    Aid the Director of Finance and Operations with annual and project budgeting and annual independent audits, as required.
    Aid in the compliance of all federal, state, and local corporate, tax, labor, and business legal requirements in US and internationally.
    Support country directors and operations staff in field offices and coordinate efforts across all countries.
    Reconciles general and subsidiary bank accounts by gathering and balancing information.
    Provides financial status information by preparing special reports; completing special projects.
    Corrects errors by posting adjusting journal entries.
    Fixed asset depreciation and accruals.
    Secures financial information by completing database backups; keeping information confidential.
    Maintains accounting controls by following policies and procedures; complying with federal, state, and local financial legal requirements.
    Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications.
    Accomplishes accounting and organization mission by completing related results as needed.
    Create, manage, and track all third-party independent contractor agreements and third-party contracts.

    Essential Experience:

    Bachelor Degree in Finance or Accounting with 1+ years of relevant experience
    High level of attention to detail.
    Strong analytical skills to evaluate data and ensure accuracy of financial data entry.
    Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
    Track record in taking ownership and drive activities to completion.
    Strong English communication skills.
    General Math Skills.
    Accounting, Deadline-Oriented.
    Reporting Skills.
    Quality Focus.

    Desired Experience:

    Mix of for-profit and non-profit work experience.
    Experience working with diverse constituents and colleagues.

    You may be a good fit for this job if you:

    Would like to make a difference: 70% of the world’s poor are smallholder farmers. PAD is working to improve the lives of millions in a sustainable way.
    Are a proactive and creative problem solver with a passion for making sure that ‘the trains are leaving the station on time’.
    Are able to simultaneously keep many balls in the air.

    Physical Requirements:
    This is a sedentary job by nature. Requires being able to sit at a desk and use a computer and phone for most of the day.

  • Rwanda Research and Operations Manager

    Rwanda Research and Operations Manager

    Details:
    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) seeks a Rwanda Research and Operations Manager to support PAD research, operations, and scale-up activities in Rwanda by overseeing multiple research projects in collaboration with one or more key partner organizations.
    Rwandan and East African citizens are strongly encouraged to apply.
    Responsibilities
    The Rwanda Research and Operations Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Supervise the implementation of PAD mobile services in Rwanda, including developing protocols for monitoring our SMS platform, ensuring rigorous testing and piloting of the platform, collecting feedback from the platform users, and planning the development of new features;
    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch new research projects;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing research designs and proposals, managing data collection activities, and conducting data cleaning and analysis;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project staff (Research Associates, Field Staff, Interns), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects;
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Keep the Kenya Country Director appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets;
    Support the administrative registration and set-up of PAD in Rwanda.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.
    Strong technical understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
    At least 2 years’ experience running or managing quantitative research projects focusing on impact evaluation.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging with high level policy contacts (e.g. senior officials, senior staff from international organizations).
    Proficient in using Stata or R for data analysis.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff.
    Willingness to travel both within the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Previous work experience in Rwanda or East African countries.

    Position details

    Full time
    Start date: ASAP
    Location: Kigali, Rwanda with frequent travel to Kenya and intermittent travel across East Africa
    Compensation: commensurate with experience

  • East Africa Research Manager

    East Africa Research Manager

    Job description
    Organization background
    PAD is a US-based non-profit organization with a mission to support smallholder farmers in developing countries by providing customized agricultural information and services that increase productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. PAD is pioneering a model for agricultural extension: delivering farmers personalized agricultural advice via their mobile phones. PAD implements this model in collaboration with partner organizations and gathers evidence on its impact. PAD aims to improve the lives of 100 million farmers in developing countries with its services.
    The initial phase of PAD’s work consisted of testing the impact of similar mobile phone-based agricultural extension services in multiple contexts across the developing world. That research found that while careful attention to design and context and careful evaluation was critical, mobile phone-based agricultural extension could increase adoption of appropriate farm management practices, yields, and incomes, with point estimates suggesting a benefit cost ratio of 10/1. Based on our initial evidence around a proof of concept technology, PAD began working with partners capable of scaling and further testing this approach, while simultaneously continuing to build its own research efforts.
    A key element of our approach is helping partners with wide reach such as governments, contract farming organizations, telecommunications firms, agribusiness, and NGOs to design, build, evaluate, and improve customized mobile phone-based agricultural advisory systems. We help partners structure and improve their service offerings through incorporation of the latest availability technologies and data as well as insights from behavioral economics and social learning theory. Taking a global approach, we bring experience on what has worked elsewhere to every engagement and continue to optimize to local contexts using A/B testing and rigorous evaluation.
    PAD currently has operations in four countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan), is advising a partner in Rwanda, and is working towards new endeavors in Ecuador and Uganda. These opportunities have allowed PAD to reach over 345,000 farmers by end-2017, both with our own services and research efforts as well as through partnerships.
    Responsibilities
    The East Africa Research Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch experiments on mobile phone-based interventions to support smallholder farmers;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing proposals, implementing randomization, manage the implementation of research activities, and writing up research reports;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project staff (Research Associates, Field Staff, Interns), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects;
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Support data cleaning and preliminary data analysis;
    Keep the global and regional teams appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the production of reports on research findings and the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets;

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.
    Strong technical understanding of economics, econometrics, and experimental research.
    Experience conducting statistical or econometric analysis with large datasets
    At least 2 years’ experience working on experimental research, preferably in developing country settings.
    High proficiency in using STATA and familiarity with R
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff and working with partners.
    Willingness to travel within the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs
    Previous work experience in developing countries.

  • Kenya Research Associate

    Kenya Research Associate

    Job description
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Research Associate will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Supervise the implementation of field operations and research activities;
    Support and manage the development of SMS platforms to disseminate information to smallholder farmers via their mobile phones;
    Monitor and analyze usage of the SMS services;
    Hire, train, and supervise local staff;
    Supervise data management activities, clean and analyze data;
    Work with PAD team to ensure that all projects and operations adhere to policies, protocols, and timelines;
    Develop and update project documentation regularly;
    Assist in managing partner relations, and working with external stakeholders for implementation of field operations.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A bachelor’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, statistics, or a closely related field.
    Fluency in English. Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills.
    Excellent management and organizational skills, detail-oriented, and ability to work independently and be supervised remotely.
    1-2 years’ work experience running or managing research projects.
    Excellent knowledge of Stata or R or similar software for data analysis.
    Ability to work under time pressure and solve problems in field.
    Good understanding of economics and familiarity with randomized evaluations.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, statistics, or a closely related field.
    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Experience managing teams and working in groups.
    Previous work experience in Kenya or East African countries.

    Position details

    Full time
    Start date: ASAP
    Location: Nairobi, Kenya (or Western Kenya, open to discussion) with frequent travel to Western Kenya
    Compensation: commensurate with experience
    To apply: Please fill out our online application form with your CV attached on our websit

  • Agronomy Associate

    Agronomy Associate

    Details:
    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) is hiring an Agronomy Associate to support PAD’s operations in Kenya, and to assist in expanding and improving the Ministry of Agriculture’s SMS advisory platform (MoA-INFO) – managed and operated by PAD. MoA-INFO aims to provide high quality agricultural recommendations to smallholder farmers throughout Kenya. The focus on the platform is currently on the Fall Armyworm (FAW) infestation. PAD, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to deliver a wide array of agronomical content to smallholders through the platform, thus adding high quality and impactful content to the platform is an immediate priority.
    PAD was established with a keen eye towards rigorous evaluation and constant experimentation. We aim to provide mobile agricultural extension services but also to rigorously evaluate impact. Each of our programs and partnerships have a strong complement of social science research, ranging from large- and small-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to A/B tests to pilot trials.  Most of PAD’s research projects are led by economists Shawn Cole (Harvard Business School) and Michael Kremer (Harvard University). PAD’s research activities are also supported by affiliated researchers from other institutions and are overseen by PAD’s Boston-based Senior Researcher.
    Kenyan citizens are strongly encouraged to apply.
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Agronomy Associate will be involved in the following tasks:

    Develop SMS messages on a wide variety of different agricultural topics to be added to the MoA-INFO platform.
    Develop desk research and literature reviews on a wide-range of agricultural topics of relevance to the Kenyan smallholder farmer.
    Connect with relevant scientists / stakeholders in the sector who could be potential research and content partners – manage relationships with current partners.
    Investigate options for the customization of agronomic recommendations on the platform – engage with County level Agricultural experts.
    Plan and implement focus group discussions with farmers in order to receive feedback with an eye to improving the quality and relevance of the service.
    Work on other PAD activities as required, including supporting the PAD agronomist, Associate field manager and field team with their daily activities – including supervisory duties of the platform.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    An MSc. in agronomy or agricultural sciences. Candidates with a BSc. in agronomy and relevant work experience will be considered if they have a background in communications and/or ICT.
    At least 3 years’ experience working in the agricultural sector in Kenya.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging and building relationships with scientists, researchers and government officials.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English and Swahili, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects with flexibility and to work efficiently to stick to deadlines.
    Skillful in agricultural sciences with a capacity to interpret scientific journal articles, analyze research methodology and contextualize results.
    Practical knowledge of smallholder farming systems in Kenya and/or the region
    Willingness to relocate to Busia and travel widely within Kenya.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Experience in communications or ICT, especially in the context of digital agriculture.
    Experience working with Kenyan smallholders.
    Experience working with enumerators and social science researchers.

    Position details

    Full time
    Start date: ASAP
    Location: Busia, with travel to the field
    Compensation: commensurate with experience

  • Kenya Research and Operations Manager

    Kenya Research and Operations Manager

    Job description
    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) seeks a Kenya Research and Operations Manager to support PAD research, operations, and scale-up activities in Kenya by overseeing multiple research projects in collaboration with one or more key partner organizations.
    PAD was established with a keen eye towards rigorous evaluation and constant experimentation. Each of our programs and partnerships have a strong complement of research, ranging from large- and small-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to A/B tests to pilot trials. Most of PAD’s research projects are led by Shawn Cole (Harvard Business School) and Michael Kremer (Harvard University). PAD’s research activities are also supported by affiliated researchers from other institutions and are overseen by PAD’s Boston-based Senior Researcher.
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Research and Operations Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Supervise the implementation of PAD mobile services in Kenya, including developing protocols for monitoring our SMS platform, ensuring rigorous testing and piloting of the platform, collecting feedback from the platform users, and planning the development of new features;
    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch new research projects;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing research designs and proposals, managing data collection activities, and conducting data cleaning and analysis;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project staff (Research Associates, Field Staff, Interns), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects;
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Keep the Kenya Country Director appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.
    Strong technical understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
    At least 2 years’ experience running or managing quantitative research projects focusing on impact evaluation.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging with high level policy contacts.
    Proficient in using Stata or R for data analysis.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff.
    Willingness to travel both within Kenya and the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Previous work experience in Kenya or East African countries.

    Position details
    Start date: ASAPLocation: Nairobi, Kenya (or Western Kenya, open to discussion) with frequent travel to Western Kenya and intermittent travel across East AfricaCompensation: commensurate with experience
    For more information, or to apply now, you must go to the website below. Please DO NOT email your resume to us as we only accept applications through our website.

  • Kenya Research Manager

    Kenya Research Manager

    Job description
    Opportunity
    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) seeks a Kenya Research Manager to
    support PAD research, operations, and scale-up activities in Kenya and in the greater East Africa region by overseeing multiple research projects in collaboration with one or more key partner organizations.
     
    Kenyan and East African citizens are strongly encouraged to apply.
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Research Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch new research projects;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing research designs and proposals, managing data collection activities, and conducting data cleaning and analysis;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project research staff (Research Associates, Field Staff), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project research staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects.
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Keep the Kenya Country Director appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field. Graduate level coursework in microeconomics, econometrics, and development economics is required.
    Strong technical understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
    At least 2 years’ experience running or managing quantitative research projects focusing on impact evaluation.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging with high level policy contacts (e.g. senior officials, senior staff from international organizations).
    Proficient in using Stata or R for data analysis.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff.
    Willingness to travel both within Kenya and the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Previous work experience in Kenya or East African countries.

    Position detailsStart date: ASAPLocation: Nairobi, Kenya (or Western Kenya, open to discussion) with frequent travel to Western Kenya and intermittent travel across East AfricaCompensation: commensurate with experience

  • Research Manager

    Research Manager

    Job Description

    Precision Agriculture for Development, Inc. (PAD) seeks a Kenya Research Manager to support PAD research, operations, and scale-up activities in Kenya and in the greater East Africa region by overseeing multiple research projects in collaboration with one or more key partner organizations.
    PAD was established with a keen eye towards rigorous evaluation and constant experimentation. Each of our programs and partnerships have a strong complement of research, ranging from large- and small-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to A/B tests to pilot trials. Most of PAD’s research projects are led by Shawn Cole (Harvard Business School) and Michael Kremer (Harvard University). PAD’s research activities are also supported by affiliated researchers from other institutions and are overseen by PAD’s Boston-based Senior Researcher.
    Kenyan and East African citizens are strongly encouraged to apply.
    Responsibilities
    The Kenya Research Manager will be responsible for the following main tasks:

    Work closely with PAD researchers and our partner organizations to identify, develop, and launch new research projects;
    Supervise from start to finish the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with our partners. This includes developing research designs and proposals, managing data collection activities, and conducting data cleaning and analysis;
    Ensure project adherence in the field to general research design, sample selection, data quality and security, and research protocols;
    Directly supervise project research staff (Research Associates, Field Staff), and lead training and onboarding of new/incoming project research staff;
    Maintain excellent relationship and communication with our partners to ensure the success of our projects.
    Develop and maintain work plans and timelines across projects to ensure optimal allocation of resources and meeting key deadlines on time;
    Keep the Kenya Country Director appraised of all developments on the projects in their portfolio, and serve as key link between partners, project staff, and PAD researchers;
    Support the dissemination of results via presentations and reports to our partners;
    Contribute to project financial management, including creation and monitoring of program budgets.

    Qualifications
    Required Qualifications and Experience:

    A master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field. Graduate level coursework in microeconomics, econometrics, and development economics is required.
    Strong technical understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
    At least 2 years’ experience running or managing quantitative research projects focusing on impact evaluation.
    The candidate must be comfortable engaging with high level policy contacts (e.g. senior officials, senior staff from international organizations).
    Proficient in using Stata or R for data analysis.
    Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders. Strong self-motivation with skill in working under tight timelines.
    Strong leadership and relationship-building skills with experience managing staff.
    Willingness to travel both within Kenya and the East Africa region.

    Desired Qualifications and Experience:

    Proficient in using SurveyCTO or a similar program for survey design.
    Experience working on randomized evaluations.
    Experience working on agricultural programs.
    Previous work experience in Kenya or East African countries.