Researcher (Two Positions) (18 Months Fixed Term Contract) - Department of Statistics - Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The incumbent will be responsible for:

• Perform research on the development of indices and their validity;
• Contribute to publications in peer-reviewed journals, policy briefs and technical reports;
• Prepare and deliver presentations or posters for workshops, consultative meetings, and local and international conferences;
• Survey the data available at the country level;
• Identify relevant data that supports the narrative of the volunteering index;
• Conduct a gap analysis of the data through data mapping and compilation of pertinent data information; 
• Collate and manage secondary data on volunteerism from local and national governments as well as non-governmental organisations and service providers, including the private sectors;
• Manage the acquisition, organisation, and management of data;
• Coordinate data exchange and collaborative research activities with UNV, the project; team, academic collaborators, and any relevant Understanding or Non-Disclosure Agreements;
• Supervise and co-supervise postgraduate students in Statistics and related fields;
• Train and mentor focal points from United Nations (UN) member states in data collection and analysis;
• Assist with academic activities, including project meetings, peer reviews, and workshops; 
• Liaise between members of the UNV Project and collaborators including local and international academics, and stakeholders;
• Support the organisation of national and international consultative workshops; 
• Provide updates and communicate developments with the Project and Stakeholders;
• Inform public decision-making through reports policy briefs and presentations.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• A Master's degree in statistics, econometrics or a relevant quantitative field;
• At least five (5) years of experience in: 
• High‐quality research in designing and analysing sample surveys;
• Working in multidisciplinary teams;
• Working with donor‐funded programmes;
• Proven experience and proficiency in statistical data analysis software, such as STATA or related packages;
• A verified publication record;
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills;
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software, specifically STATA or similar packages. 

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):

• High-quality research in designing and analysing sample surveys;
• Proven experience working in multidisciplinary teams;
• Minimum 5 years of research or consultancy experience in reliability and validity of measurement or measurement of constructs;
• Experience working with donor-funded programmes.

ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:

• Proven technical expertise in statistics methods and applications; 
• Proven ability and experience in data mapping and collating data;
• Prove knowledge of data curation;
• Proven ability to write layman's reports, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed publications;
• Able to work under pressure and adhere to deadlines;
• Self-motivated, able to work independently and work as part of a multidisciplinary team;
• Knowledge of the UN system is advantageous