VACANCY -EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHER

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. The Center is Africa-based and African-led, with its headquarters (HQ) in Nairobi, Kenya, and a West Africa Regional Office (WARO), in Dakar, Senegal. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.

The Center’s research priorities are organized into six thematic areas, including the Education and Youth Empowerment (EYE) unit, which is part of the Human Development (HD) Theme. APHRC is committed to advancing research and innovation in education, making learning more accessible, scalable, and tailored to diverse African populations. A major strategic initiative in this area is the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in Education in Africa. Our work in Education and Technology aims to strengthen teaching, learning, equity and education systems across Africa by responsibly developing, evaluating, and scaling African-based and led digital innovations in education.

The Center is seeking a qualified Researcher to join its Human Development Theme. The successful candidate will contribute to cutting-edge research on education and technology, with a particular focus on digital solutions in education, and will play a key role in advancing APHRC’s strategic objectives in this area. The position is based at APHRC’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, with occasional travel to project sites within sub-Saharan Africa.

Duties / Responsibilities

The Researcher will lead and contribute to high-quality research projects that investigate the intersection of education, technology, and digital innovations, to generate evidence to inform policy and practice in African education systems. The specific responsibilities of this position are to:

·    Strengthen APHRC’s knowledge base on the use and the impact of technology in education, including responsible use and scaling of AI and other educational technologies in African basic education.

·         Lead or co-lead research studies, including rigorous evaluations of the use of digital technologies (and other technologies) in African basic education.

·         Contribute to project management, policy engagement and strategic planning within the Human Development Theme and the Center at large, ensuring that research findings are translated into actionable recommendations for policymakers, educators, and education technology developers.

·         Secure funding through successful proposal development and maintain strong partnerships with local and international stakeholders.

·    Evaluate the efficacy, equity, and ethical implications of digital technology, particularly in low-resource environments. This includes contributing to APHRC’s work in education and technology as well as AI.

·    Investigate the adoption, use, and impact of digital learning platforms, mobile learning applications, and other technologies aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy, teacher effectiveness, and equity in education.

·    Synthesize research evidence to develop frameworks for integrating digital technology in education, and engaging with ministries of education, EdTech hubs, civil society, and international partners to promote evidence-based policy and practice.

Key Responsibilities

The Researcher’s duties will be dependent on the level of appointment (Postdoctoral, Associate Research Scientist, Research Scientist, or Senior Research Scientist).

·         Provide leadership to scientific research teams or projects in the area of education and technology, including AI in education. Oversee data quality and analysis, ensuring robust, ethical, and rigorous research practices.

·         Lead and contribute to the development of research proposals and fundraising for projects within the Human Development Theme.

·         Mentor young researchers (e.g., research officers, interns) and facilitate sessions in the Center’s training programs as needed.

·         Secure and manage the necessary human, financial, and material resources for the assigned project and/or program.

·         Contribute to policy engagement and the Unit/Theme’s strategic planning activities.

·         Represent the Center at high-level national, regional, and international forums, including technical working groups and expert committees.

·         Prepare and contribute to institutional publications, including policy briefs, research briefs, fact sheets, research reports and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Qualifications and Experience

·        A PhD in a relevant discipline, such as education and technology, machine learning in education, educational data science, curriculum and instruction with a focus on technology, or a related field.

·      Proven experience working in a research institution or similar settings, conducting high-quality research on education, digital technology, and/or AI. A track record of leading or managing research programs or projects is essential.

·         Strong quantitative and/or qualitative research skills; experience with mixed methods is an added advantage. Proficiency in relevant data analysis software (e.g., STATA, SPSS, R, Python, NVivo, or ATLAS.ti) is required.

·         Excellent scientific writing skills, as demonstrated by a record of peer-reviewed publications and successful grant proposals.

·         Fluency in English is mandatory; proficiency in French is an added advantage.

·         Strong proposal writing skills and a demonstrated ability to win research grants.

Desirable

·         Experience conducting impact evaluations of education interventions, particularly those involving technology.

·         Familiarity with African education systems, including foundational literacy and numeracy assessment tools (e.g., EGRA/EGMA).

·         Knowledge of qualitative and mixed-method approaches for evaluating EdTech innovations.

Successful candidates may be appointed at the Postdoctoral level (0-2 years after PhD), Associate Research Scientist (3-5 years after PhD), Research Scientist (6-11 years after PhD) or Senior Research Scientist (12+ years after PhD) levels, depending on experience and track record. These positions are classified under Internationally Recruited Positions (IRP).

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents in English:

·         A letter of application

·         A statement of research interests and goals (1–2 pages)

·         A CV including contact details of three professional referees through this LINK under the EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHER job posting.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and will be required to submit a Police Clearance Certificate at a certain stage of the recruitment process.

Special Notice

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request to support their participation in the recruitment process.

As part of our safeguarding and protection framework, successful candidate(s) will be subject to robust reference checks, including verification of past conduct related to safeguarding and workplace behavior.

Applicants are not required to make any payments to anyone during any stage of the recruitment process.