Research Assistant (Short-term Consultant)
VACANCY (SHORT-TERM CONSULTANT)
Job Title: Research Assistant
Research project: Uniterra Program Outcomes & the Contributions of International Volunteers on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment:
Uniterra is a leading Canadian international volunteer cooperation and development program, jointly implemented by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI).
Uniterra contributes to improving the socio-economic conditions of poor and marginalized communities in 14 countries and with over 200 partners in Africa, Asia and
the Americas through the exchange of expertise and knowledge of Canadian and international volunteers. Uniterra believes that economic growth, when inclusive, is the most powerful driver of poverty reduction. The purpose of the Uniterra program is to improve the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations by stimulating growth and facilitating access to the benefits of growing and diversified markets. To make this happen, we are working with our local partners to enhance the income of poor and marginalized women and youth through better access to employment and income generation opportunities. Uniterra country program staff work with our local partners to design Uniterra assignments in the context of the country strategy, supporting the inclusion of women and youth in key economic subsectors.
2019 is the final year of this phase of the Uniterra Volunteer Cooperation Program. The year will therefore see significant level of effort in documenting outcomes and identifying innovations and good practices in program management. A partnership with Rebecca Thiessen at the University of Ottawa has been established to study role and Impact of international volunteers in support gender equality and women’s empowerment and learn lessons for future programs. A research assistant is needed to support Dr. Thiessen in her work.
The research assistant will carry out data collection through qualitative interviews with 15-20 country partner organizations working on WUSC/Uniterra supported programs. The research focus is specific to the role and impact of international volunteers in support gender equality and women's empowerment. The specific duties of the research assistant include: consulting with WUSC Vietnam staff about the questions that will be most useful for understanding the impact of Uniterra project; translating interview questions to local language; conducting 15-20 interviews with local partners staff; recording the interviews, transcribing key responses from interview transcripts in English; and preparing a report on findings (template of report findings to be provided to the research assistant).
Research training and initial interviews will take place between August 15 and August 24th when Professor Tiessen is in Hanoi. Interviews should be completed by mid-September. The final report of findings will be due by October 15th, 2019
Budget estimation
Number of hours (estimated): 20 interviews x 1 hour per interview = 20 hours + 80 hours of transcription of interview data and writing up notes on findings + 20 hours of preparing a final report + 20 hours of other data collection, discussions, background work needed to do the data collection: 140 hours x appropriate salary ($15/hour) = $2100 + $900 in expenses (local transportation, etc) = $3000
Location of work: Hanoi, Vietnam
Qualifications: must have experience in qualitative data collection (interviews) and report writing and comprehensive understanding of gender equality, women's empowerment and development. Preference will be given to those who have graduate degree and experience with previous research of a similar nature. The individual should have an ability to communicate in English and Vietnamese.
Applications (CVs and a cover letter of maximum 500 words) to be submitted to: [email protected]
Deadline for application July 2, 2019.