Full-Time Researcher/Project Manager

Start Date: September 15, 2016

Description

The Engagement Lab at Emerson College seeks to hire a researcher/project manager to evaluate two handwashing with soap and water (HWWS) interventions in India and Ghana. The researcher will work with a team of faculty, staff and students to measure the impact of a physical game in Ghana and a digital mobile game in Tamil Nadu, India. Data collection in Ghana is already under way, and the project in India has not yet begun. The successful candidate will be energized by the challenge of a complex, multi-stakeholder project, and have experience working with mixed methods evaluative research, preferably in the developing world.

In Ghana, in coordination with international NGOs, universities, local schools, and community organizations, the Engagement Lab has created and deployed a game to encourage proper handwashing with soap and water. Because in the intervention schools there was no access to handwashing infrastructure, we installed handwashing stations (Tippy Taps) with accelerometer and capacitive sensors to collect data about when and for how long children wash their hands and whether they use soap. Video data is simultaneously gathered to be able to verify the accuracy of the incoming quantitative data from the sensors. In the case of Ghana, the game-based intervention is non-digital and has already been created and piloted in schools around Accra. In the case of the project in Tamil Nadu, India, we would be launching the creation of the intervention, implementing and then evaluating outcomes over an 18-month period.

The researcher/project manager will be responsible for overseeing every element of these projects and appropriately delegating to Engagement Lab staff and students. The researcher will be working on a team with a graphic designer, software developer, game designer, and event coordinator. The work will be overseen by faculty PIs Eric Gordon and Paul MIhailidis.

Required skills, knowledge and educational background

• 2–3 years experience doing mixed-methods evaluation research

• Familiarity with qualitative research software (i.e. Dedoose, NVIVO), including conducting and coding interviews

• Familiarity with quantitative research software (i.e. R, SAS), including survey creation

• Excellent writing skills

• Project management experience, especially coordinating international efforts

• Excellent organization skills with attention to detail

• Ability to experiment, iterate and adapt while keeping long term goals in mind

• Strong leadership skills and acumen

• A clear and professional standard of written and verbal communication in English

• An advanced degree in the social sciences, public health, or relevant field

Preferred skills and background

• Familiarity with game design and the field of serious games

• Familiarity with or past experience working in Tamil Nadu, India and/or Ghana

• Familiarity with environmental sensors for gathering data

• Familiarity with structure and organization of International NGOs

• Familiarity with the topic of handwashing with soap (HWWS)

Travel Requirements

Some international travel to India will be required at various points in the project adding up to a total of 3–4 weeks, cumulative.

How to submit

Please submit a cover letter, resume or portfolio, and three names of references to [email protected].

About the Engagement Lab

The Engagement Lab is an applied research and design lab dedicated to reimagining civic engagement for a digital culture. We find new ways for communities to bring their voice forward, and new ways for institutions to respond. We work with partners to co-design solutions to the most pressing problems in democracy and governance, including participation gaps, gender or racial discrimination, lack of basic media literacies, youth exclusion, and gaps in public health practices. Our research and practice are influenced by the fields of media studies, communications, human centered design, and cultural studies. Our research ranges from basic research about play and learning to specific program evaluations. Learn more at www.elab.emerson.edu.