Research Specialist, Human Development Programme

Research Specialist, Human Development Programme

Introduction

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

Human development is a major theme in the work of Aga Khan University. The Human Development Programme (HDP) was established as the first concrete initiative in this field in 2003 and supports human development through multidisciplinary and research-based approaches. Its initial focus is early childhood, a period of life that lays the foundation for all future learning, development and wellbeing.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

This is a grant-funded contractual position.

Responsibilities

You will be responsible to:

• support PIs in planning, implementing, coordinating, and monitoring project activities, including field visits
• coordinate meetings, training sessions, data collection, fieldwork logistics, and data management
• lead the preparation of progress reports, meeting minutes, and donor updates
• contribute to research outputs, including manuscripts, policy briefs, and presentations
• organise seminars, dissemination events, and capacity-building workshops
• manage project budgets, expenses, procurement, and financial reporting, and support audits as required
• oversee data quality, field monitoring, ethical compliance, and adherence to research protocols
• maintain accurate documentation, records, and reference materials for all project activities
• coordinate and support project teams and represent the project in meetings and external engagements
• build strong collaborative relationships to facilitate fieldwork, including frequent school visits
• demonstrate professionalism, ethical responsibility, child-sensitive practices, and the ability to work independently and within teams.

Requirements:

You should have:

• a master’s degree in education, social sciences, psychology, or a related field
• a minimum of three years of experience in managing research or educational projects
• a strong understanding of social–emotional learning (SEL), child development, and academic outcomes, preferably
• familiarity with the public schooling system and stakeholders in the Karachi context
• demonstrated experience in team supervision and project coordination
• excellent project management, planning, and organisational skills
• strong command of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research
• proficiency in MS Office and familiarity with research software such as SPSS, STATA and NVivo
• strong report writing and documentation skills
• the ability to manage tight timelines and handle fieldwork challenges
• the ability to manage administrative tasks, including local travel planning and field arrangements in coordination with admin, finance, and purchase teams
• the ability to liaise with school principals, teachers, district education offices, and other stakeholders
• the ability to lead and supervise research associates, field staff, and data collectors
• the ability to provide guidance, mentoring, and training to the research team
• the ability to conduct regular project meetings, set work priorities, and ensure accountability.
• Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.