Position: Research/Evaluation Data Specialist

Department: Research

Contract Type: Fixed-term (1 year, renewable)

Location: Remote; Nairobi-based candidates preferred

Travel: 20–40% international fieldwork

Languages: English (fluent/native required); French an asset

Reports to: Head of Research or Head of Team

Salary:  KES 200,000 – 280,000 gross monthly

Start Date: As soon as possible

About Bodhi

Bodhi Global Analysis is a woman-led international development research consultancy established in London in 2017, with subsidiaries in Nairobi (2018), Singapore (2023), Dar es Salaam (2025), and The Hague (2026). We specialise in formative and evaluative research through participatory approaches, serving UN agencies, bilateral donors, INGOs, and foundations across fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Our services span political economy and conflict analyses, gender and inclusion analyses, baseline through endline evaluations, and capacity building. Bodhi Kenya, based in Nairobi, serves as our East African hub with a growing team of local and international specialists.

About the Role

We are recruiting a Research/Evaluation Data Specialist to join the Bodhi Kenya team on a one-year fixed-term contract, with the option to extend based on performance and organisational need. This is a mid-level technical position and is primarily remote. Candidates based in Nairobi, or willing to relocate, are preferred, as the role includes periodic in-person collaboration and client meetings there, but strong candidates based elsewhere will be considered.

The Research/Evaluation Data Specialist will serve as the quantitative backbone of Bodhi's evaluation and research teams. Working closely with project leads and senior researchers, the post-holder will be responsible for survey design and programming, data processing pipelines, statistical analysis, and the production of clean, reproducible analytical outputs. The role involves transforming raw field data into rigorous evidence that informs evaluation findings, indicator measurements, and client recommendations.

Statistical literacy sits at the heart of this role. Beyond running code, the successful candidate must be able to select appropriate statistical methods for a given evaluation question, justify those choices, and interpret results correctly, including their limitations. Shortlisted candidates will complete a live technical assessment, conducted with their screen shared, covering data cleaning, merging, analysis, and problem solving in Python. The use of AI tools is strictly prohibited during this assessment. Candidates who would not be confident completing such a task independently, without AI assistance, should not apply.

This position suits someone who combines strong statistical and programming skills with a genuine interest in international development research. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between writing Python scripts for data cleaning and producing accessible tables and visualisations for non-technical audiences. The role also involves international fieldwork deployments supporting digital data collection, enumerator training, and data quality audits, so an appetite for the practical, hands-on side of primary data collection is important.

Key Responsibilities

Statistical Analysis and Data Management

  • Conduct quantitative analysis including descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations with disaggregations (sex, age, disability, location), hypothesis testing, and regression modelling to measure baseline, midline, and endline indicator values
  • Select, justify, and correctly apply statistical methods appropriate to each evaluation design, including significance testing, confidence intervals, and the treatment of survey weights and design effects
  • Interpret and communicate statistical results accurately for non-technical audiences, including the limitations and uncertainty attached to findings
  • Build and maintain end-to-end data processing pipelines using Python (pandas, NumPy), including data ingestion, cleaning, validation, transformation, and export for evaluation projects across multiple countries
  • Produce clean, well-documented analytical codebooks, syntax files, and output tables that enable transparent and reproducible research workflows
  • Manage version-controlled repositories using Git, ensuring all analytical work is tracked, documented, and accessible to project teams
  • Create data visualisations, charts, and summary tables for evaluation reports, presentations, and policy briefs using Python (matplotlib, seaborn) or other appropriate tools

Survey Design and Digital Data Collection

  • Design, programme, and test quantitative survey instruments on digital platforms including KoboToolbox, ODK, and SurveyCTO, ensuring accurate skip logic, validation rules, and multi-language support
  • Develop and maintain sampling frameworks in collaboration with project leads, including sample size calculations using standard formulae (Cochran's formula, design effects), stratification plans, and post-stratification weighting
  • Support enumerator training on the use of digital data collection tools, including practical sessions on tablet-based surveying, troubleshooting, and data upload procedures

Data Quality Assurance

  • Conduct systematic data quality audits throughout field collection periods, including daily review of incoming submissions, automated flagging of inconsistencies and outliers, back-check analysis, and enumerator performance monitoring
  • Design and implement real-time data quality dashboards that enable project leads and field supervisors to monitor collection progress, completion rates, and data integrity during fieldwork
  • Lead data cleaning and validation processes post-collection, producing documented cleaning logs and delivering analysis-ready datasets to project teams

Fieldwork Support

  • Travel to project locations for fieldwork deployments (typically 2–4 weeks), providing on-the-ground technical support for digital data collection, real-time quality monitoring, and troubleshooting
  • Support the piloting and refinement of survey instruments in field settings, identifying translation issues, skip logic errors, and question sequencing problems before full-scale data collection begins
  • Contribute to daily field debriefs by presenting emerging data patterns and flagging quality concerns to the evaluation team

Reporting and Knowledge Sharing

  • Draft quantitative sections of evaluation reports, including methodology descriptions, results tables, and statistical annexes, ensuring findings are presented clearly for non-technical audiences
  • Prepare data summaries and visualisations for stakeholder presentations and validation workshops
  • Contribute to building Bodhi's internal analytical capacity by documenting standard operating procedures, maintaining shared code libraries, and supporting colleagues in adopting reproducible research practices

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

  • Master's degree in statistics, data science, economics, quantitative social sciences, computer science, or a closely related field
  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in quantitative data analysis
  • Demonstrated statistical literacy: a sound grasp of probability, inference, hypothesis testing, regression, and sampling theory, and the ability to choose and defend the right method for a given question. This will be tested through a live, screen-shared technical assessment in which AI tools are not permitted
  • Strong understanding of sampling methodology, including probability-based sampling, stratification, weighting, and sample size estimation
  • Proficiency in Python for data analysis, including working fluency with pandas, NumPy, and at least one visualisation library (matplotlib, seaborn, or Plotly). Candidates should be comfortable writing scripts from scratch, not only using notebook templates
  • Working knowledge of Git for version control (branching, committing, pull requests)
  • Experience designing and programming surveys on digital platforms such as KoboToolbox, ODK, or SurveyCTO, or the demonstrable ability to learn these tools rapidly
  • Fluent or native English (written and spoken), with the ability to produce clear, well-structured analytical writing for non-technical audiences
  • Willingness to travel internationally on short notice for fieldwork deployments of 2–4 weeks, comprising 20–40% of working time (up to 60% at peak periods)

Desirable

  • Direct fieldwork experience supporting primary data collection, including data quality audits, enumerator monitoring, or on-the-ground technical support
  • Professional experience within international development, humanitarian, or research consultancy settings
  • Based in Nairobi, or willing to relocate, to enable regular in-person collaboration with the Bodhi Kenya team
  • French language skills at any level, to support data collection and tool development in Francophone project contexts
  • Experience with STATA or R in addition to Python
  • Familiarity with Docker for containerised analytical environments
  • Familiarity with quasi-experimental methods, including difference-in-difference analysis and propensity score matching
  • Experience with qualitative data management or coding software (NVivo, Dedoose, or equivalent)
  • Fieldwork experience in Sub-Saharan Africa or comparable contexts
  • Experience producing automated reports or dashboards (Jupyter Notebooks, Streamlit, or similar)
  • Knowledge of OECD-DAC evaluation criteria and how quantitative evidence is used within evaluation frameworks

What We Offer

  • A one-year fixed-term contract with the option to extend, offering stability within a growing, mission-driven organisation
  • Competitive gross monthly salary of KES 200,000 to KES 280,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications
  • The opportunity to work on technically challenging evaluations for UN agencies, bilateral donors, and leading INGOs, with direct exposure to senior-level research and client engagement
  • International fieldwork across diverse contexts in Africa and beyond
  • Professional development support, including mentorship from senior evaluation specialists and access to Bodhi's internal training resources
  • A collaborative, intellectually rigorous working culture that values women's leadership, local expertise, and academic standards
  • A primarily remote working arrangement, with optional in-person collaboration in Nairobi for team events and client meetings

How to Apply

To apply, please click on the Apply button below and follow the application instructions for this role. You will be invited to submit:

  • A CV demonstrating relevant technical skills, statistical and analytical experience, and any fieldwork deployments
  • A cover letter addressing your experience with statistical analysis, Python-based data workflows, and your interest in international development research
  • Proof of right to work in Kenya, or confirmation of your current location and working arrangements if applying from outside Kenya

Please note: shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a live technical assessment, conducted via video call with screen sharing enabled. The assessment will involve a data cleaning, merging, analysis, and problem-solving task in Python, designed to reflect the day-to-day work of the role. The use of AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or similar) is strictly prohibited during the assessment; consulting standard documentation is permitted. We ask candidates to consider honestly whether they could complete a task of this kind independently before applying. If you would not be comfortable doing so without AI assistance, this role is not the right fit.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early application is encouraged, as we may close the vacancy before the deadline for exceptional candidates.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Bodhi is a women-owned enterprise committed to gender parity at all levels of the organisation. We recognise that diverse teams produce stronger research and more equitable outcomes. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from women data professionals and candidates from the Global South, especially those who bring lived experience from the regions where we work. We actively seek to strengthen women's representation in technical and analytical roles within the evaluation sector.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religious beliefs, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic background, or disability. Reasonable accommodations will be made for candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

For more information about our organisation and the work we do, please visit www.bodhiglobalanalysis.com.

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