Education Researcher

About SAWA for Development and Aid:

SAWA for Development and Aid is a Civil Society Organisation founded initially as a spontaneous initiative in December 2011 to respond to the arrival of the first 40 Syrian families displaced from Syria into the North of Lebanon.

This initiative then grew to include individual activists, locals and internationals, who worked together (literally meaning ‘Sawa’ in Arabic) to share their knowledge and exchange their experiences in order to support Syrians, internally displaced or refugees in neighbouring countries, united by their belief in their right to live in dignity and freedom, and to be active individuals in their communities, and wherever they are.

Sawa sees itself as part and parcel of the society, and that it is on a continuous learning journey based on a participatory relationship at all levels with the communities that it works with, whether host or displaced, as well as with local and international partners.

Sawa believes that humanitarian, developmental and civic work has to always strive to achieve social justice, and so it aims to work with individuals and communities through holistic interventions towards a society based on democracy, pluralism, and values of citizenship and human rights.  

About the job:

This task entails reviewing the initial proposal to develop research questions, designing interviews that will be conducted with the teachers and students, and evaluate/analyze the data gathered in compliance with the overall objectives of the project. The researcher is also expected to write the final report, and present the results in a round-table event.
High proficiency in communication skills, bi-weekly meetings, as well as administrative and time management skills are required to accomplish tasks and responsibilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Organize and design qualitative fieldwork that will be conducted often with marginalized or vulnerable people in different locations and contexts 
• Conduct qualitative analysis of data gathered through interviews, focus groups, workshops or other methods
• Carry out a full literature review and desk research using a range of methods and sources of data 
• Work closely with others as part of a team and with external stakeholders to manage relationships and deliver work
• Produce high quality and varied research outputs for a range of audiences including analysis, report writing and presentations where necessary 
• Make sure work is participatory, including working with team members and valuing the importance of communicating with different audiences 
• Take responsibility for data and project management and administration as it relates to delivering work 
• Delivery of particular work strands relating to our research. This will include taking personal responsibility for key elements of work as well as supporting others in the team
• Review and edit data to ensure completeness and accuracy of information

Top Skills and Proficiencies:

• Experience of designing quantitative and qualitative research tools
• Experience of conducting and organizing qualitative fieldwork
• Experience of conducting qualitative analysis using Excel, Word
• Experience of having conducted desk research and knowledge of a range of methodologies for doing this
• Evidence of ability to grasp complex concepts and debates quickly and to engage with these effectively through research
• Evidence of having worked in group settings and/or as part of a cross-organizational or inter-organizational team
• Ability to communicate effectively – in writing and in person - about research findings to a range of audiences
• Evidence of having delivered or contributed to the delivery of high quality social research output