Research Assistant

Research Assistant

YLabs is a leading global design and research organization designing technologies that amplify youth power, agency, and opportunity. Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people to co-create inclusive digital products and services that improve their lives. Our design process opens spaces where young people's ideas can become a reality – where they are the architects of the solutions to their most pressing challenges.

YLabs multidisciplinary team delivers youth-driven innovation and impact  team combines expertise in youth-driven design with adolescent health, climate, livelihoods, digital product design, behavioral science, and epidemiology. Based in Rwanda and the USA, we've worked in 18 countries to date on projects spanning three focus areas: optimum health and wellness, improved economic opportunity, and increased climate resilience.

We are seeking a Research Assistant to support our Climate x SRHR project and to conduct desk research, support stakeholder engagement, and contribute to research publications and dissemination materials.

The ideal candidate will have graduate-level training or equivalent experience in public health, social science, or a related field, strong research and writing skills, and a genuine interest in climate resilience and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

This is a part-time role (10-20 hours/week), fully remote, contractor position reporting to the Research Lead.

This is an independent contractor (Consultancy) position, fully remote with no location restrictions. The initial contract term for this role is 2 months, with possibility of extension contingent on funding.

This is a fully remote role open to candidates in any location, with the ability to work flexible hours that allow for reasonable overlap with the YLabs US and East Africa teams.

YLabs adheres to Project Fair's principles and standards to establish equity in pay with the overriding principle of "equal pay for work of equal value" outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. All salary ranges are based on level within the organization and are competitive to regional and national salary benchmarks, based on the respective office location.

The pay range for this position is $21 - $29 USD per hour, commensurate with experience. This range is regionally benchmarked for an entry-level Research Assistant position in the YLabs US office. YLabs pays all full-time staff salaries in the local currency of the staff member's permanent work location.

You will:

• Conduct desk research
• Literature reviews, policy analyses, and evidence summaries, plus citation management and maintenance of a shared evidence library

Support stakeholder engagement

• Note-taking, meeting prep, and maintenance of stakeholder databases, including coordination support for convenings

Draft and/or review proposals

• Contribute to proposal writing and provide technical review as needed

Support data analysis

• Apply quantitative or qualitative analysis skills as relevant to project needs

Support research publications

• Drafting, proofreading, and formatting

Prepare dissemination materials

• Decks, evidence briefs, and reports

Fact-check and QA

• Verify accuracy and quality of materials before they go external

You are:

• An excellent writer
• Detail oriented
• Enthusiastic, curious, problem solver
• Rigorous about sourcing, citations, and evidence quality
• A great communicator - speaks up when uncertain

Desirable:

• Graduate student in a relevant field preferred
• Experience with any quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis software

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by our Hiring Committee. YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all applications received during the posting period will be reviewed, and all candidates will be notified of their application status once the hiring process begins.

All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background check and criminal record clearances.

Equal employment opportunity

YLabs is committed to building teams and policies that promote equity, justice, and belonging  strongly encourage people from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, marital status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.