Application Deadline: December 8th 2019
Program
participants have the opportunity to contribute directly to Search’s
programming on farmer-herder relations while also pursuing their own
research. Candidates will be expected to develop and pursue an original
research topic, culminating in the production of one or more policy
brief(s).The program is ideal for candidates seeking to deepen their
professional exposure and build their experience in research.
The
Fellow will both help strengthen Search’s programming and knowledge
base about Nigeria, while also gaining experience in an array of
relevant research methodologies for peacebuilding programming and how to
translate programmatic results and knowledge into policy
recommendations.
Fellows
should expect to spend approximately 40% of their time directly
supporting Search for Common Ground activities, and 60% pursuing
independent research.
Stipend: Applicants will receive a generous stipend to defray travel and living expenses.
Location: Fellows should plan to be based in Middle Belt, Nigeria with frequent travel to project communities.
Time: November 2019 – September 1, 2020. We anticipate that the fellowship will be a part-time commitment (20 hrs/week).
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Produce a well-researched paper on a pre-agreed topic, based on the Fellow’s independent research
- Work
with a Search team developing conflict analyses and research on
farmer-herder conflict in the middle belt region of Nigeria and support
documentation and learning across the objectives of the program. - Contribute to ongoing discussions and advocacy efforts on the farmer-herder issue at policy makers at local to global level.
- Provide input and technical support for the activities developed under the objective of this program.
- Participate
and provide technical support for the FFARN policy advocacy at the
state and national level in Nigeria, including participating in
briefings with policymakers. - Provide
technical support and guidance to graduate student mentees who are
working on their own independent analysis of farmer-herder relations. - Represent FFARN at selected domestic or international events or conferences, as necessary.
Qualifications
Educational Background
- Nigerian
citizen with current doctoral or professional programs at an African
university and intend to pursue a career in peace and conflict on the
continent. - University
degree is required; University degree in international development,
peace studies, social science , or related field is desired.
Experience
- Basic
experience in field research, evaluation design, empirical and
statistical analysis, and information management design is required;
Important Requirements
- Proficiency at using Microsoft Office software is required;
- Appreciable analytic, writing, and presentation skills;
- A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace;
- Ability to organize workflow around tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities;
- Attention to detail and ability to follow up on tasks to completion is required,
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
- Fluency at least one of the local languages spoken in the area of research interest is desired.
- Preference for applicants with the ability to work in the Middle Belt or Niger delta.
The mentee is required to respect the following Ethical Principles:
- Comprehensive
and systematic inquiry: Mentee should make the most of the existing
information and full range of stakeholders available at the time of the
review. Mentees should conduct systematic, data-based inquiries. He or
she should communicate his or her methods and approaches accurately and
in sufficient detail to allow others to understand, interpret and
critique his or her work. He or she should make clear the limitations of
the review and its results. - Competence:
Mentees should possess the abilities and skills and experience
appropriate to undertake the tasks proposed and should practice within
the limits of his or her professional training and competence. - Honesty
and integrity: Mentees should be transparent with any
contractor/constituent about: any conflict of interest, any change made
in the negotiated project plan and the reasons why those changes were
made, any risk that certain procedures or activities produce misleading
review information. - Respect
for people: Mentees should respect the security, dignity and self-worth
of respondents, program participants. Mentees have the responsibility
to be sensitive to and respect differences amongst participants in
culture, religion, gender, disability, age and ethnicity.
In addition, the mentee will respect SFCG’s evaluations standards, to be found in SFCG’s evaluation guidelines: https://www.sfcg.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/SFCG-External-Evaluation-Guidelines-FINAL.pdf
Deadline: This posting will close on December 8, 2019.
Applications
Interested candidates are invited to send an application through our Career Portal.
- Current CV or resume demonstrating relevant experience/ knowledge;
- A one page cover letter stating the motivation for the position, and how it aligns with academic and professional pursuits
- A writing sample on peace and conflict issue of 3- 4 pages.
Submitted applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and selection made according to the following criteria:
- Academic research work is focused or closely related to the below thematic issues on farmer-herder conflict
- Mentor’s
availability and ability to work closely with the mentees and to devote
up to 20 hours/week of their time to this program during the period of
December 2019 – June 2020. - Writing sample submitted is satisfactory and covers the thematic areas substantially
- Proficiency at using Microsoft Office software
*
Please note that the system only has the functionality to upload two
documents per application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the SCG Africa Research Fellowship 2020