Thematic Focus Areas

The thematic focus areas of this position will be aligned with the overall goal and integrated programming approach of the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project. The Research Officers will support applied research, learning, evidence generation, and documentation across nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive sectors. The position may contribute to one or more of the following thematic areas:

• Nutrition Entrepreneurship and Market Systems: Research and learning on Nutrition Entrepreneurs, market actors, product and service availability, business models, consumer behavior, and last-mile access to nutrition, WASH, and agriculture-related products and services.
• Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture: Evidence generation on regenerative agriculture practices, nutrient-dense crop production, biofortified crops, farmer behavior, climate-smart practices, production systems, and market linkages that contribute to improved household nutrition outcomes.
• Nutrition-Sensitive WASH: Research and learning on water, sanitation, hygiene behavior, WASH product and service access, hygiene practices, and the integration of WASH interventions with nutrition outcomes for pregnant women, children under five, and vulnerable households.
• Nutrition and Finance: Exploration of financial access, products, services, affordability, business financing, savings, credit, and other financial mechanisms that support nutrition entrepreneurship, household access, and sustainable service delivery.
• Nutrition and Climate Resilience: Learning on the relationship between climate risks, food systems, nutrition security, WASH access, household resilience, and adaptive practices in vulnerable communities.
• Gender and Social Inclusion: Evidence generation on women’s participation, decision-making, entrepreneurship, access to services, household-level barriers, and inclusive approaches that improve nutrition-sensitive outcomes.
• Public Policy and Systems Strengthening: Research and documentation to support government engagement, systems strengthening, stakeholder coordination, policy dialogue, and evidence-based decision-making in nutrition-sensitive development programming.

Learning Cycle

Lead → Learn → Generate Evidence → Improve → Influence
The Research Officers will follow a practical learning cycle that supports evidence-based implementation, adaptive management, and knowledge generation under the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project.
Lead Research

• Support evidence-based implementation, adaptive management, and knowledge generation.
• Coordinate field-level data collection, including household surveys, KIIs, FGDs, market assessments, case studies, and field observations.
• Ensure research quality through proper planning, tool review, enumerator guidance, field supervision, data validation, and adherence to approved protocols.

Learn and Explore

• Build practical understanding of nutrition, WASH, agriculture, market systems, gender and social inclusion, climate resilience, and public systems strengthening.
• Engage with project teams, field staff, entrepreneurs, communities, government stakeholders, and other partners to understand implementation realities and emerging learning needs.
• Stay informed about relevant evidence, innovations, good practices, and field-level insights that can strengthen nutrition-sensitive programming.

Generate Evidence

• Support quantitative and qualitative data analysis to produce practical, timely, and actionable insights.
• Identify key opportunities, barriers, risks, and solutions that can improve project implementation, service delivery, participant outreach, and program outcomes.
• Contribute to the preparation of clean datasets, field summaries, data-quality notes, learning briefs, case stories, assessment reports, and presentation materials.

Improve Programs

• Work closely with implementation, MERL, and technical teams to translate research findings into practical program improvements.
• Support adaptive management by providing evidence-based recommendations for improving intervention quality, field strategies, targeting, outreach, and service delivery.
• Contribute to innovation, problem-solving, and continuous learning across TLTN’s nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

Influence and Share

• Develop and contribute to research reports, learning briefs, case studies, policy briefs, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Support knowledge sharing with internal teams, consortium partners, government counterparts, academic institutions, and relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement, learning events, policy dialogue, and evidence-based advocacy to strengthen nutrition-sensitive development programming.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the assignment, the Research Officers are expected to contribute to the research, learning, and evidence-generation agenda of the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project through the following outcomes:

• Produce high-quality evidence to inform program design, adaptive management, and strategic decision-making.
• Coordinate and support field-level data collection, including household surveys, qualitative interviews, FGDs, market assessments, case studies, field observations, and data validation activities.
• Generate practical, timely, and actionable evidence to improve program effectiveness, intervention quality, participant outreach, service delivery, and overall project outcomes.
• Support data cleaning, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis of findings from both quantitative and qualitative research activities.
• Produce high-quality research reports, field summaries, learning briefs, case studies, knowledge products, presentations, and other documentation for internal and external use.
• Support adaptive management and innovation by translating research findings and field-level learning into practical recommendations for program improvement.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, learning events, policy dialogue, and evidence-based decision-making with project teams, consortium partners, government counterparts, academic institutions, and relevant stakeholders.
• Strengthen technical, analytical, writing, coordination, and communication skills to develop as independent applied research professionals in nutrition-sensitive development programming.

Eligibility Criteria

Education

• Bachelor/Master's degree in Public Health, Economics, Social Science, Statistics, and Development Studies from a reputed university.

Experience

• 3–5 years of professional experience in research, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), learning, or knowledge management within development programs, research institutions, or academia.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing qualitative and quantitative research studies.
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in intervention research and evidence-generation initiatives.

Technical Skills

• Understanding of research methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, with practical knowledge of research design, sampling, tool development, data collection, data quality assurance, and basic data analysis.
• Experience in conducting or supporting household surveys, KIIs, FGDs, market assessments, case studies, field observations, and other applied research or learning activities within development programs.
• Proficiency in statistical or data analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, R, or similar tools will be considered an advantage.
• Knowledge of digital data collection platforms such as KoBoToolbox, ODK, Enketo, or similar tools will be highly desirable.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office applications, particularly MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Experience with Google Sheets and other collaborative data management tools will be an advantage.
• Basic skills in data cleaning, data validation, data interpretation, and preparation of summary tables, charts, and analytical findings.
• Strong report-writing, documentation, and presentation skills in English, with the ability to translate field findings and data into clear, practical, and actionable insights.
• Ability to prepare research reports, field summaries, learning briefs, case studies, presentations, and other knowledge products for internal and external audiences.

Preferred Knowledge Areas

• Nutrition, WASH, agriculture, market systems development, gender and social inclusion, or livelihoods.
• Experience working with field-based research and development projects.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to interpret findings and generate practical recommendations.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple assignments, and meet deadlines with minimum supervision.
• Effective communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with MERL, technical, program, operations, and field teams.
• Strong attention to detail, with commitment to data quality, research ethics, safeguarding, and confidentiality.
• Good writing and documentation skills for preparing field notes, summaries, briefs, reports, and presentations.
• Flexible, proactive, and solution-oriented approach to field-based research and learning activities.
• Willingness to travel frequently to TLTN project locations as required.

Terms & Conditions

• The position will be required to comply with all applicable policies, procedures, and the code of conduct of iDE Bangladesh.
• Responsible for delivering agreed research, learning, and knowledge management outputs.
• Must comply with organizational policies, safeguarding standards, and research ethics.
• Eligible for salary and benefits as per organizational policies.
• Expected to participate in training, learning, and professional development activities.
• Other related duties may be assigned as required by the project.

Coordination and support

• Field Coordination: Work closely with project field teams to plan and implement research, assessments, monitoring visits, and learning activities in a timely and effective manner.
• Technical Coordination: Collaborate with technical specialists and project staff to ensure research activities align with project objectives and that technical inputs are incorporated into research design, analysis, and reporting.
• Finance and Administrative Coordination: Coordinate with Finance, Procurement, Administration, and HR teams to facilitate research-related logistics, field activities, consultant management, and operational support.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work with project management, technical teams, academic institutions, government counterparts, and other stakeholders to support evidence generation, learning, knowledge sharing, and advocacy efforts that strengthen nutrition-sensitive programming and sustainable development outcomes.

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following documents:

• An updated CV (maximum 3 pages).
• Clearly demonstrate relevant research skills, professional experience, publications, and academic achievements in the CV.
• A minimum CGPA of 3.5 (out of 4.0) either in Bachelor or Masters
• One published research paper for which the applicant is the first author (preferred)
• A brief statement of interest (maximum 200 words) describing:
• Your research interests;
• Relevant experience; and
• The thematic area(s) you wish to work in, such as nutrition, WASH, agriculture, market systems development, financial inclusion, climate resilience, gender and inclusion, or livelihoods.