Background

The Centre for Agricultural Research and Development (CARD) is a public policy research institute of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). Established with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a Centre of Excellence, CARD delivers high-quality and timely policy research in agriculture, rural development, the environment and natural resource management. CARD operates through four core pillars: policy research, training, consultancy, and outreach. Its policy research agenda is organized around six thematic areas: (i) agricultural production and productivity; (ii) agricultural commercialization, markets, and value chain development; (iii) agrifood systems transformation; (iv) natural resource management, energy, environment and climate change; (v) social protection, gender and resilience; and (vi) applied data science, research translation and policy influence. To strengthen the research capacity of CARD, the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced individuals to join the Centre as Research Fellows. Reporting to the Director of CARD, successful candidates will undertake high-quality, policy-relevant research using quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches while contributing to the Centre’s policy research, training, consultancy and outreach functions.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidates shall be required to perform the following duties and carry following:

• Conduct macroeconomic and policy analysis using national and international datasets.
• Develop, calibrate, and apply economic models (e.g., CGE, DSGE and structural macroeconomic models) for policy analysis and forecasting.
• Perform macroeconomic forecasting and policy scenario simulations to inform economic planning.
• Analyze fiscal, monetary, and external sector dynamics to support evidence-based policy decisions.
• Apply spatial and geospatial data analysis to integrate socioeconomic and geographic information, including the development of maps, dashboards and visualizations using GIS tools.
• Contribute to the design of data collection instruments, research frameworks and analytical methodologies.
• Develop research concept notes, funding proposals, Expressions of Interest and consultancy bids in collaboration with local and international partners.
• Support the design and implementation of CARD’s collaborative research projects and commissioned studies.
• Manage quantitative and qualitative data collection activities in collaboration with senior researchers, field teams, implementing partners and donors.
• Develop training materials and deliver capacity-building activities for partners and stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor junior research staff in data collection, data analysis and research implementation.
• Prepare technical working papers, research reports, policy briefs, briefing notes and other knowledge products.
• Communicate research findings to policymakers, donors, implementing partners and the academic community at national, regional and international levels.
• Develop and disseminate communication and promotional materials to enhance CARD’s visibility.
• Represent CARD in coordination meetings, workshops, stakeholder engagements and professional forums.
• Publish research outputs in peer-reviewed journals.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by relevant University Authorities.

Required Qualifications

Applicants for this position should possess the following:

• At least a Master’s degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Geospatial Sciences, Statistics, Data Science, Development Studies, Public Policy or any related field.
• Those with a PhD or Registered for a PhD in related fields will have an added advantage.

Required Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in time-series econometrics, macroeconomic modeling (including general equilibrium modeling), forecasting and simulation.
• Demonstrated expertise in spatial data analysis and practical experience in the application of GIS and Remote Sensing for research and policy analysis.
• Familiarity with integrating spatial and economic data for multi-sectoral analysis.
• Demonstrated training in and experience conducting quantitative research, with specific skills that may include study design, fieldwork, training of enumerators, data analysis and writing and publication of results.
• A record of-or good prospects for-publication of high-quality original research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability and experience in managing internal and external relationships with project teams, donors and collaborators.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams and significant coursework outside their primary discipline of study.
• Experience working in multicultural teams and working on impact evaluations.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English and Chichewa and willingness to travel and work in rural Malawi.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively design and implement survey data collection and qualitative studies with multiple modes of data collection in Malawi.
• Excellent knowledge of Stata, R, Python, E-Views, Dynare, Matlab, and GAMs. Excellent competence in applied data science and computer programming will have an added advantage.
• Proficiency in GIS software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, or related spatial analysis tools.
• Excellent knowledge of a qualitative data analysis package (e.g., NVivo, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti).
• Excellent knowledge in computer assisted personal interview platforms like Survey Solutions, Open Data Kit, KoboCollect, CSPro, SurveyB, SurveyCTO, Survey Monkey.

Terms and Conditions of Engagement

All the successful candidates will be engaged on an initial 2-year contract before they can be considered for permanent appointment based on satisfactory performance and meeting other requirements as per the LUANAR Staff Regulations and Conditions of Service (2023). Remuneration will be in line with LUANAR Staff Regulations and Conditions of Service (2023).

• Conduct macroeconomic and policy analysis using national and international datasets.
• Develop, calibrate, and apply economic models (e.g., CGE, DSGE and structural macroeconomic models) for policy analysis and forecasting.
• Perform macroeconomic forecasting and policy scenario simulations to inform economic planning.
• Analyze fiscal, monetary, and external sector dynamics to support evidence-based policy decisions.
• Apply spatial and geospatial data analysis to integrate socioeconomic and geographic information, including the development of maps, dashboards and visualizations using GIS tools.
• Contribute to the design of data collection instruments, research frameworks and analytical methodologies.
• Develop research concept notes, funding proposals, Expressions of Interest and consultancy bids in collaboration with local and international partners.
• Support the design and implementation of CARD’s collaborative research projects and commissioned studies.
• Manage quantitative and qualitative data collection activities in collaboration with senior researchers, field teams, implementing partners and donors.
• Develop training materials and deliver capacity-building activities for partners and stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor junior research staff in data collection, data analysis and research implementation.
• Prepare technical working papers, research reports, policy briefs, briefing notes and other knowledge products.
• Communicate research findings to policymakers, donors, implementing partners and the academic community at national, regional and international levels.
• Develop and disseminate communication and promotional materials to enhance CARD’s visibility.
• Represent CARD in coordination meetings, workshops, stakeholder engagements and professional forums.
• Publish research outputs in peer-reviewed journals.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by relevant University Authorities.

• Demonstrated experience in time-series econometrics, macroeconomic modeling (including general equilibrium modeling), forecasting and simulation.
• Demonstrated expertise in spatial data analysis and practical experience in the application of GIS and Remote Sensing for research and policy analysis.
• Familiarity with integrating spatial and economic data for multi-sectoral analysis.
• Demonstrated training in and experience conducting quantitative research, with specific skills that may include study design, fieldwork, training of enumerators, data analysis and writing and publication of results.
• A record of-or good prospects for-publication of high-quality original research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability and experience in managing internal and external relationships with project teams, donors and collaborators.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams and significant coursework outside their primary discipline of study.
• Experience working in multicultural teams and working on impact evaluations.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English and Chichewa and willingness to travel and work in rural Malawi.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively design and implement survey data collection and qualitative studies with multiple modes of data collection in Malawi.
• Excellent knowledge of Stata, R, Python, E-Views, Dynare, Matlab, and GAMs. Excellent competence in applied data science and computer programming will have an added advantage.
• Proficiency in GIS software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, or related spatial analysis tools.
• Excellent knowledge of a qualitative data analysis package (e.g., NVivo, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti).
• Excellent knowledge in computer assisted personal interview platforms like Survey Solutions, Open Data Kit, KoboCollect, CSPro, SurveyB, SurveyCTO, Survey Monkey.

• At least a Master’s degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Geospatial Sciences, Statistics, Data Science, Development Studies, Public Policy or any related field.
• Those with a PhD or Registered for a PhD in related fields will have an added advantage.