Research Associate (Consultant)

Job Description

Title: Research Associate (Consultant)

Company Name: Jago Nari (Barguna)

Vacancy: 1

Age: Na

Job Location: Barguna

Salary: Negotiable

Experience:

Published: 2026-04-13

Application Deadline: 2026-04-21

Education:

• Educational Qualifications Relevant academic background in disciplines such as Development Studies, Anthropology, Disaster Management, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, Sociology or other related fields.
• Practical experience in research, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), market systems, livelihoods, or disaster risk reduction (DRR)-related assignments.
• Willingness and ability to undertake frequent field visits, including in remote and disaster-prone areas, and work effectively under challenging conditions.
• Sound understanding of research methodologies specially in qualitative, data collection techniques, and proficiency in relevant tools and software for data management and analysis.
• Ability to analyze data systematically and produce clear, structured, and evidence-based reports and documentation.
• Strong sense of responsibility, teamwork, communication skills, and commitment to ethical standards, inclusiveness, and gender sensitivity.

Job Title: Research Associate (Consultant)

Research Title: Assessing the Resilience of the Local Rice Market System in Disaster-Prone Barguna District, Bangladesh

Project Name: Strengthening Community Preparedness Rapid Response, Recovery in Asia (ACT II) Project.

Duty Station: Barguna (Head Office-based with field travel)

Reporting To: Director – Research, Monitoring & Evaluation (RME), JAGO NARI

Matrix Management: Lead Researcher

Duration: 4 months (Consultancy Basis)

Background and project context:

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to natural hazards due to its low-lying terrain, proximity to the Bay of Bengal, and extensive river systems. Over the past three decades, the country has experienced more than 200 disasters, with storms and floods being the most frequent, while climate change exacerbates risks through sea-level rise, riverbank erosion, soil salinization, and extreme weather events. Although disaster management frameworks such as the NPDMs, Disaster Management Act 2012, and the Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) exist, gaps in coordination, capacity, and local capacity, and implementation limit effective preparedness, response, and recovery. Rice, as the staple food and a primary source of income for smallholders and marginal farmers, plays a central role in food security, income stability, and recovery following shocks, making its market system critical in disaster-prone areas.

Barguna district, located in the disaster-prone coastal belt of southern Bangladesh, is frequently affected by cyclones, tidal surges, waterlogging, and saline intrusion. These hazards disrupt agricultural production as well as the functioning of local markets, which is the backbone of livelihoods for many smallholder farmers. Despite being rice-surplus, farmers often face weak market linkages, inadequate storage and processing facilities, dependence on middlemen, and limited access to timely market information. These challenges tend to intensify during and after disasters, when farmers experience reduced bargaining power and are more likely to engage in distress sales.

JAGO NARI and Oxfam is planning to commission a study the local rice market system in Barguna district. The study will examine how the rice market functions under normal conditions and how it is affected during disaster and post-disaster periods, including availability, pricing, market linkages, and vulnerabilities across key market actors. The findings will support Oxfam and its partners in making informed decisions on market-based and resilience-oriented programming, including identifying realistic entry points for strengthening the local rice market system.

The overall objective of this assignment is to generate actionable, evidence‑based insights on the functioning and resilience of the local rice market system in Barguna district, to inform future market‑based, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and livelihood resilience programming.

Key Responsibilities for this Position:

The Research Associate will support the implementation of the study through primary and secondary data collection, field coordination, and stakeholder engagement. The role includes transcription and translation of qualitative data, as well as providing structured support for data analysis and report preparation.

Research Implementation

• Conduct structured quantitative surveys with farmers, traders, millers, retailers, and other relevant market actors.
• Facilitate qualitative data collection through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and case studies.
• Carry out regular market observations, including seasonal price monitoring and documentation of market trends.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive stakeholder mapping database, capturing key actors and their roles within the rice market system.
• Collect, review, and synthesize relevant secondary data from government, NGO, and other credible sources.

Data Management and Quality Assurance

• Ensure proper administration and consistent application of research tools and methodologies.
• Perform data entry, cleaning, validation, and preliminary analysis of quantitative datasets.
• Accurately transcribe and translate qualitative data from Bangla to English, maintaining contextual integrity.
• Maintain organized, secure, and accessible data storage systems in line with data protection standards.
• Support the organization and facilitation of data validation workshops at union and upazila levels.

Coordination and Reporting

• Work under the technical guidance of the Lead Researcher to ensure alignment with the overall study design and methodology.
• Maintain close coordination with the Director – RME, ACT-II Project team, and Oxfam technical advisors.
• Provide regular field updates, including progress reports, challenges, and emerging insights.
• Contribute structured inputs to draft and final study reports, including data summaries and field-level analysis.

Ethical Compliance and Inclusion

• Ensure informed consent is obtained from all research participants prior to data collection.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to data protection and ethical research standards.
• Apply gender-sensitive, inclusive, and culturally appropriate approaches throughout all research activities.