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HEA Sr. Subject Matter Specialist

US-Remote

Join AIR as a Household Economy Approach (HEA) Senior Subject Matter Specialist (HEA Sr. SMS) to support the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) 7, Pillar 2, Data, Learning, and Communications Hub in the development and implementation of a comprehensive HEA baseline data management strategy. This role will focus on standardizing data handling, facilitating comprehensive analysis, and enabling effective visualization of HEA baseline data, This project is a collaborative effort involving key stakeholders across the FEWS NET project.

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories.

About AIR:

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world. AIR's commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment.

Responsibilities:

  • Participate in the standardization and ingestion of HEA baseline data from Baseline Storage Sheets (BSS) into a usable format for analysis.
  • Provide expert guidance for the creation of a global dataset for in-depth analysis of HEA baseline information.
  • Advise on and facilitate the development of intuitive tools for data analysis, visualization, and reporting.
  • Ensure the free and open accessibility of HEA baseline data to the HEA community and relevant stakeholders.
  • Participate in the standardization of metadata across diverse baselines to enhance comparability and interoperability.
  • Focuses exclusively on HEA baseline data (future phases may explore the integration of outcome analysis and other relevant HEA data).
  • Establishing standards for metadata fields and data formats for HEA baseline data.
  • Guiding the design of a user-friendly Baseline Explorer for data access, analysis, and visualization.
  • Managing the ingestion of existing Baseline Storage Sheets into the baseline database.
  • Using expert judgement to resolve ambiguities in existing Baseline Storage Sheets when the original team is not available to answer questions.
  • Support Rollout and Implementation of the Baseline Explorer by supporting user acceptance testing and contributing to the development of training materials and providing support for users.
  • Participate in regular internal meetings, workshops, and validation sessions to ensure alignment, gather input, and validate the evolving model and functionalities. This collaborative approach ensures the data management strategy meets the diverse needs of the HEA community.
  • Initial Dissemination: Supporting the introduction and thorough testing of the system with the core project team and key stakeholders.
  • Wider Dissemination: Following successful internal validation, guiding the FEWS NET Hub’s rollout to the broader HEA community, including partners, researchers, and practitioners. This will involve contributing to internal training, documentation, and support to facilitate widespread adoption.

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

  • Master's with at minimum of 11 years of relevant experience or Bachelor’s with a minimum of 13 years of relevant experience or a Doctorate with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience.
  • Expert in Household Economic Approach Analysis, Food Security, Livelihoods, Early Warning, and Resilience, or a related field.
  • Capable of developing strategies, tools and approaches for the Hub to produce and convey specific types of data and knowledge to users, as required, in a variety of technical areas.
  • Knowledge of specific FEWS NET regions.
  • Relevant language skills (i.e., French, Spanish, etc.) preferred but not required.

 Skills: 

  • Effective communication skills for efficient collaboration in a virtual environment. 
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively, prioritize objectives, and meet timelines. 
  • Proven organizational, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, strategic thinker with strong tactical execution.  
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.  

Disclosures:

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks.

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at tboone@air.org or call 202.403.5000.

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AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers the anticipated annual salary as listed. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

Anticipated Annual Salary Range

$150,000 - $180,000 USD

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