Research Assistant

Background Established in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, Helen Keller International is dedicated to saving the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Headquartered in New York City, Helen Keller Intl. currently conducts programs in 21 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States. Renowned for its reliability, efficiency and high level of technical expertise, Helen Keller Intl. promotes the development of sustainable, large-scale programs that deliver effective preventative and curative services for nutrition, eye health and neglected tropical diseases. Helen Keller has been working in Vietnam since the 1990s through the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO). At the present time, we are working in Nam Dinh, Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Hoa Binh and Lai Chau Province, to implement development projects in Eye Health and Nutrition. From late 2013 to 2016, Helen Keller International - Vietnam (collectively funded by Irish Aid, the Alstom Foundation, and the Janet Carrus Foundation) piloted an Enhanced Homestead Food Production (EHFP) project in Son La province to address the nutrition and food security challenges in the area. The EHFP project aimed to increased production and consumption of micronutrient rich foods by establishing homestead food production support for over 300 beneficiaries whose children were under two years of age. Due to the success of the piloted EHFP, Irish Aid continued to support Helen Keller Vietnam between 2017 and 2021, funding the scale-up of the model in two of the poorest provinces in the northwestern region of Vietnam: Hoa Binh and Lai Chau. The project is divided into two phases: April 2017 - May 2019 and June 2019 - May 2021, benefiting 600 households each phase. We are currently seeking a Research Assistant to coordinate and monitor our IDEAL funded grant to study the sustained results stemming from EHFP programming. The goal of this study is to articulate the factors associated with sustained adoption of practices by project beneficiaries and explore spontaneous adoption (spillover) of non-beneficiaries, within non-emergency food security programming, at different post-intervention time points. Sustained results are defined in the FANTA framework as both managing and improving project activities and practices among original beneficiaries, as well as expanding the benefits of the project to new beneficiaries. This evidence will then be utilized in the development of guidance, program strategies, and training webinars to disseminate the knowledge and evidence to the broader food and nutrition security development community. This is 12-month project and will start from October 2020. Job Summary: The Research Assistant will be responsible for direct implementation of project activities in the field and coordination with local partners. This position will travel frequently to Son La, Hoa Binh and Lai Chau provinces and will work directly with the local partners on a daily basis to ensure the activities are in line with the approved workplan and implemented within the project timeframe. This position will also provide technical assistance and manage logistic tasks related to the project activities. This position will be required to collect, analyze data, conduct regular M&E visits to the fields and provide recommendations needed to ensure the study is well conducted and meet its goals and objectives. Report to: Program Manager Collaborate with: Project Assistants/ Officers and Finance /Administrative Manager KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate with HKIVN’s field staff & field village administers and local authorities
Support the research coordination when needed, in developing a detailed workplan, prepare for travel and logistics;
Monitor and track the progress of the project to ensure the project activities are carried out in appropriate and timely manner;
Organize, participate and support in the planning/ field preparation before and during surveys
Develop questionnaires, collect and analyze data;
Supervise the field team;
Assist local partners through participating in training program of teachers and community health workers;
Produce monthly reports consisting of observations and documentation of work in the field while making recommendations to improve the program;
Monitor project budget and prepare financial project report.

Duty Station: 01 year with possible extension; 2 month probationary period Duty location: Based in Hanoi, with regular travel to project sites (50%). Requirements:

Vietnamese citizen;
At least 3 years working experience;
Bachelor’s degree in a pertinent field (for example: medicine, public health, statistics, agricultural economics, or related field);
Relevant experience in managing rural household level surveys;
Capacity to understand and analyze information and communication flows within communities in rural areas;
Experience in coordination with village administrators, community leaders and local healthcare providers during field research work;
Willingness to travel to rural areas and stay overnight;
Experience in data collection, administering questionnaires and conducting interviews and knowledge on mobile data collection (ODK, ONA etc.);
Experience or knowledge of the nutrition and agricultural sector would be advantage;
Working experience in development sector, especially NGOs and community groups;
Understanding of and sensitivity to poverty-related development and gender issues;
Good knowledge of spoken and written Vietnamese and English;
Ability to work in a team environment without direct formal hierarchy;
Demonstrates flexibility, adaptability and initiative;
Motivated team player who can manage his/her own project and provide support to team;

HKI offers competitive remuneration package. Interested candidates should submit: A letter of interest; CV; and supporting documents (as appropriate) To: Helen Keller International Vietnam Room 305-306, A2 Building, Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, 298 Kim Ma, Hanoi, Vietnam Email: hr@hki.org ; cc: DLam@hki.org ; PNgoc@hki.org ; Nnhu@hki.org; The deadline for submitting applications is 18th October, 2020. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted Please LIKE and FOLLOW us on https://www.facebook.com/HKIVN/ to learn more about what we are doing.