Research Associate - Scaling Every Child Counts program in India
Name of the Position: Research Associate
Project Name: Scaling Every Child Counts program in India
Location: Delhi/Bangalore (preferred)
About the Project:
Every Child Counts is an evidence-based early years program that provides young students with the right stimulus to translate their innate understanding of mathematics into formal symbolic applications of mathematics in school. It includes four games—two focused on geometric abilities and spatial understanding, and two on enhancing number sense. It has been rigorously evaluated through three randomized evaluations (RCTs) in Delhi (2013–2019) in collaboration with Pratham Education Foundation and piloted across five Indian states between 2019 and 2023 in pre-primary and Grade 1 government school classrooms.
In November 2023, J-PAL South Asia launched its first cohort of the Every Child Counts Certificate Program – a coalition model to scale up Every Child Counts by building capacity of NGO partners. The NGOs are required to go through a week-long classroom training followed by a three-month implementation pilot that is monitored by J-PAL SA. The second edition of this certificate program was held in Nov 2025.
About the Role:
We are seeking a motivated Research Associate (Data) to support two core functions of the Every Child Counts scale-up:
1. Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) for NGO-led pilots and at-scale implementations ensuring high-quality implementation monitoring and timely feedback to partners.
2. Knowledge management of Every Child Counts MEL systems and outputs, including questionnaires, datasets, analytical outputs, reports, and implementation insights, to support learning, decision-making, as well knowledge transfer to implementing partners.
The role involves close coordination with partner NGOs, government stakeholders, and internal research teams. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to one of India’s most promising scale-up efforts in foundational learning while strengthening systems for evidence use at scale.
Key Responsibilities:
The Research Associate will work closely with the RM and Senior RAs to undertake the following tasks
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
● Design and oversee end-to-end MEL processes for NGO-led Every Child Counts pilots, including classroom observations, teacher training assessments, and student learning evaluations across multiple states.
● Manage and support monitoring of Certificate Program pilots, providing technical guidance to partner NGOs and ensuring adherence to Every Child Counts’s MEL framework.
● Generate timely, high-quality, and actionable insights to inform implementation improvements and scale-up strategy.
● Lead and facilitate M&E-related trainings and advisory support for partner organizations.
Data Management and Quality Assurance
● Review, clean, and vet project dataset and ensure data quality and consistency across tools and rounds.
● Maintain clear and systematic documentation of datasets, variables, survey instruments, and data collection protocols.
● Coordinate with internal team members to identify and resolve data gaps, inconsistencies, or errors.
Data Analysis and Synthesis
● Support analysis of quantitative and qualitative data generated through Every Child Counts implementation and monitoring activities.
● Produce descriptive statistics, dashboards, and aggregated views of data tailored to different stakeholders, including NGO partners, Principal Investigators, and donors.
● Share interim statistics and analytical outputs with project teams to support ongoing decision-making.
● Document analytical choices, limitations, and lessons to strengthen future MEL efforts.
Knowledge Management and Resource Development
● Systematize and curate Every Child Counts MEL assets, including questionnaires, datasets, analysis outputs, reports, and implementation insights.
● Support in developing high-quality MEL resources (manuals, toolkits, guides) for practitioners, to be used by implementing partners across the country
● Contribute to building institutional memory around Every Child Counts scale-up and learning processes.
Required Qualifications:
● Bachelor's/Master’s degree in Economics, Education, Public Policy, Development Studies, or a related field.
● At least 1 years of professional experience in the education or development sector
● Proven experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems, including process monitoring and outcome assessments
● Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to interpret and present data effectively
● Experience conducting or facilitating capacity building workshops or trainings
● Proficiency in Stata/R for data cleaning, analysis, and visualization
● Hands-on experience with SurveyCTO or similar digital data collection platforms
● Prior experience engaging with external stakeholders like implementing organizations and government representatives
● Demonstrated ability to work independently in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments
● Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal
Preferred Qualifications:
● Familiarity with foundational learning programs, teacher training models, or large-scale education reform initiatives in India
● Strong skills in data visualization, reporting, and knowledge product development
● Knowledge of qualitative research methods and tools (e.g., interview protocols, thematic analysis)