[HOT] Immediate 17-month full-time opportunity in international household survey work on gridded sampling

Mon Mar 19 17:17:47 UTC 2018

Nice opportunity for someone with mapping and sampling experience. Grid sampling makes heavy use of maps.

Bryan Sayer 

Describes an interesting (and immediate) 17-month full-time job opportunity for someone who has a UK/EU visa and flexibility to travel internationally to come up to speed on gridded sampling techniques and help pilot those methods in realistic settings and to develop & deliver appropriate training materials.

Longer lead-in:

I am joining some work in an interesting area with Dana Thomson and the GridSample.org team at www.flowminder.org. and we need some help.  

Household surveys play an important role in health/welfare/program monitoring and evaluation in low- and middle-income countries.  The standard design is a multi-stage stratified cluster survey where primary sampling units (PSUs) are selected from a census-based
 list of enumeration areas (EAs) and the probability of selection is proportional to a measure of estimated EA size.  In many cases the information about cluster size is no longer current, so the selection probabilities and therefore the first stage survey weights are "off" and those errors are only partially redeemed later in the survey process.

There's some interesting work in building gridded datasets with updated population estimates, which are seeded with census data and updated with more recent data sources, like assessment of night-time lights from satellite imagery and cell-phone activity from de-identified datasets.

There is growing interest in identifying survey settings where it makes sense to select PSUs from a gridded population dataset INSTEAD of the census frame (or maybe use one to augment the other).  This posting describes an interesting (and immediate) 17-month full-time job opportunity for someone who has a UK/EU visa and flexibility to
 travel internationally to come up to speed on the gridded sampling techniques and help pilot the methods in realistic settings and to develop & deliver appropriate training materials.

If you have detailed questions, please write to dana.r.thomson at gmail.com.  

We re-titled the position "Survey Practitioner (GridSample Project)" to clarify that the right candidate is not necessarily a specialist in gridded population sampling methods (yet). The right candidate very likely has exclusive experience with traditional cluster surveys.

This position is well-supported with extensive opportunity to learn and grow. Personalized mentorship from the GridSample Manager on gridded population sampling methods will be provided, and the Flowminder/WorldPop team provides a rich survey community-of-practice.

Gridded population sampling methods are emerging, and as a result, this position is ripe with opportunity for creative problem-solving and input, allowing the candidate to establish themselves as an expert and innovator in this new field.

We are interested in candidates who are passionate about social equity. This project was born from the belief that the needs of everyone, including the poorest, must be accurately measured to be effectively addressed.

I have heard from a number of qualified candidates who do not hold a UK/EU passport/visa. The UK/EU requirement is because Flowminder Foundation is not yet in a position to sponsor UK visas (we are actively working on this). We strongly encourage interested non-UK/EU candidates to apply because gridded population sampling is a rapidly evolving field, and when new opportunities emerge, we will come back to this pool of candidates. 

==========================================================================

Role: Survey Practioniter (GridSample Project)
Job No: GS0218
Location: Southampton, UK
Duration: Fixed term contract (17 months, full time)
Start date: 3 April 2018
Salary: £45,180
Reporting to: GridSample Manager
==========================================================================
The Flowminder Foundation has an exciting opportunity for a survey practitioner to play a key role in a Gates Foundation-funded gridded population survey evaluation in Nigeria, and develop foundational training materials for the emerging field of gridded population sampling.
Flowminder is a unique, startup-like non-profit that develops advanced technological solutions to address humanitarian problems. Our work is an exciting blend of software development, data analytics, academic research, and international development, that takes place in a dynamic and highly collaborative environment.
==========================================================================
About GridSample.org
Gridded population survey sampling is an emerging method, used most often when census data is outdated or inaccurate. Survey teams also consider gridded population sampling to perform spatial+population sampling and to select sampling areas that are smaller or larger than standard census sampling units. The GridSample R algorithm or web tool have been used in numerous surveys, including in DR Congo, Mozambique, Somalia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
GridSample.org (beta version) was launched by Flowminder/WorldPop in 2017 to select household survey sampling areas from gridded population data.This web tool allows for the selection of dozens of complex survey designs with a click-and-point interface and preloaded datasets. The website outputs boundaries of sampling areas, that can be easily mapped in ArcGIS or Google Maps, and the population values needed to calculate survey sampling weights.
New GridSample.org users are already survey practitioners who need training and technical assistance to learn about gridded population sampling methods and tools, and consider their pros and cons across diverse, complex settings. 
==========================================================================
The GridSample Specialist 
The successful candidate, in their role as GridSample Specialist with Flowminder Foundation, has the opportunity to closely collaborate with the GridSample Creator and Manager, in the following areas:
Gridded Population Survey Technical Assistance

Work with the GridSample Manager to provide the GRID3-Nigeria survey implementation team with technical assistance as they operationalize a gridded population survey (focused on mapping, listing, GIS)
Engage with Gates Foundation, UN agencies, NGOs, governments, and other survey partners
Travel internationally
Respond to ad hoc requests via GridSample.org for gridded population survey planning and implementation technical assistance

GridSample Tool Maintenance

Monitor the GridSample.org email account, respond to user inquiries and/or forward emails to the appropriate personnel
Support website testing
Support website usability evaluation with survey practitioners

 Gridded Population Survey Planning & Implementation Trainings

Work closely with the GridSample Manager to adapt training materials from the Surveys for Urban Equity project to the GRID3-Nigeria survey
Deliver trainings on gridded population surveys and use of the GridSample tool to survey designers and survey implementers, as needed
Interface with survey implementers to understand key challenges and best-practices for gridded population survey field work

==========================================================================
We are looking for someone who has: 

Experience designing and implementing large-scale household surveys in low- and middle-income countries
No prior experience with gridded population surveys is required.
Demonstrated understanding of survey implementation challenges in low- and middle-income countries and how these challenges may affect survey estimates
Experience developing and delivering practice-based trainings to working professionals
Experience managing and analysing spatial datasets in a geographic information system (GIS)
Ability to work independently and manage projects on a daily basis, at times with minimal supervision
Ability to work effectively in cross-cultural and multi-lingual situations
MSc in social statistics, demography, geography, or related field
High level written and spoken English

It is desirable for potential candidates to have:

Experience using statistical analysis software such as Stata, SAS, or R
Understanding of server set-up and maintenance for electronic survey data
Knowledge of French, Arabic, Spanish, or other major international language
Knowledge of Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo or other major Nigerian language

==========================================================================
Deadline for applications: until filled
Interviews are expected to take place in Southampton, UK.  
To apply: Please submit a cover letter and CV as a single .pdf file, with the file name containing your last name. In your cover letter, please provide an explanation of how your previous experience relates to the responsibilities outlined in the job advert. Please also include your eligibility to work in the UK and your expected availability to start. 
Please submit your single .pdf file via email to careers+GS0218 at flowminder.org.  
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
Please note that we will not be accepting applications from recruitment agencies.
==========================================================================
THE FLOWMINDER FOUNDATION
Flowminder's mission is to improve public health and welfare in low- and middle-income countries in partnerships with governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs. Our analyses aim to map the distributions, movements and characteristics of vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries, and are used both in the humanitarian and development sectors. We help save lives and improve welfare by providing analyses and decision support to all relevant parties based on the latest academic advances. Our work includes both research and operational projects, always aimed at having a concrete impact on vulnerable populations. Our multidisciplinary team include demographers, medicals doctors, epidemiologists, geographers, mathematical modelers, sociologist, economists and computer scientists. Our funders include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID, World Bank, World Food Programme, UNFPA, UN Foundation and others. 
Our success in this area stems from the ability of our teams to:

design and utilise cutting-edge research and analysis methods
develop new software to facilitate these analyses
understand and apply these techniques to real-world problems
work with UN, NGO and government partners to translate our analyses into real-world impact

We are a rapidly growing organisation with a great team of highly skilled staff, who have a great time together and find meaning in what we do.
Our impact during the past years have led to ongoing expansion into new geographic regions. As we build our team we are looking for exceptional talent addressing the challenges these new regions bring.
Flowminder Foundation is a non-profit organisation registered in Stockholm, Sweden with a large part of its staff in Southampton, UK and in Geneva, Switzerland. Flowminder works in close collaboration with the University of Southampton, UK.
Read more about Flowminder and the WorldPop Program at www.flowminder.org  and www.worldpop.org and about Flowminder in the media: www.flowminder.org/news

------------------------------
Dale Rhoda
President
Biostat Global Consulting LLC
------------------------------

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