Research Assistant

ABOUT ALU

ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now.
Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

As a high-growth start-up, the ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ALU SCHOOL OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION (SOWC)

The ALU School of Wildlife Conservation is a specialised school that promotes conservation as an African growth sector by developing the next generation of entrepreneurial conservation leaders and undertaking research into Africa’s wildlife economy. The school supports students in the undergraduate and MBA degrees of ALU/School of Business. The school’s groundbreaking research into Africa’s Wildlife Economy measures the value that wildlife contributes to local and national economies. At a macro level, SOWC seeks to influence the sector’s decision-makers to adopt sustainable business models and promote an entrepreneurial business-minded approach in African conservation. The school also runs various conservation enterprise incubator programmes for conservation entrepreneurs.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Working with the School’s wildlife economy research team, this position will:

• Conduct relevant robust research & statistical analysis on the wildlife economy in Africa
• Write reports on wildlife economy activities, including country case studies, to illustrate the current value, as well as the potential, of the wildlife economy in Africa
• Cross-tabulate, analyse and interpret wildlife economy data for wildlife economy reports, policy briefs, presentation and marketing tools
• Prepare and conduct presentations on the wildlife economy research
• Support other areas of work, as and where required, including the Business of Conservation Conference

This role will report to the School’s Director of Research

Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal,  by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Graduate degree in Economics, Conservation, Business, Statistics or similar
• 1-2 years of practical research experience, including statistical experience (specifically R and Python) and data collation and analysis (preferably in practice) 
• 1-2 years of GIS/mapping (QGIS or ArcGis) and related experience
• Excellent attention to detail, rigour and efficient and effective task and time management
• Ability to multitask and work under pressure
• Ability to work in a multicultural, dispersed team
• Flexible and comfortable with change - “startup” mindset
• Excellent communication skills; written and spoken English skills essential, French and/or Portuguese an added advantage
• Understanding of the wildlife economy/business of conservation in Africa is essential & required
• This role could be remote or preferably located in Kigali, Rwanda