Research Assistant (internal applicants only)

Please note: This opportunity is only open to Graduates of the RLRH traineeship programme in Nairobi, Kakuma or Kampala, either from first or second cohort.

Job title

Research Assistant

Location

At least 3 days per week based at one of the three RLRH offices (Nairobi, Kampala or Kakuma).

Salary

Gross Yearly KSh 1,825,342 – 2,022,728

Hours

Full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Contract Type

Fixed-term, 6 months

Reporting to

Research Facilitators and Research Officers

Start Date 

2 November, 2026

Closing Date

9 October 2026

About the Refugee-Led Research Hub 

The Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) supports individuals with lived experience of displacement to become leaders in fields related to human rights, forced migration, humanitarian response and development, politics, and law, among other areas. We do so by delivering academic and professional development programming to a global cohort of students who have been affected by displacement—as refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, stateless, and beyond—supporting access to graduate degrees and advanced career opportunities. RLRH also creates opportunities for researchers with displacement backgrounds to lead primary and secondary research studies, from start to finish. 

RLRH’s team is comprised of colleagues who are deeply committed to advancing refugee leadership, the majority of whom have lived experience of displacement. Our network of staff, researchers, students, and other affiliates is made up of 1,400+ individuals across 80+ countries. RLRH has six active offices: our first was established in Nairobi in 2020, we have had an office at the University of Oxford since 2021, and we have since developed physical hubs in Kakuma refugee camp (Kenya), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kampala (Uganda), and in the Oxfordshire community (UK). 

From October 2025 RLRH is funded to serve as a technical partner for the Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program network, advancing an ambitious global agenda to support displacement-affected learners to access 1,000+ graduate-level scholarships at partner universities around the world. RLRH provides expert guidance and implements specialised programmes to help these learners enter university, thrive on course, and pursue meaningful and enduring careers on completion of their degrees. A complementary, refugee-led research agenda designed by RLRH colleagues produces insights to help Scholars Program partner universities and other stakeholders accelerate positive, long-lasting systems change.

The Role

Overview of the Research Pillar

The Research Pillar creates opportunities for researchers with a displacement background to lead primary and secondary research studies in the field of forced migration, from start to finish. We collaborate on research opportunities with partners committed to promoting refugee leadership in forced migration research. The Research Pillar offers strong research skills and granular local knowledge to stakeholders involved in the refugee response in East Africa. Our team is well-suited to lead qualitative studies exploring emerging topics that engage the refugee community. We pay close attention to the ethics of conducting research, and prioritise studies that actively engage displaced persons in the design and validation of findings. Our research also aims to provide evidence to stakeholders to advance policies and programs that are more responsive to refugee community needs. Past studies can be found here. 

Overview of Position 

The Research Assistant role based at the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) is an opportunity reserved to graduates of the RLRH traineeship programme in Nairobi, Kakuma or Kampala, either from first or second cohort. The postholder will assist in the delivery of refugee-led research across the full research cycle: developing research questions, methodology, tools and ethics processes through fieldwork, analysis, writing and dissemination. Working under the direction of Research Facilitators and Research Officers, the postholder will contribute to research activities while developing practical research skills through mentorship, feedback and learning-by-doing. 

Responsibilities

Research Activities (70%)

• Contribute meaningfully to research agenda conversations around research questions, sub-topics, and angles. 
• Contribute meaningfully to desk and literature reviews 
• Assist the Research Officers and Research Leads in developing realistic research budgets
• Assist in the development of research tools.
• Assist in the ethics review application with the guidance of the Research Facilitator
• Provide ideas and suggestions to help plan research dissemination processes and identify research dissemination opportunities in line with resources and research project needs
• Support grant proposals and research funding applications
• Assist in data collection and fieldwork tasks 
• Carry out transcription and coding tasks independently
• Assist in data analysis tasks
• Assist in writing, editing, and publishing reports
• Ensure ethical standards and data privacy guidance are followed throughout the research process.  
• Co-develop post-research dissemination materials and participate in engagement events in line with skills, interests, and opportunities in line with research goals. 
• Commit to adhering to RLRH’s AI policy to ensure that you learn and grow tangible research and writing skills in the long run without depending on AI. 

Administrative Assistance and Event Support (20%)

• Provide administrative support to research projects and the traineeship, including coordination, scheduling, documentation, and follow-up on activities.
• Support the organisation and coordination of RLRH events, workshops, trainings, and community-building activities.
• Assist with practical arrangements for events and activities, including participant coordination, materials, logistics, and follow-up.
• Provide ad-hoc administrative support to the RLRH team as needed.

Learning, Mentorship, and Professional Growth (10%)

• Actively participate, prepare, and ask questions during research engagement and advocacy workshops.
• Engage with written or verbal feedback provided by the Research Facilitator and other colleagues, regularly articulating concerns, challenges, or doubts in the process. 
• Regularly contribute to lessons and reflections on the research and research skills-building process.  
• Mentor junior colleagues, such as Research Trainees, who contribute to all research tasks above. 
• Commit to adhering to professional values of standards of learning, professional growth, and accountability. 

Selection criteria

Essential 

1. Graduate of the RLRH traineeship programme in Nairobi, Kakuma or Kampala, either from first or second cohort.
2. Able to be based in Kakuma, Kampala or Nairobi for the duration of the contract. RLRH is not able to provide relocation costs. 
3. Have completed a master’s degree, or due to complete by the start of the contract, in any field of studies. Applicants who don’t have a master’s degree but have completed their bachelor’s degree may be considered. 
4. Willingness to actively engage, learn, seek feedback, and uphold RLRH’s values. 
5. Strong understanding of all stages of the qualitative research process, and experience in facilitating research training and providing editorial support.
6. Excellent interpersonal communication skills, with experience working across diverse teams.
7. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
8. Excellent cultural competency and cultural humility.
9. Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable

1. Knowledge of a language spoken by RLRH learners and affiliates, such as Swahili, Arabic, Amharic, Somali, French, and/or Oromo.

For candidates who don’t currently have the right to work in Kenya, RLRH can provide support for acquiring a gratis Refugee Class M work permit.

We believe that lived experience of displacement is a strength, and we give active, positive consideration to those with intersecting identities and backgrounds as part of our commitment to equitable hiring practices. As such, RLRH encourages applications from individuals who have been affected by displacement and others who may belong to historically under-represented groups, including but not limited to those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQI+, women, and differently-abled candidates. 

How to apply 

Please complete the online application form for this role. You will be asked to:

• Upload your CV (no longer than three pages).
• Upload your cover letter, outlining how you meet the criteria for the role.
• Provide details of two references (name, email, organisation, and relationship to candidate).
• Complete a short set of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) questions. Your answers to the following questions are entirely optional. This information will not be used as selection criteria. If you'd rather not share this information, feel free to select "Prefer not to say".

We are committed to ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to apply and be considered for any role, and our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you would like to request an adjustment (including requests for alternative formats) to our process, please contact our team at [email protected].

Use of AI In line with RLRH’s AI Use policy, we kindly ask that you do not use generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) to draft or edit your responses. Applicants may use limited AI to improve grammar or formatting, however, the use of AI to generate complete cover letters, answer specific application questions, or create other responses/presentations is prohibited.