Senior Specialist Prevention, Research and Innovation: Behavioural Science and Impact Evaluation

Basel Institute on Governance; Basel; Vor Ort; CHF 120.000 - 180.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

The Basel Institute on Governance seeks a Senior Specialist Prevention, Research and Innovation in Basel to advance behavioural science and impact evaluation. You will design experiments, pilot anti-corruption interventions, and lead rigorous evaluations in field and lab settings.

The role requires strong quantitative skills, experience with causal inference, and willingness to travel internationally. You will work with an interdisciplinary team, publish findings, and contribute to

Qualifikationen

• Graduate degree in behavioural science or related quantitative discipline.
• Experience in experimental impact evaluations and causal inference.
• Proficiency in R or Stata for data analysis.
• Experience with experimental platforms such as oTree, z-Tree, Qualtrics.
• Strong data management and GDPR awareness.

Aufgaben

• Collaborate on design of behavioural experiments and field interventions.
• Lead design of rigorous impact evaluations including RCTs or quasi-experimental designs.
• Perform statistical analysis to determine impact and causal direction.
• Develop experiments and surveys with sampling and power calculations.
• Manage databases and ensure GDPR compliance and data security.
• Support ethics approval processes and data governance.
• Program infrastructure for experiments (oTree, z-Tree, Qualtrics) and run field implementations.
• Publish research outputs and communicate findings to diverse audiences.
• Engage with stakeholders and support project design and implementation.

Kenntnisse

Experimental impact evaluations

Causal inference

Statistical analysis

Data management

Ausbildung

Graduate degree in behavioural science or related quantitative discipline

PhD or equivalent research experience (advantage)

Tools

R

Stata

oTree

z-Tree

Qualtrics

Jobbeschreibung

Senior Specialist Prevention, Research and Innovation: Behavioural Science and Impact Evaluation

Basel Institute on GovernanceVacant since : 10.09.2026 Number of jobs : 1 4051 Basel (BS) 80% - 100% Immediately Permanent

Basel Institute on GovernanceThe Basel Institute on Governance is a hands-on centre of competence dedicated to promoting good governance and countering corruption for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Established in 2003 in Basel, Switzerland, the Basel Institute works with partners worldwide to advance knowledge, practice and policy on anti-corruption, asset recovery and business integrity. With field operations worldwide, it has some 150 staff covering 32 nationalities. The Basel Institute is an Associated Institute of the University of Basel.

Job descriptionWe are seeking a behavioural scientist with exceptional quantitative skills to join our Prevention, Research and Innovation (PRI) team. Working at the intersection of research and practice, the successful candidate will collaborate with the team to design experiments and pilot anti-corruption interventions in the field. They will also lead the design of rigorous impact evaluation approaches – e.g. randomised controlled trials – and the statistical analysis of the resulting data to build robust evidence of what works in preventing and reducing corruption.

This is an intellectually demanding and stimulating position with excellent prospects for both academic publication and real-world impact. You will work with an interdisciplinary team and international partners. The role involves a significant amount of international travel for data collection and intervention design. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in experimental methods and causal inference with strong data management skills, a broad understanding of the social sciences (ideally including corruption studies) and a keen interest in testing development interventions for impact.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with colleagues of the PRI team and external partners in the design of behavioural experiments and pilot anti-corruption interventions in field and lab settings.
• Lead the design of rigorous impact evaluation approaches, including experimental methods (e.g. randomised controlled trials) and, where randomisation is not feasible, quasi-experimental designs.
• Lead the statistical analysis of experimental and survey data, applying appropriate econometric and causal inference techniques to ascertain impact, effect sizes and direction of causality with a high degree of statistical rigour.
• Design and implement behavioural experiments and surveys, including instrument development, sampling strategies and power calculations.
• Manage the team's databases and data infrastructure, including the development and implementation of data management plans, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance, data security and risk management.
• Develop procedures, protocols and rules for experiments, and support ethics approval processes.
• Program and maintain the technical infrastructure for experiments and surveys (e.g. oTree, z-Tree, Qualtrics) and provide organisational support for running experiments in the field.
• Contribute to writing and publishing research outputs, including peer-reviewed articles, working papers, policy briefs and donor reports.
• Communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences, including practitioners, partner organisations and donors.
• Engage actively with stakeholders, implementing partners and team members throughout the research cycle.
• Support the broader activities of the PRI team concerning research, acquisition, and project design and implementation.

Qualifications and skills

• Graduate degree in behavioural science, experimental or behavioural economics, psychology, political science, statistics or a related quantitative discipline; a PhD or equivalent professional research experience is an advantage
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and implementation of experimental impact evaluations
• Excellent statistical and econometric skills, including causal inference methods, with proven ability to analyse experimental and observational data (proficiency in R or Stata required)
• Experience designing and implementing behavioural experiments and surveys, including familiarity with standard experimental games, behavioural theories and preference measures
• Strong data management skills, including experience with data management plans, GDPR and research data risk management
• Experience programming experiments and surveys in platforms such as oTree, z-Tree (unleashed) and/or Qualtrics
• Excellent written and spoken English, with a track record of (or strong potential for) publication in peer-reviewed outlets
• Strong interpersonal skills, intellectual curiosity and the ability to engage with new areas of research
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally, including to challenging environments

OfferWe offer an interesting and rewarding working environment with a proactive, dynamic and international team spirit. The work is intellectually stimulating and varied, and offers scope for initiative and innovation. The salary is competitive.

• Work location 4051 Basel (BS)
• Workload 80% - 100%
• Employment start Immediately
• Employment duration Permanent

• Qualification skilled
• Work experience More than 1 year
• Education Bachelor’s degree from a university or equivalent

• English Orally : Very good knowledge Written : Very good knowledge

• By online Online form