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Consultant (qualitative) for Children and AI research, Digital Engagement and Protection Unit, UNICEF Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti, approximately 115 days over 16 months, Florence, Italy, (Remote) #594743

Apply now Job no: 594743
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Florence
Level: Consultancy
Location: Italy
Categories: Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to inspiration

How can you make a difference?  

Purpose of Assignment: Design qualitative research methodology for consultation workshops with children in China on AI, support local implementing research partner (review findings, conduct quality control of research analysis, etc.) and write up UNICEF Innocenti report with complete analysis, discussion and recommendations. 

This 2.5 year project will involve a mixed methods study that captures children’s real-life experiences with AI tools in China, delivered in two iterative phases: (1) qualitative consultative workshops with children to establish children’s interactions and perceptions of relational AI systems, followed by a (2) quantitative survey with children to dig deeper into the key findings and enable targeted recommendations. UNICEF China will be the overall project lead, UNICEF Innocenti the research lead, and a local institution will be recruited in China to be the research partner and implementer (the “local partner”).

UNICEF Innocenti is recruiting a qualitative research consultant to support the first phase of this project. The qualitative research consultant will be working in the following areas: (See TOR for details)
  • PROJECT SETUP
  • RESEARCH DESIGN AND PILOTING
  • CHILD CONSULTATIONS AND ANALYSIS
  • EXPERT ADVISORY GROUP

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File TMC0004693 ToR.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

Minimum requirements:

  • Education: Master’s degree in any relevant social science or technology discipline
    • A bachelor’s degree will be accepted in lieu of four years of relevant work experience
  • Work Experience:
    • A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience at national or international levels conducting qualitative research related to technology or children’s issues, including developing research methodologies; managing, conducting or supporting child consultations; conducting data analysis; and writing reports.
    • Experience doing qualitative research with children is an asset.
    • Proven experience of writing policy or industry recommendations is an asset.
    • Experience working on topics related to children’s Digital Engagement and Protection, such as AI, is an asset.
  • Language requirement:
    • Fluency in English is required
    • Fluency in Chinese considered an asset.

•     Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills and excellent attention to detail.

  • Motivated self-starter, with demonstrated ability to work effectively and sensitively in geographically dispersed teams and across cultures.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment.
  • Ability to organize own work and to carry out a project with limited supervision according to deadlines.

Desirables:

  • Familiarity with conducting research in the Chinese context considered an asset.
  • Experience working in the UN or other international development organizations is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advertised: W. Europe Daylight Time
Deadline: W. Europe Daylight Time

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