About the role
The 1864 Research and Innovation Institute is looking for a Research Associate to support our first institutional engagement. This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of research, government technology, and social impact, helping to build and document the data tools that will inform how public institutions serve citizens across Africa.
You will work closely with all three co-founders, supporting fieldwork, communications, and project coordination. This is a hands-on role with significant responsibility and direct exposure to high-level institutional work from day one.
What you will do
- Support research activities including desk reviews, field interviews, and data collection with government partners.
- Assist in co-design workshops with frontline government workers, capturing insights and facilitating documentation.
- Draft blog posts, social media content, and communications that reflect the Institute's voice and niche.
- Coordinate project logistics including scheduling, partner communications, and progress tracking.
- Maintain project documentation and knowledge management systems.
- Support impact assessments and contribute to case study write-ups for publication.
Who we are looking for
- A degree in social sciences, development studies, public policy, statistics, or a related field.
- Strong proficiency in R or Stata for data analysis and visualisation. You are comfortable cleaning datasets, running analysis, and producing charts that communicate findings clearly.
- Genuine interest in governance, public sector reform, and how data tools can improve how government serves citizens.
- Prior experience working with or around government institutions in Nigeria is a strong advantage.
- Highly organised and self-directed, comfortable managing your own workload in a small fast-moving team.
- Based in Abuja or willing to travel to Abuja for fieldwork and partner meetings.
What we offer
- N200,000 to N250,000 per month depending on experience.
- Direct mentorship from three co-founders with deep expertise in research, technology, and institutional development.
- Byline credit on published blog posts and case studies.
- Flexible remote working arrangement.
- Strong professional reference and potential contract extension based on performance and funding.
- The chance to be part of building something from the ground up, and to have your work matter.
How to apply
Send the following three documents to info@1864institute.org and copy abiola@1864institute.org. Use the subject line "Research Associate Application".
1
Your CV. No more than two pages. Focus on relevant experience.
2
A cover letter. One page. Tell us why this role, why this Institute, and what you would bring to the work.
3
A working sample. Anything that shows your thinking and writing. A research summary, a report excerpt, a blog post, or similar. One to three pages.