The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is recruiting for two roles in its Managing Exits from Armed Conflict (MEAC) project. Both focus on research in the Lake Chad Basin and North West Nigeria: a Research Consultant (Data Support) and an Associate Researcher. Both roles are listed as remote, and candidates in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad or Niger are especially well placed.
Applications for both close on 2 November 2026 at midnight Geneva time. You apply by email.
About UNIDIR and the MEAC Project
UNIDIR is an autonomous UN institute based in Geneva that researches disarmament and security. Its Managing Exits from Armed Conflict project studies how and why people join and leave armed groups, disarm, and return to civilian life. The evidence feeds into policies that prevent recruitment and support reintegration. In the Lake Chad Basin, a region hit hard by armed conflict, the project runs surveys and fieldwork with local research partners.
The Two Roles at a Glance
| Research Consultant (Data Support) | Associate Researcher | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Data cleaning, analysis and visualisation | Coordinating research in the Lake Chad Basin |
| Location | Remote (or Geneva) | Remote. Based in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad or Niger preferred. |
| Duration | 6 months, starting as soon as possible | Contract length not stated |
| Pay | Hourly rate, up to US$9,000 in total | Not stated |
| Languages | English | English and French |
| Travel | None | Occasional |
| Deadline | 2 November 2026, midnight Geneva time | |
1. Research Consultant (Data Support)
You’ll support the project’s lead Data Scientist with data monitoring, cleaning, analysis and visualisation.
What you’ll do:
- Clean, de-identify and combine survey data, and document every step.
- Help run statistical analyses and write up results in plain language.
- Co-author publications, including policy briefs and academic articles.
- Create charts and infographics for reports and briefings.
- Check the quality of incoming data during survey rollouts, and manage data securely.
- Help build codebooks, code libraries and data workflows.
What you need:
- A master’s degree in international relations, political science, economics, statistics or another social science with a quantitative focus. A bachelor’s plus 2 years of relevant experience is also accepted.
- Proficiency in R for data cleaning, statistics and visualisation (required).
- Understanding of statistical methods, including multivariate regression (required).
- Fluent English.
- Desirable: 5+ years in applied research or data analysis for policy, Power BI, Stata, SPSS, SurveyCTO, a background in conflict or peacebuilding, and experience in Nigeria, Niger, Chad or Cameroon.
Email subject line: Application: MEAC – Research Consultant (Data Support)
Official Research Consultant vacancy notice
2. Associate Researcher (Lake Chad Basin)
You’ll carry out research and help coordinate the project’s work across the Lake Chad Basin, reporting to the Senior Researcher and the Head of Project.
What you’ll do:
- Help finalise surveys for the Lake Chad Basin and North West Nigeria.
- Work with local research partners to design and oversee research plans and data collection, including training enumerators and monitoring data.
- Build relationships with government, research, local and UN partners working on conflict transitions.
- Conduct interviews and focus groups, and produce and review transcripts.
- Write findings reports and other outputs for practitioners and policymakers, and present them at events.
- Prepare surveys, codebooks and de-identified data for public release.
What you need:
- A master’s degree in international affairs, social science, law, public administration, security, peace or conflict studies or a related field. A bachelor’s plus 2 years of relevant experience is also accepted.
- At least 2 years of experience in research or research project management, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Experience in the Lake Chad Basin (required). Living in the region with the right to work there is preferred, and UNIDIR can’t provide visa support.
- Fluent English and French (required). Kanuri, Hausa, Shuwa Arabic, Fulfulde or Buduma is a plus.
- Experience in conflict prevention, reintegration, disarmament, peacebuilding or development (required).
- Strong drafting and editing skills, and good Microsoft Office skills.
- You must complete the UN BSAFE online security course if selected.
Email subject line: Application: MEAC Associate Researcher-Resident
Official Associate Researcher vacancy notice
Eligibility
- Open to all nationalities who meet the role requirements.
- For the Associate Researcher role, UNIDIR prefers candidates based in Nigeria, Cameroon or Chad, and possibly Niger.
- UNIDIR aims for 50/50 gender balance, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Benefits
- Work with a UN research institute on peace and security in West and Central Africa.
- Remote work, so you can stay in your home country.
- Publications credited to you, since written outputs may carry your name.
- Up to US$9,000 over 6 months for the Research Consultant.
- Strong UN experience for a career in research, peacebuilding or data.
How to Apply
- Prepare a cover letter tailored to the role.
- Prepare your CV, or a PDF of your UN Personal History Profile (PHP) from Inspira.
- List three references with their names and contact details.
- Email everything as attachments to [email protected], using the exact subject line for your role (shown above).
- Send it before midnight Geneva time on 2 November 2026. That’s also midnight in Lagos, N’Djamena, Niamey and Yaoundé, since West Africa and Geneva share the same time in November.
Important: UNIDIR says it won’t process incomplete applications or applications written with artificial intelligence. Write your cover letter yourself, in your own words. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and they may be given an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.
Tips
- Show local knowledge. Mention fieldwork in Borno, Adamawa, Diffa, the Far North Region or the Lac Province, and any work with displaced or returning people.
- For the data role, name specific R packages you use (for example tidyverse or ggplot2) and describe a survey dataset you’ve cleaned and analysed.
- Mention languages. French is required for the Associate Researcher role, and local languages make you stand out.
- Use the exact subject line so your email reaches the right shortlist.
