Location: Remote

Title: Research Consultant 

Job Type: Consultancy

Duration: September–December 2026

The Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship is a research center hosted at the American University of Beirut that bridges academia and activism. Focusing on documenting and analyzing political participation, social movements, and engagement, the Asfari Institute aims at consolidating civil society initiatives locally and regionally in the Arab world.

The Asfari Institute is looking for a Research Consultant to contribute to a regional research project examining women’s work in agriculture across Lebanon, Syria, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The research explores the factors shaping women’s economic participation in agriculture, with particular attention to the interaction between paid and unpaid work, rural livelihoods, gender inequalities, economic conditions, and wider social and institutional contexts.

Working under the supervision of the PI and in coordination with the research team, the consultant will be responsible for reviewing and analyzing qualitative research data, conducting relevant literature and policy analysis, developing comparative findings across the three contexts, and producing a research report with evidence-based recommendations.

Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to gender equality and social justice, strong qualitative research and analytical writing skills, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively within agreed timelines.

Responsibilities:

• Literature and Contextual Analysis: (1)Review relevant academic and policy literature related to women’s work in agriculture, gender equality, rural livelihoods, economic participation, and the three study contexts; (2) Analyze relevant policies, programs, services, and institutional frameworks in Lebanon, Syria, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
• Qualitative Data Analysis: (1) Review and analyze qualitative research materials, including interview and focus group discussion transcripts; (2) Develop and apply a qualitative coding and analytical framework; (3) Conduct thematic analysis to identify key themes, patterns, differences, contradictions, and context-specific findings; (4) Compare findings across the three study contexts and relevant participant groups.
• Comparative and Policy Analysis: (1) Develop country-level and comparative findings based on the research evidence; (2) Identify policy, institutional, service, and programming gaps affecting women working in agriculture; (3) Situate findings within the broader socio-economic and political contexts of the three countries; (4) Develop evidence-based recommendations for policy, programming, advocacy, and future research.
• Report Writing and Dissemination: (1) Produce a high-quality comparative research report presenting the study’s methodology, analysis, findings, and recommendations; (2) Revise the report based on feedback from the Principal Investigator and research team; (3) Contribute to presentations, policy-oriented outputs, validation activities, and dissemination materials as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in social sciences, gender studies, development studies, sociology, anthropology, public policy, economics, agriculture, rural development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative research and analyzing qualitative data.
• Strong experience in qualitative coding, thematic analysis, comparative analysis, and analytical writing.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality research reports, policy briefs, academic publications, or similar research outputs.
• Relevant knowledge of gender equality, women’s economic participation, agriculture, rural livelihoods, social protection, conflict, displacement, or related areas.
• Knowledge of Lebanon, Syria, and/or the Occupied Palestinian Territories and familiarity with the broader SWANA/MENA socio-political context.
• Ability to synthesize complex qualitative evidence and translate findings into clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Experience conducting research in politically sensitive, crisis-affected, or conflict-affected contexts is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Arabic and English.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and within agreed deadlines.

How to apply

To apply for this role at the Asfari Institute, please provide the following documents in PDF format and include your full name in the document name:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Cover Letter
• Two references

Application Deadline: September 3, 2026.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

For inquiries, please contact us at asfariinst@aub.edu.lb.

Kindly note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.