Join Our Team

The Signal Program at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, founded in 2012, has worked to advance the safe, ethical, and effective use of information technologies by communities of practice during humanitarian and human rights emergencies, through interdisciplinary teams that collaborate with faculty members, international organizations, academic and non-academic research institutes, and professional agencies. Its core goals have been to train and equip humanitarian practitioners with the technical methods, ethical doctrine, research, and relevant evidence-based practices needed to responsibly use Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) as part of their operations. In this next phase of the Signal Program, it is the team’s objective to strengthen the efficacy and efficiency of early warning/early action work through a strategic, evidence-based, and ethical integration of spatial methods, field methods, and novel analytic tools into existing EW/EA decision-support mechanisms and workflows. The team is looking for an individual to work towards this objective and to assist with the following responsibilities:

• Conduct literature review and assist in the design and execution of qualitative research;
• Grow and maintain a literature database capturing the challenges, potential, and current use of spatial methods in EW/EA decision-support mechanisms and workflows;
• Manage administrative tasks including but not limited to project documentation, data and file management, maintaining team calendar, and stakeholder database;
• Coordinate online and in-person events, when relevant;
• Maintain communication channels with local, regional, and international EW/EA stakeholders;
• Prepare briefings on programmatic updates and achievements for key stakeholders and donors.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years of qualitative research experience in the humanitarian, development, or related field.
• Detail-oriented and organized, able to manage multiple tasks at once
• Strong academic and industry-oriented writing
• Experience conducting literature reviews
• Comfortable with cross cultural communication with mid- to high- level actors
• Ability to work independently and with small-teams in remote settings
• Language – excellent written and spoken English is essential

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with regional and/or local EW/EA mass atrocity organizations
• Knowledge of Covidence, Zotero, and Microsoft Office

More details about this position

This is a part-time consultancy position for 12 months (with possibility of extension) through Mass General Brigham. Details and logistics to be discussed on an individual basis with candidates.

Women and applicants from low and middle income countries and conflict-affected communities are highly encouraged to apply.

To apply please submit your CV, cover letter, and any relevant work examples to sakhan@hsph.harvard.edu by August 14^th, 2021.

The Signal Program at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, founded in 2012, has worked to advance the safe, ethical, and effective use of information technologies by communities of practice during humanitarian and human rights emergencies, through interdisciplinary teams that collaborate with faculty members, international organizations, academic and non-academic research institutes, and professional agencies. Its core goals have been to train and equip humanitarian practitioners with the technical methods, ethical doctrine, research, and relevant evidence-based practices needed to responsibly use Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) as part of their operations. In this next phase of the Signal Program, it is our objective to strengthen the efficacy and efficiency of early warning/early action work through a strategic, evidence-based, and ethical integration of spatial methods, field methods, and novel analytic tools into existing EW/EA decision-support mechanisms and workflows. The team is looking for an individual to work towards this objective and to assist with the following responsibilities:

• Support research regarding the impactful integration of spatial methods into atrocity early warning/early action (EW/EA) decision-making
• Identify and facilitate relationships with local, regional, and international EW/EA stakeholders
• Conduct qualitative research to support gap analysis regarding the ways in which spatial methods can be used for operational EW/EA decision-support
• Participate in an exploratory seminar regarding the use of spatial methods for EW/EA decision-support
• Assist in the design and evaluation of test cases for geospatial analysis to be integrated into programmatic EW/EA workflows
• Prepare briefings on programmatic updates and achievements for key stakeholders and donors
• Contribute to publications (gap analysis and seminar proceedings)
• Assist with end-of-year program evaluation and strategizing future program direction
• Monitor EW trends, policies, and other relevant developments in relevant conflict-affected communities

Qualifications

• At least 5 years working in humanitarian response, disaster preparedness and/or response or another related field
• At least 3 years of experience in atrocity early warning/early action programmatic work
• Familiarity with regional and/or local EW/EA mass atrocity organizations
• Detail-oriented qualitative research skills (including stakeholder mapping, key informant interviews, focus groups, survey development, and Delphi procedures)
• Strong academic and industry-oriented writing skills
• Comfortable with cross cultural communication with mid- to high- level actors
• Ability to work independently and with small-teams in remote settings
• Language –excellent written and spoken English is essential

Preferred Experience

• Experience with regional and/or local EW/EA decision-making work-flows, including scoping and identifying opportunities for practical upstream interventions to mitigate the potential for mass atrocities
• Familiarity with EW/EA forecasting algorithms
• Familiarity with geospatial methods and products
• Experience with user-centric design practices

More details about this position

This is a part-time consultancy position for 12 months (with possibility of extension) through Mass General Brigham.

Women and applicants from low and middle income countries and conflict-affected communities are highly encouraged to apply.

To apply please submit your CV, cover letter, and any relevant work examples to sakhan@hsph.harvard.edu by August 14^th, 2021.

About Signal

The Signal Program on Human Security and Technology (Signal) was founded in 2012 to conduct research and education that advances the ethical and effective application of information communication technologies (ICTs) during humanitarian responses in crises. Its core goal is to train and equip professional practitioners with the technical methods, ethical doctrine, and evidence-based research needed to responsibly use these technologies as part of operations.

Job Description

We are seeking a Game Developer to join the Signal Program on Human Security and Technology at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative on a part-time basis. Our team is currently working on the research and development of an interactive geospatial agent-based model to be used as a decision support tool for outbreak response coordination and training, known as the Visual Response Simulator (ViRS). The ViRS prototype development is based on the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ViRS Game Developer will lead the development of the prototype in coordination with the team’s epidemiological modeler, lead designer, and other researchers.

Required Qualifications

• Completed or pursuing degree in Computer Science, Game Development, or equivalent 
• Diverse experience with gaming projects in Unity or Unreal Engine
• Familiar with full development cycle from wire frames to post-launch

Preferred Qualifications 

• Highly motivated and can work independently in a remote capacity
• Experience with or knowledge of predictive modeling
• Experience with data visualization
• Experience with geospatial data

Responsibilities 

• Work with a cross-disciplinary team of epidemiologic researchers, modelers, and designers to successfully execute the goals of the project
• Lead the full-stack development of the ViRS prototype in chosen game engine
• Optimize performance and debug code
• Provide recommendations for tool improvement

Position Type: Paid, Part-Time

Job Time Frame: Immediately – October 31, 2021 (with possibility of extension)

Title of Position: Game Developer

Location of Job: Remote. New England, USA residency preferred

PLEASE NOTE: The primary work location for this position is Cambridge, Massachusetts. Until our return to campus, which is still to-be-determined, this interview process and position will be conducted virtually – including virtual interviews, remote onboarding, and remote work.

Required documents to apply

• CV/resume
• Cover letter
• Work sample

To Apply
Send your CV/resume, work samples, and brief cover letter with the subject line "ViRS Game Developer: [Your Name]" to Saira Khan at sakhan@hsph.harvard.edu and Michael de St. Aubin mdestaubin@hsph.harvard.edu

The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) Executive Negotiation Project (ENP) seeks to advance field-level leadership, innovation, and negotiation skills and support for humanitarian practitioners. . With the support of USAID, the program provides professional development opportunities for professionals in the humanitarian and development sectors. These offerings are grounded in critical analysis, field research, and reflections on humanitarian action and negotiation practice that HHI has developed through over a decade of research and interagency dialogue. One pillar of this work provides negotiation training programs for local humanitarian leaders, focusing on operational challenges and dilemmas, as well as developing the capacity of national staff. The ENP team seeks to hire seasoned humanitarian professionals with operational experience in complex environments to support this objective through curriculum design and workshop facilitation. to collaborate on this objective.

Role & Responsibilities

HHI ENP is currently supported by a team with expertise in program management, instructional design, monitoring and evaluation, and operational humanitarian experience. We seek to add 5-6 experienced humanitarian practitioners to facilitate sessions during in-person and online workshops on humanitarian negotiation for frontline leaders between September 2021 and September 2022. All workshops will have a country-specific or regional focus. Each facilitator will contribute to at least one workshop, with an expected time commitment of 3-5 days (longer if participating in more than one workshop). They will work collaboratively with the ENP team by:

1. Participating in preparatory meetings prior to the workshop to inform the curriculum design.
2. Developing learning materials and presentations.
3. Delivering sessions and engaging with participants as a facilitator focusing on themes such as foundations of negotiation theory; humanitarian access; protection; international norms and frameworks; gender, diversity, and inclusion in humanitarian negotiation; humanitarian diplomacy and mediation; among others.
4. Provide critical feedback and support to participants on negotiation approaches during the workshop sessions
5. Provide critical feedback and debrief with the team following the workshops.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

We seek individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. National and international staff from humanitarian and development contexts are encouraged to apply. Candidates should:

• Be a senior practitioner with 15 or more years of operational experience in the humanitarian or development sector.
• Have long-standing operational experience, including engaging in negotiation and dialogue with key stakeholders (authorities, non-state armed groups, community leaders, etc.) on issues of humanitarian access, security, protection, and program implementation in conflict environments.
• Have availability to work with the ENP team to prepare for and deliver at least one workshop session. Projected dates are as follows:
  • 2021: September, October, November;
  • 2022: January, March, May, July, September.
• Be willing to observe and/or participate in workshop session(s) before facilitation.
• Be fluent in English.

Other relevant qualifications

The following qualifications would be advantageous in this role, but are not required:

• Practical experience in mediation, diplomacy, community engagement, or leadership in conflict settings.
• Experience facilitating training and other methods of professional development for adult learners.
• Academic expertise in one of the thematic areas described above.
• Recent operational experience in current conflict contexts, including, but not limited to: Afghanistan, Bangladesh / Myanmar, Colombia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Nigeria, the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
• Fluency in French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, or other UN operational languages.

About the consultancy

Compensation and opportunities

• Compensation for this consultancy will be at a rate that is commensurate with the facilitator’s experience.
• Opportunity to co-develop and deliver at least one workshop.
• Opportunity to be added to HHI’s roster of facilitators on humanitarian negotiation and related strategies, for consideration for future workshops or events.

How to apply

This is a rolling application and will be open until filled. Applications are welcome until August 2022.

Submit your application here. Work samples may be requested later. If you have questions, you may contact hhi.negotiation@gmail.com.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a range of infectious disease epidemiologists and researchers led by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Infectious Diseases and Epidemics Program (IDEP) aims to better characterize the epidemiology of a range of outbreak-prone diseases (SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, dengue, leptospirosis, Chikungunya, etc.) in the Dominican Republic and Honduras. This is a collaboration with Yale University, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Australian National University. The project is supported and funded by a grant from the CDC. The expected start date of this position is May 2021, for a 16-month initial appointment, with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability. Recruitment will take place on a rolling basis, but early applications are encouraged.

In this role and under the Principal Investigator’s (PI) guidance, the successful candidate will lead or participate in range of field studies that aim to mitigate and understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Dominican Republic and Honduras.  The ideal candidate will confidently and independently drive research progress and have very strong biostatistical and computational expertise is required. The candidate will be part of the HHI team and have excellent communication skills to communicate with a range of external and internal partners, faculty, staff, interns, fellows and other stakeholders. The epidemiologist will jointly report to the Program Manager and the PI.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in design and execution of SARS-CoV-2 field studies, working closely with the PI and co-investigators.
• Lead or participate in all aspects of epidemiological studies, including the development and implementation of protocols, support IRB submission, perform biostatistical analyses, and write interim and final reports, including peer-reviewed publications.
• Work, on a day-to-day basis, with the PI, other investigators, project and data managers, field teams, and ministry of health counterparts to implement and monitor cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies. 
• Support, coordinate and/or lead meetings of project teams including external collaborators.
• Manage and clean large complex datasets, create analytical frameworks, develop protocols, monitor data quality
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Location: Cambridge, USA. Any relocation costs are to be borne by the selected candidate. Remote or hybrid working will align with Brigham and Women’s and/or Harvard University guidance during the pandemic. Remote and/or hybrid working may be considered after the pandemic.

Remuneration: Remuneration will depend upon qualifications and experience.

Note: Until our return to campus, which is still to-be-determined, the interview process and position will be conducted virtually–including virtual interviews, remote onboarding, and remote work. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field 
• Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health or similar
• 3+ years of related professional experience
• Fluent or highly proficient in spoken and written Spanish and English
• Knowledge of study design, sampling approaches and sample size estimation, descriptive and advanced statistical methods such as longitudinal data analysis, and complex survey analysis
• Knowledge of STATA, R, and managing large datasets.

Desirable:

• Doctoral degree in epidemiology with a focus on biostatistics 
• Experience working in Central America or the Caribbean 
• Experience conducting infectious disease field research 

SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

Knowledge, Skill, and Experience: Very strong analytical, interpersonal, and presentation skills. Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse backgrounds, and maintain a high standard of personal conduct. Strong organizational and time management skills and effective verbal and written communication skills.

Personal Attributes: Applicants need to be able to develop strong working relationships with ministry of health and other counterparts, flexible but able to meet deadlines, possess professional ethics, be willing and able to travel to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and potentially other countries. Applicants must be able to work both independently and within groups and must be sensitive to values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A high degree of initiative and self-motivation is required.

To apply, please visit the Brigham and Women's Hospital Job Portal and use job code 3155423.

With direct supervision by the Director of Research Operations and Administration in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, this role will provide grants management support in the preparation of grant proposals, monitoring and processing transactions of project expenses, invoicing contracts and submission of required reports for designated awards. The Department of Emergency Medicine’s research portfolio includes traditional clinical research as well as humanitarian-focused research conducted in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health’s Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.   Support the grant proposal and reporting process throughout all stages of the grant life cycle
2.   Prepare and assist with grant application submissions:

• • Reading and understanding sponsor guidelines. Sponsors include and are not limited to NIH, DoD, HHS, NASA, USAID, foundation, international agencies, industry.
  • Preparing budgets with input from investigators
  • Completing sponsor forms
  • Providing feedback to investigators on regulatory and procedural aspects of a grant
  • Liaising with Partners Healthcare Research Management and Brigham and Women's Hospital Compliance office on proposal review and complexities
  • Working under short deadlines

3.   Maintaining familiarity with sponsor (e.g., NIH) and Partners Research Management policies and procedures
4.   Prepare contract requests, purchase orders and eChecks as needed
5.   In coordination with Research Finance, assist with contract billing and receivables
6.   Verify research compliance with specific areas (human subjects research, cost shares, travel policies)
7.   Generate financial reports, present updates, update tracking sheets, and conduct financial analysis
8.   Regular and ad hoc reporting on proposals, awards, spending, deficits and other key metrics upon request
9.   Manage salary allocations across budgets and grants
10. Reconcile accounts and resolve financial discrepancies
11. Work with Partners Research Management, Partners CTO and Partners Innovations offices to manage                   lifecycle of research awards and contracts
12. Work with HHI staff and faculty, and Finance and Grant Administration partners at Harvard T. H. Chan                   School of Public Health to manage joint grants, resources, and subcontracts
13. Assumes additional responsibilities as assigned, including NIH audits
14. Performs other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's Degree

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

Minimum 3 years of experience in academic research grants administration. Five plus years of experience preferred. 

Must possess ability to thrive in a high-volume, deadline-driven, team-oriented environment. Must be able to coordinate multiple activities simultaneously and have the judgment, flexibility, responsiveness to reprioritize to accommodate emergency requests. Must possess ability to learn quickly, retain knowledge and work with confidence.

Additional Requirements:

• Requires independent and strong organization and communication skills and customer service focus.
• Requires rapid or timely responses to requests
• Attention to detail a must as well as ability to accurately prioritize workflow
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Access, Word and Adobe Acrobat computer applications.
• Understanding of modern web-based applications and systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication/interpersonal skills
• Must be accurate, organized and able to work with large amount of financial data
• Ability to follow directions with minimal supervision
• Ability to use algebra to create calculations to find an unknown quantity
• Ability to collaborate effectively with clinicians, researchers and administrators
• Ability to collaborate effectively with international colleagues

Access the posting on the Brigham and Women's Hospital Career Portal and search using the Job Number: 3146101

HHI is looking for a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Coordinator primarily for the HHI Executive Negotiation Project (ENP) and general HHI activities to serve as a technical expert on all monitoring and evaluation activities. The M&E Coordinator will be responsible for developing monitoring tools and frameworks, applying qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods, collecting and analyzing data, measuring the efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of projects, as they relate to expected outputs, and all reporting requirements to sponsors and other stakeholders. The M&E Coordinator will work closely with the ENP project lead and team, as well as other HHI staff and faculty.

About the Executive Negotiation Project:

The HHI Executive Negotiation Project - Advanced Strategies for Humanitarian Leaders is a program designed by HHI to advance field level innovation and advanced leadership development with the aim to enhancing organizational performance and equipping humanitarian practitioners at multiple levels to plan and engage in humanitarian negotiations at the local, regional, and international levels, and to operationalize principled humanitarian action in complex environments.

ENP is a 24-month program funded by USAID aiming to enhance the capacity of humanitarian leaders to engage creatively and productively with local and national organizations, including political actors and armed groups, and to develop strategic and tactical approaches to better advance the aims of principled humanitarian action. This will be accomplished by creating a unique academic partnership with USAID and with field leaders and organizations to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

The ENP will work with USAID to create a dynamic online and onsite community of learning and practice by implementing three distinct programmatic activities serving different groups of participants:

1. Negotiation Strategies for Senior Leaders in the Field: Providing strategies and approaches for senior executive humanitarian leaders, focusing on responsible leadership and negotiation across sectors;
2. Humanitarian Access Negotiation for Frontline Leaders: Proven advanced negotiation training programs for local humanitarian leaders, focusing on operational challenges and dilemmas, as well as developing the capacity of national staff;
3. The Humanitarian Design Lab (HDLab): Creating a learning partnership between academic organizations, humanitarian leaders and local innovators, focusing on creating and scaling effective solutions.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Create a detailed monitoring and evaluation framework and yearly work plan, including formative, process, and impact evaluations
2. Design a Logic Model and keep track of its lifecycle
3. Develop a process improvement system to maintain and track progress and impact of programs
4. Advise on the creation of reporting / analytics tools
5. Liaise with project leads to monitor and ensure that programmatic activities align with intended results, outputs, outcomes, and timeline expectations
6. Collect, extract, analyze, and visualize consistent data throughout the duration of the project
7. Create and submit bi-weekly and quarterly reports to the program team and sponsor as required
8. Prepare and edit visual presentations of data and information for workshops and presentations including, charts, graphs, tables, etc.
9. Be responsible for all sponsor deliverables related to M&E
10. Produce high quality publications, reports, and other dissemination products as needed.
11. Be available to meet with the program team for regular online check-ins

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s Degree
2. Master’s Degree (with a specialization in M&E preferred)
3. Three to five years of relevant work experience in monitoring and evaluation, and impact measurement
4. Knowledge and experience related to humanitarian action, negotiation, global health, international development, or adult learning / professional development a strong plus
5. Concrete skills in formal M&E tools, program planning, process improvement, and project management
6. Demonstrated ability to establish and manage complex project plans with competing priorities
7. Demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation in both online and onsite learning environments
8. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
9. Excellent oral and written proficiency in English; French is a plus.
10. Demonstrated confidence and exceptional ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person and online with multicultural stakeholders
11. Excellent negotiation and collaboration skills across time zones and geographic locations
12. Availability to travel internationally when needed
13. Able to work in the absence of complete information
14. Must be detail oriented and have proven ability to self-motivate with a strong sense of initiative.

To Apply:

Find the job on the Brigham and Women's Job Portal and apply online using the Job Code: 3161123