PlayMatters Measurement Research Fellow

Role: Evidence generation and use is core to the PlayMatters program. The PlayMatters Research Fellow will directly support the regional Research team to disseminate IRC-led PlayMatters research and learning activities that are taking place in Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. You will work closely with the regional team and Education Researchers from the Airbel Impact Lab, IRC’s Research and Innovation Hub to coordinate activities to advance global knowledge on rigorous assessment measures for child-level outcomes in crisis-affected contexts.  

In this role, you will have the opportunity to engage in activities around the dissemination and uptake of tools and evidence for various audiences. This role will require flexibility (particularly to work across time zones), strong communication skills (both written and interpersonal coordination), and a technical understanding of education research and measurement (particularly performance-based quantitative assessment measures).

Potential deliverables: Fellows will not be accountable for all deliverables listed below. These deliverables cover possible deliverables the fellow could contribute to. Specific deliverables will be agreed upon based on interests and expertise during onboarding. 

• Assessment Measure User Guide – Creativity Tool: Develop a comprehensive user guide for an IRC-developed measure on child creative skills development 
• Assessment Measure User Guide – Social-Emotional Skills Tool: Develop a comprehensive user guide for an IRC-developed measure on child social-emotional skills development 
• PlayMatters Evidence Series: Support the coordination and execution of the PlayMatters Evidence Series, public webinars for a global audience on PlayMatters research, particularly the socialization of PlayMatters/IRC-developed measures

Potential travel involved: No travel will be involved for this position.

Desired Skills:

• Quantitative research skills – a strong understanding of quantitative child assessment measures 
• Clear communication and strong writing skills (in English) 
• Graphic and user design skills 
• Problem-solving 
• Experience in East Africa or working with refugee children is a plus 

Requirements: Students must be a matriculated graduate or Ph.D. student at The New School. Fellows are hired as Research Associates by The New School.

Work Environment: This fellowship will work with the Airbel Impact Lab based in the IRC’s HQ in New York City. While this fellowship is remote, all Fellows must be physically located in the US.

Fellowship Length: This fellowship carries a maximum of 20 hours/week during the Summer 2025 semester (May 17, 2025 – August 24, 2025). Continuation into Fall 2025 is potentially available.

How to apply: The deadline to apply is March 17, 2025. Please submit one PDF document containing a cover letter, CV/resume, and two work samples (writing and/or design portfolio – 5 pages maximum per sample) to Catherine McGahan, McGahanC@newschool.edu.

Interviews will be conducted in mid-March via Zoom.

Team: Airbel Impact Lab, Research and Innovation at the IRC. The Airbel Impact Lab designs, tests, and scales life-changing cost-effective solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. By applying the IRC’s deep technical expertise and field experience with a range of skills from the behavioral sciences, human-centered design, research, and multi-disciplinary problem-solving in humanitarian contexts, we work to develop breakthrough solutions that combine creativity and rigor, openness and expertise, and a desire to think afresh with the experience of a large-scale implementing organization. Within Airbel, the Best Use of Resources team provides analysis and decision-making support to improve the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of IRC programs.

PlayMatters (2020-2026) is an education initiative funded by the LEGO Foundation. The program reimagines childhood for 800,000+ refugee and host-community children across Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda – children whose education and social development have been affected by displacement and trauma. Building on children’s amazing resilience and a growing evidence base supporting Learning through Play methodologies, PlayMatters cultivates holistic learning and well-being for children ages 3-12+. PlayMatters is led by the International Rescue Committee and includes Plan International, War Child Holland, Innovations for Poverty Action, the Behavioral Insights Team. PlayMatters defines Learning through Play as an active teaching and learning method that capitalizes on a child’s natural desire to engage in play. Core elements include: 1) the adult facilitator intentionally plans and delivers contextually and age-appropriate guided playful experiences with clear learning objectives; 2) experiences promote interactions with people and/or materials that allow children to question, experiment, practice, and discover; 3) the facilitator deliberately creates and maintains a positive, safe, and inclusive environment for children, allowing children to feel comfortable and joyful.