Systems and Research Associate

Kijani Forestry seeks a dynamic and results-driven Systems and Research Associate (SRA) to  join the Expansion Team. The SRA will play a key role in designing, improving, and maintaining  the data and information systems that support Kijani’s growing portfolio of Expansion-led projects,  including our smallholder biochar initiative. 

This is not a software engineering position. Instead, the ideal candidate will have a systems  mindset, strong analytical skills, and the ability to work across digital platforms, field operations,  and research workflows. They will act as an internal product owner, working with Kijani’s IT and  project teams to streamline data collection, ensure interoperability of tools, and deliver actionable  insights. 

During the probation period, the SRA will focus primarily on biochar systems and operations,  supporting the quality control team and overseeing a donor-funded field research grant on  operational learning.

1. Systems development & information flow optimization

• • Develop, maintain, and improve data systems and information workflows for Expansion  projects
    

  • Serve as the main point of coordination with Kijani’s IT team to translate field needs into  technical system updates 
    

  • Maintain clear documentation of data structures, user guides, and reporting formats ● Identify gaps in data systems and propose scalable, tech-enabled solutions using off-the shelf tools (e.g. Airtable, ODK, PlantVillage, Kobo)

2. Support to Biochar operations (initial focus)

• • Support the Biochar Quality Control (QC) team in managing data integrity, audit trails, and  batch tracking 
    

  • Help troubleshoot and streamline digital submission of production, mixing, and application  data 
    

  • Clean, organize, and maintain biochar-related data systems across mobile and desktop  platforms 
    

  • Participate in refining data pipelines and verification protocols aligned with carbon  certification standards
    

  
  

3. Research coordination & donor reporting 

• • Lead data collection, coordination, and reporting for a biochar-focused field research grant
    

  • Design and oversee small-scale field experiments comparing operational protocols
    

  • Manage field logistics, sample collection, and data quality checks 
    

  • Conduct descriptive data analysis and present findings in clear written and visual formats
    

  • Draft donor reports and internal updates summarizing learnings and field performance 
    

  
  

4. Cross-functional field support 

• • Support data collection and coordination for special Expansion projects and for other Kijani  departments , such as: 
    

  • ○ Growth rate modeling for nursery hubs 
    

  • ○ Biochar sample collection or in-field assessments 
    

  • ○ Monitoring of specialized trials or one-off exploratory activities 
    

  • Provide hands-on support during field visits and assist teams with digital tools and  research protocols
    

  
  

Minimum Requirements 

• • Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, Information Systems, Data  Science, or related field 
    

  • Proven experience managing digital data workflows (field-to-office) in a rural or community  setting 
    

  • Proficiency in at least one mobile data collection tool (e.g., ODK, KoboToolbox, Airtable,  or similar) 
    

  • Demonstrated ability to manage structured and unstructured data, run basic analyses, and  produce reports 
    

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills Comfortable working across office, lab, and rural field environments Ability to work independently and coordinate across multiple teams 
    

Preferred Qualifications 

• • Experience in operational research or grant reporting 
    

  • Familiarity with agroforestry, carbon projects, or rural technology deployment
    

  • Working knowledge of simple analytics software (e.g., Excel, R, Python)
    

  • Past exposure to carbon MRV or certification projects (e.g., Verra, Carbon Standards  International, CERES etc.)