About MERQ

MERQ Consultancy PLC is an evidence generation, implementation research and technical assistance firm founded in 2013 and headquartered in Addis Ababa. It has offices in Samara and Mekelle and sister companies in Kigali, Melbourne and Baltimore. MERQ works with government, the Gates Foundation, UN agencies, bilateral donors and international NGOs, and collaborates with more than 23 Ethiopian universities.

Purpose of the role

The Research Officer delivers the technical work behind MERQ’s health evaluations, assessments, MEL systems and implementation research. Reporting to the Principal Investigators of the projects they are assigned to, they design tools, manage fieldwork, analyse quantitative and qualitative data, and write findings that programme teams and government can act on. They also help shape programme design, theories of change and proposals.

Key responsibilities

Assessments and evaluations (formative, baseline, mid-term, endline, summative)

• Contribute to evaluation and assessment design: evaluation questions, evaluation matrices, sampling and analysis plans.
• Apply OECD/DAC criteria, theory-based and mixed-methods approaches, including contribution analysis where relevant.
• Develop and pre-test survey questionnaires, interview and FGD guides, facility checklists and observation tools.
• Prepare inception reports, protocols and ethics submissions (IRB/ERC) with the PI.

MEL system design

• Develop theories of change, results frameworks and logframes with programme teams.
• Define indicators and write indicator reference sheets, targets and data-flow plans.
• Design MEL plans, routine monitoring tools, dashboards and learning agendas.
• Support data quality assessments and adaptive-management and learning reviews.

Implementation research

• Help design implementation research and learning-partner studies on PHC, community health workers, HRH and other health-system strategies.
• Assess fidelity, reach, adoption, acceptability and cost of interventions using frameworks such as RE-AIM and CFIR.
• Document what works, for whom and why, to inform scale-up and policy.

Fieldwork and data management

• Plan and supervise data collection: recruit and train enumerators, manage field logistics and monitor quality.
• Build and manage digital data collection forms (ODK, KoboToolbox, SurveyCTO, REDCap).
• Clean, code and document datasets; maintain data security and confidentiality.

Data analysis

• Run descriptive and inferential quantitative analysis (regression, multilevel or panel models, difference-in-differences where appropriate) in Stata, R or SPSS.
• Code and analyse qualitative data thematically in NVivo, ATLAS.ti or MAXQDA.
• Triangulate quantitative and qualitative findings; analyse DHIS2/HMIS and secondary data.
• Produce clear tables, charts and data visualisations.

Programme design support

• Conduct desk reviews, rapid evidence syntheses and situational analyses.
• Contribute to programme design, concept notes and technical sections of proposals.
• Translate evidence into practical recommendations for programme teams, government and donors.

Reporting, dissemination and learning

• Draft technical reports, briefs, presentations and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication.
• Present findings at validation workshops and stakeholder meetings.
• Contribute to MERQ Institute training and to internal knowledge sharing.
• Liaise with clients, regional health bureaus, universities and field partners.

Qualifications and experience

Required

• Master’s degree (MPH, MSc) in Health Monitoring & Evaluation, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Systems, Global Health, Reproductive Health or a related field.
• At least 4 years of relevant experience after the master’s degree, in health research, evaluation or MEL.
• Hands-on role in at least three completed evaluations or assessments (baseline, formative, mid-term or endline), with responsibility for tools, fieldwork and analysis.
• Demonstrated experience designing MEL frameworks: theory of change, logframe, indicators and MEL plans.
• Experience in mixed-methods research, including independent quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Experience in Ethiopia’s health sector (PHC, Health Extension Program, RMNCH, HIV, nutrition or HRH).
• At least one peer-reviewed publication or lead-authored technical report.

Desirable

• Experience with implementation research or as part of a learning-partner team.
• Work with donor-funded programmes (Gates Foundation, UN agencies, USAID, FCDO, Sida, World Bank) or international NGOs.
• Experience with developmental or utilisation-focused evaluation, or contribution analysis.
• Experience with DHIS2/HMIS data, health workforce or costing analysis.
• Experience in pastoralist, post-conflict or other hard-to-reach settings (Afar, Somali, Tigray).
• A PhD, or PhD studies under way, in a relevant field.

Skills and competencies

How to apply

Send the following in one email to hr@merqconsultancy.org by November 10, 2026, with “Research Officer” in the subject line:

1. A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) describing two assessments or evaluations you contributed to and your specific role in each.
2. An up-to-date CV listing your publications and technical reports.
3. One writing sample: a report section, brief or paper you lead-authored.
4. Contact details for three professional referees.

Shortlisted candidates will complete a short written and data-analysis exercise, followed by an interview. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. MERQ is an equal opportunity employer; qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Click Here To Apply