Youth Leadership Fellow - Design Researcher

ABOUT YLABS

YLabs is a leading global design and research organization designing technologies that amplify youth power, agency, and opportunity. Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people to co-create inclusive digital products and services that improve their lives. Our design process opens spaces where young people’s ideas can become a reality – where they are the architects of the solutions to their most pressing challenges.

YLabs multidisciplinary team delivers youth-driven innovation and impact at scale. Our team combines expertise in youth-driven design with adolescent health, climate, livelihoods, digital product design, behavioural science, and epidemiology. Headquartered in Rwanda and the USA, but globally distributed, we’ve worked in more than 20 countries to date on projects spanning three focus areas: optimal health and wellness, improved economic opportunity, and increased climate resilience.

Find out more about our projects here: https://www.ylabsglobal.org/work

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a Tanzania-based Youth Leadership Fellow - Design Researcher (short-term contractor) to support the Peace project in Tanzania. Peace aims to generate actionable evidence and youth-led solutions to prevent and respond to peer sexual abuse among children and adolescents. As a youth design researcher, you will be key in representing and advocating for youth perspectives in the program's research, design and implementation. This is a great opportunity to gain experience in the human-centred design approach, research, youth leadership, and working to better understand and address peer sexual abuse across Tanzania.

JOB TYPE

This is a full-time, independent contractor (consultancy) position based in Tanzania. The contract duration will be 10 months (1st April 2026-29th January 2027) with a possibility of renewal upon expiry. The anticipated start date for this contract is 1st April 2026.

The Youth Leadership Fellow - Design Researcher will be a core member of the team, bringing a youth perspective into every stage of the work — from large-scale surveys to community co-design workshops to prototype testing. You will be on the ground in communities, helping ensure the research reflects the realities of young people in Tanzania. You will participate in an organization-wide cohort of Youth Leadership Fellows from around the world who will be assigned to different projects but convened for training and mentorship opportunities as a part of the 2026 YLabs Youth Leadership Cohort.

LOCATION

This is a remote role, based in Tanzania. The successful candidate should be based in Tanzania, as they will be required to conduct numerous field visits across the country. They must be familiar with the region, including local cultures, languages, and logistical dynamics, to effectively engage with youth and community stakeholders.

ABOUT YLABS’ COMPENSATION

YLabs adheres to Project Fair’s principles and standards to establish pay equity, with the overriding principle of “equal pay for work of equal value” outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. All salary ranges are based on level within the organization and are competitive with regional and national salary benchmarks for the respective office location.

PAY RATE

The maximum budget for this 10-month contract is 10,320 USD, commensurate with experience. Payments will be made monthly via bank transfer.

YOU WILL:

• Represent and advocate for youth perspectives throughout the research and design process
• Support the facilitation of community research sessions, co-design workshops, and prototype testing with young people across target regions
• Assist in coordinating field visits, ensuring culturally appropriate and trauma-informed engagement with community members
• Provide real-time feedback from the field, flagging what's working, what isn't, and why
• Contribute to refining research and design methodologies to reflect local cultural and social realities
• Support logistics for field visits, training sessions, and design workshops
• Receive hands-on training in human-centered design methodology throughout the contract
• Participate in a global cohort of 2026 Youth Leadership Fellows to participate in additional skill development and leadership training in your core areas of interest

YOU ARE:

• Fluent in Swahili and English
• Passionate about learning to use research, design, and co-creating solutions with and for young people that protect, empower, and create real, lasting change in their lives
• Aware of the cultural and social dynamics of Tanzania, with the ability to navigate sensitive topics such as SRH in a respectful and inclusive manner
• Passionate about preventing peer sexual assault and abuse among young people in Tanzania
• Interested in being a leader for positive social change in your community, and wanted to work with multidisciplinary experts to strengthen your leadership abilities

YOU HAVE:

• A passion for addressing issues facing youth, especially surrounding health or social impacts in communities
• Excited to learn new skills and help young people thrive
• Experience in either design, research, youth programming, or simply a highly motivated desire to learn
• Excellent speaking skills or the desire to communicate with people of many different backgrounds
• Sensitivity, excellent listening skills, and kindness towards others
• Detail-oriented, observant, and eager to learn
• Comfortable with technology, such as digital learning and using new platforms
• Able to treat information confidentially and to operate according to high ethical research and child safeguarding standards
• Able to join remote team meetings and collaborate effectively online through the use of web platforms
  
  
  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all applications received during the posting period will be reviewed, and all candidates will be notified of their application status once the hiring process begins. All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background checks and criminal record clearances. All your information will be kept confidential in accordance with EEO guidelines.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

YLabs is committed to building teams and policies that promote equity, justice, and belonging at work. We strongly encourage people from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, ages, genders, and physical abilities to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, marital status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.