Youth 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, behavioral 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 Nigeria-based Youth Researchers to support upcoming participatory research activities.

This role is designed for early-career professionals with experience in ethnography and design research, who are locally grounded and are able to generate rich, context-based insights through direct engagement with communities and local stakeholders.

As a Youth Researcher, you will carry out observations, interviews, and group discussions with youth and other relevant community and ecosystem actors. You will capture and document insights from the field, contribute to early-stage synthesis, and help surface patterns and opportunities that can inform program design and decision-making. This role requires strong listening skills, curiosity, cultural awareness, and the ability to engage people respectfully in their everyday environments.

JOB TYPE

This is a short-term, independent contractor role based in Nigeria. The work will be primarily field-based, with some remote collaboration required. The contract is expected to run from May to Mid-July, 2026. Specific details on the timeline will be shared during contracting.

ELIGIBILITY

This role is open to candidates based in Nigeria, with a strong understanding of the local contexts, cultures, and languages. Candidates should be confident in navigating their communities and able to independently conduct in-person engagement activities. The position is designed for early‑career professionals with demonstrated interest in youth‑focused research and field engagement. Women and people living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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 contract is $11 per hour commensurate with experience. Payments will be made monthly via bank transfer.

YOU WILL:

• Support coordination of field activities, including planning visits, managing schedules, and navigating local logistics
• Conduct research activities, including observations, one-on-one interviews, and group discussions
• Engage the community and local stakeholders in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner, creating space for open and honest conversations
• Capture field notes and reflections using structured tools, while preserving natural interactions
• Pay close attention to context, behaviors, non-verbal cues, and environmental dynamics
• Participate in regular debrief sessions to reflect on findings, share observations, and identify emerging patterns
• Contribute to early-stage synthesis by surfacing key insights, recurring themes, and tensions from the field
• Provide real-time feedback on what is emerging, what is unclear, and what requires further exploration
• Follow all safeguarding, ethical research, and data protection guidelines, and raise any concerns appropriately
  

YOU ARE:

• Grounded in your local community, with a strong understanding of its culture and language
• Curious and attentive, seeking to understand people’s experiences without making assumptions
• Approachable, able to build trust quickly, and make people feel comfortable to share their experiences openly
• Observant and thoughtful, noticing subtle cues, shifts in tone, and dynamics in conversations and environments
• Respectful and non-judgmental, especially when engaging with sensitive topics or diverse perspectives
• Reflective and open to learning, willing to question your own assumptions and grow through feedback
• Reliable and accountable, able to manage your time and responsibilities in the field
• Able to provide a valid police clearance and references that attest to your conduct
  
  

YOU HAVE:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in research, monitoring & evaluation, community engagement, design, or related work through education, training, professional work, or lived/community experience
• Ability to conduct conversations or interviews and document what you learn clearly and accurately
• Strong communication skills in English and relevant local languages
• Ability to observe carefully and capture both what people say and what is happening around them
• Comfort engaging with people from different backgrounds, roles, and levels within the community
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to organize notes and insights clearly
• Willingness to follow structured tools while adapting to real-world field environments
• Comfort with technology and ability to adapt to new platforms and tools
• Ability to join remote team meetings and collaborate effectively online
• Ability to handle information confidentially and operate according to ethical research and child safeguarding standards
• Experience working with major funders or philanthropic organizations across Africa is an added advantage
  

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit their applications by
May 15, 2026.

As part of the application, candidates are required to upload:

• A resume
• A short video (1–2 minutes, maximum size: 50MB) with clear audio and visuals.
  

The video should briefly:

• Introduce who you are and your background
• Describe your connection to your local community
• Share an example of an issue affecting people in your community and explain how you would go about understanding it and uncovering its root causes. Who would you speak to, how would you engage them? What methods would you use to make sense of the information you collected?

How to Submit Your Video

• Upload your video to Google Drive or YouTube
• Ensure the video is accessible (set to “Anyone with the link can view” or “Public”)
• Paste the video link in the application form
  

Please make sure the link works before submitting, as we will not be able to review videos with restricted access.

Note: Both the resume and video are required for the application to be considered. No advanced editing required; please focus on sharing your thoughts clearly and in an organized way. We are interested in hearing from you, not production quality.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all applications received during the posting period will be reviewed, and only qualified 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.