Senior Researcher, Violence Protection and Response

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees, IDPs, and others affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. We address both the immediate, lifesaving needs of conflict-affected people in an emergency and the reconstruction needs in post-conflict societies. This position is based in the Airbel Impact Lab, within the Research and Innovation team at the IRC’s headquarters. It will also collaborate closely with technical and country teams within the Violence Prevention and Response Unit (VPRU).

Job Overview/Summary:

The IRC is a pioneer in violence prevention and response research and programming, spanning women’s protection and empowerment, child protection, and protection and rule of law.

The Violence Prevention and Response Senior Researcher sits within the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab with a dual reporting line into the VPRU, and provides oversight, guidance and support to the VPRU’s research portfolio on the prevention of and response to violence against children, women and other vulnerable individuals in crisis- and conflict-affected contexts. The Senior Researcher will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the violence prevention and response research portfolio, including: i) designing and managing studies; ii) engaging proactively with relevant research networks and university partners; iii) ensuring a strong pipeline of research funding; and iv) summarizing and sharing the results of protection research and learning to ensure protection programming is based on the best available evidence. Close attention to the ethics of research on violence against children and women is paramount in this work.

Major Responsibilities:

• Research Coordination and Study Support: Oversee the coordination of active studies in collaboration with external academic partners and internal IRC stakeholders, including supporting data collection activities and designing survey tools, interview guides, study protocols and referral pathways; ensure research adheres to IRC research standards and ethical guidance on violence research; and contribute to drafting policy reports and academic articles, including as first author.
• Research Agenda Leadership: In collaboration with VPRU Global Practice Leads and the VPRU MEAL lead, lead the development and oversee the roll-out of the violence prevention and response research agenda in line with the VPRU's safety strategies across the three Global Practice Areas (Child Protection, Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Protection and Rule of Law) and Impact at Scale priorities, including contributing to the development of novel and inclusive measurement tools and data collection approaches.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Evidence-Informed Programming: Liaise with internal stakeholders across VPRU and country-based teams to ensure that VPRU programming is evidence-based, assessing upcoming and ongoing protection programming so that it reflects recent developments and the best available practice and evidence.
• External Collaboration, Business Development and Thought Leadership: Proactively build partnerships, foster cross-learning, and strengthen collaboration with key research organizations and networks, particularly those in IRC contexts. Represent the IRC at key external research fora. Identify business development opportunities to finance the research agenda, including delivering a robust business development plan, engaging university partners, and steering individual bids, to secure research funding and advance IRC's position as a leader in protection evidence generation.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Director of Research, Airbel Impact Lab

Other key relationships: VPRU team members (including the VPRU MEAL lead), country-based teams supporting research priorities, and academic partners.

Job Requirements:

Education: PhD preferred in public health, child development, psychology, or another relevant quantitative or qualitative discipline.

Work Experience: PhD with 3–5 years of experience, or Master’s degree with 6–8 years of experience, working in research on topics related to violence against children and women, child protection, humanitarian emergencies or other relevant topics.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Experience conducting research in child protection, women’s protection and empowerment, and violence prevention and response in humanitarian settings.
• Knowledge of ethical principles related to sensitive study topics, such as child protection, women’s protection and GBV, and violence research.
• Ability to work across sectors, coordinating research studies and bringing together people with different perspectives to work collaboratively.
• Proven qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and attention to detail.
• Strong research publication and funding track record.
• Commitment to upholding Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles, data protection principles and Safeguarding standards.
• English is required, French is highly preferred, and Arabic, Spanish, Swahili or other languages would be beneficial.

Working Environment: Standard office work environment; up to 30% travel to countries of implementation.

This contract position is expected to end on July 31, 2027.

This is a remote position open to internal candidates based in countries where IRC operates who have the right to work in their location. Successful candidates will be hired on a local employment contract and according to local salary scale.

This role is open to candidates located and with the right to work in United Kingdom and Kenya.

Application Deadline: November 26, 2026

Recruitment Process:

• HR screening interview on Teams video
• One panel interview on Teams video

Compensation: (UK Pay Rate: £58,476-£63,000/yr). Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $163 per month, dental starting at $6.50 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.