National Researcher and Anthropologist

UNICEF is seeking a Researcher/Anthropologist for a 12-month consultancy based in Islamabad to support its Polio program in Pakistan. The role focuses on conducting social studies to understand behaviors and social characteristics of key populations in polio high-risk areas. The insights gained will help improve community engagement and communication strategies, ultimately enhancing vaccine acceptance and contributing to polio eradication efforts. The consultant will collaborate closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist and the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) unit, performing both desk research and field studies to identify behavioral drivers and evaluate the impact of SBC interventions.

Key Responsibilities
- Conduct desk research on cultural norms, customs, and behavioral drivers among target populations to support polio-related studies.
- Engage with stakeholders, communities, children, civil society partners, and government counterparts to collect qualitative data through field research and observations.
- Analyze social and behavioral factors influencing vaccine acceptance and provide evidence-based recommendations to refine polio campaign strategies.
- Collaborate with the SBC unit to incorporate research findings into social behavior change strategies aimed at reducing missed children during polio campaigns.
- Ensure all research activities comply with child safeguarding policies, ethical standards, and cultural sensitivities.
- Utilize data analysis software to interpret qualitative data and contribute to programmatic decision-making.

Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Social and Behavioral Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Public Health, or a related technical field. Candidates with an advanced degree or PhD in Anthropology will be preferred.
- Minimum of five years of professional experience in anthropology, social research, or public health programming.
- Proficiency in English, Urdu, and Pashto.
- Strong qualitative research and analytical skills, including experience in field data collection and surveys.
- Knowledge of child safeguarding principles, ethical research practices, and cultural/contextual sensitivity.
- Competency in using data analysis software effectively.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits
- Experience with quantitative data analysis is desirable.
- Commitment to UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
- UNICEF offers a diverse and inclusive work environment, professional development opportunities, and a competitive compensation and benefits package.
- The organization is dedicated to protecting the rights of every child and promotes equal opportunities for all candidates regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, disability, or other status. Reasonable accommodations are provided throughout the recruitment process for persons with disabilities.
- UNICEF enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy against exploitation, abuse, harassment, or discrimination and requires rigorous background checks for all selected candidates.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply through UNICEF’s online recruitment portal by submitting an updated profile, CV, cover letter, a detailed technical proposal, and a financial proposal in the specified format. UNICEF does not charge any fees during the recruitment process, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Deadline: 30 August 2026 (Pakistan Standard Time)
Duty Station: Islamabad, Pakistan
Contract Type: Consultancy (12 months)
Working Arrangement: Office-based with travel requirements