Statistician

To provide technical support for modelling of disaggregated estimates for malnutrition data.

Scope of Work:

The current consultancy will support UNICEF and the JME group, which includes partners of the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group, to build on the existing statistical analysis code for national level estimates of child malnutrition, that is available in R, to develop methods and generate modelled estimates of child malnutrition that are disaggregated by key background variables, like sex, and document the work to allow for replication by other users.

Terms of Reference  Key Deliverables:

• Undertake statistical modelling and analysis to generate the final JME 2025 edition country estimates for stunting and overweight disaggregated by sex   (10 February 2025)
• Excel files with the final estimates for stunting and overweight for boys, girls and national level for the 2025 edition of the JME for each of 202 countries from 1990 to 2024
• Final R codes, codebook, and written instructions for their use/easy replication.
• Explore methods, alternate to existing JME method for sex disaggregates, for generating disaggregated stunting and overweight estimates (e.g., model a national estimate and apply ratios of malnutrition between boys and girls to the national estimate), prepare datasets and generate results for up to 3 disaggregation categories (17 February 2025)
• Excel files with estimates for stunting and overweight by sex, area of residence, sub-age groups and national level using alternate approaches for each of 202 countries from 1990 to 2024.
• Final R codes, codebook, and written instructions for their use/easy replication
• Written documentation of the modelling methods for deliverables 1 and 2, suitable for a peer review scientific journal as well as a layman’s explanation (17 March 2025)
• Word document with detailed methodological write up of the statistical analysis and modelling methods implemented to complete deliverables 1 and 2, suitable for a peer review scientific journal as well as a separate layman’s explanation.
• Prepare datasets and undertake statistical modelling and analysis to generate additional malnutrition indicators disaggregated by sex (30 April 2025)
• Excel files with estimates for severe stunting, severe overweight, and other indicators including stunted & wasted, stunted & overweight and free from malnutrition (not stunted or wasted or overweight), for boys, girls, and national level for each of 202 countries from 1990 to 2024
• Final R codes, codebook, and written instructions for their use/easy replication.         

Qualifications:

Education: 

• Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of statistics, data science, public health, nutrition or epidemiology, or other related degree.

Work experience:

Knowledge Expertise Skills required : 

• At least 8 years of experience in implementing statistical methods for analyses related to public health research.
• Experience analyzing data from large-scale household surveys like NHANES, MICS and DHS is preferred.
• Highly skilled at undertaking statistical analysis using R statistical software is required.
• Experience modelling nutrition related data like anthropometry, for global reporting efforts, is required.
• Experience modelling of data that are disaggregated by background characteristics, for global reporting efforts, is an asset.
• Professional experience working with international organizations is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and
• Upload copy of academic credentials

Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
• travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

Indicate your availability

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/578269