Research Associate

Overview of the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. Through our arts, education and English programmes, we give opportunities to hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year. We are present on six continents and in over 100 countries. The British Council has been operating in Nepal since 1959.

About the project

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the quality of basic education service delivery in Nepal through the responsible and effective implementation of AI technologies. Phase one of the project will establish the foundation for AI-enabled education in Nepal by combining rigorous research, teacher-led innovation, and structured policy dialogue. It will include a mixed-method national study to map AI literacy, usage, opportunities, and barriers across Nepal’s basic education system, ensuring participation from all tiers of government and diverse stakeholders, with a strong gender-sensitive approach. In parallel, a cohort of teachers will undertake classroom-based action research to generate practice-based insights into the meaningful use of AI for teaching and learning. Evidence generated from these activities will inform a series of provincial and national roundtables, as well as an international conference, fostering inclusive dialogue and building consensus for equitable AI in education standards and policy.

About the role

Working under the technical guidance of the Deputy Team Leader, the Research Associate will undertake the following tasks:

• Provide inputs for the refinement and finalisation of quantitative and qualitative research tools.
• Lead and/or support the facilitation of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) in Lumbini and/or Madhesh Province, as agreed with the project team.
• Support adherence to ethical research standards, informed consent procedures, and safeguarding requirements during fieldwork.
• Support documentation and quality checking of qualitative data, including coordination of transcription where required.
• Contribute to risk management, gender and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations, and ethical safeguards during data collection and analysis. 

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for selection under this project:

• Master’s degree in education, Social Sciences, Statistics, Educational Research, Public Policy, Data Science, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated professional experience in education research.
• Proven expertise in developing research tools, administering FGDs and KIIs.
• Sound understanding of research ethics, including informed consent procedures, safeguarding principles, and responsible data management, particularly when working with teachers, students, and education stakeholders.
• Ability to integrate Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations into data collection.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Fluency in English, with strong professional writing skills.

Interested eligible applicants can submit (i) their CVs (in no more than five pages), and (ii) a brief covering letter indicating per day rate to consultant@britishcouncil.org.np  by 23.59 Nepal Time on 11 January 2026.

Please mention “Application for Research and Data Associate” in the subject of the e-mail.