Research Associate (Assessment & Evaluation)

About SPARC India

SPARC India (School for Potential Advancement and Restoration of Confidence) is a pioneering not-for-profit committed to the empowerment of marginalised populations, with a strong focus on Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). Founded in 1996 by Dr. Amitabh Mehrotra — himself a person with cerebral palsy and a nationally recognised disability-rights advocate — SPARC India has built a 30-year legacy of grassroots service delivery, policy advocacy, and systemic inclusion across Lucknow and Barabanki districts, Uttar Pradesh.

About the Project

SPARC India, in technical partnership with IIT Bombay and with support from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), is implementing an 8-month technology- and AI-driven intervention to transform the learning experience of 50 children with disabilities (cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and sensory impairments) across Lucknow . The project delivers individualised assessment and AT/AI device matching, two technology-enabled inclusive classrooms, and capacity building of 15 educators, therapists, and caregivers, with structured family and community engagement.

Purpose of the Position

The Research Associate (Assessment & Evaluation) leads all assessment, monitoring & evaluation (M&E), and research-documentation functions of the project. The role is central to translating each child's assessed needs into an actionable Individualised Education Plan (IEP), and to generating the rigorous, credible evidence base — baseline, midline, and endline — that the project's milestone-based disbursement and its research partnership with IIT Bombay depend on.

Key Responsibilities

1. Assessment & Individualised Planning

•  Design and administer baseline, midline, and endline assessment tools for 50 children with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and sensory impairments, in coordination with SPARC India's therapy team and IIT Bombay.

•  Support and coordinate clinical/functional assessments (with therapists) to establish each child's developmental, cognitive, and accessibility profile.

•  Lead development of Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) for all 50 children by Month 4, translating assessment findings into specific, measurable learning goals.

•  Maintain fortnightly IEP progress-tracking sheets and coordinate periodic IEP review meetings with the Special Educator and families.

2. Monitoring, Evaluation & Data Management

•  Own the project's M&E framework — defining indicators, targets, and data-collection protocols aligned with the results framework submitted to SMBC.

•  Manage the beneficiary database, ensuring data quality, confidentiality, and informed consent/assent compliance for minors and disability-related data.

•  Conduct statistical analysis of assessment and outcome data (pre/post and baseline–midline–endline comparisons) using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods.

•  Track early-warning indicators and flag any variance greater than 15% below a phase target to the Project Leader for root-cause review, per the project's deviation-management protocol.

•  Support monthly internal review meetings and bi-monthly reviews with SMBC and IIT Bombay with data-backed progress updates.

3. Research, Impact Documentation & Reporting

•  Document case studies, impact stories, and qualitative evidence of change across the three disability groups.

•  Co-author the midline and endline evaluation reports, the joint research/working paper with IIT Bombay, and the M&E sections of milestone reports to SMBC.

•  Contribute to the final project report and any peer-reviewed or conference outputs arising from the project.

•  Ensure all research and evaluation work meets ethical standards for research involving children with disabilities — informed consent/assent, safeguarding, and data protection.

4. Coordination

•  Liaise closely with the Special Educator, M&E and Data Officer, and Field Coordinator to ensure assessment and evaluation data flows accurately from the field.

•  Lead parent and caregiver feedback surveys (Months 2, 5, and 8) and teacher competency evaluations (pre/mid/post-training).

•  Coordinate with IIT Bombay's technical team on assessment-tool design and data-analysis methodology.

Key Deliverables

•  50 baseline assessment reports and AT-needs-analysis inputs (Month 2).

•  50 completed IEPs (Month 4).

•  Midline evaluation report (Month 6).

•  Endline evaluation report and joint research/working paper with IIT Bombay (Month 8).

Qualifications & Experience

•  Essential: Master's degree (MA/M.Phil) in Social Work, Psychology, Special Education, or Disability Studies.

•  Experience: 2–3 years in assessment, monitoring & evaluation, or research within the disability, education, or development sector. Candidates with strong fieldwork/internship exposure and a relevant Master's may also be considered.

•  Technical skills: proficiency in quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistical tools (SPSS/Excel/R), IEP development, and M&E frameworks/log-frames.

•  Sector knowledge: understanding of disability categories (cerebral palsy, ASD, intellectual disability, sensory impairment), the UNCRPD, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016, and inclusive-education provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Competencies

•  Strong analytical and report-writing ability; comfort working with both numbers and narrative evidence.

•  Sensitivity and professionalism in working directly with children with disabilities and their families.

•  Ability to work to milestone deadlines within a compressed 8-month project timeline.

•  Collaborative mindset — able to work closely with therapists, educators, technologists, and an external academic partner (IIT Bombay).

Interested candidates may send an updated CV along with a cover letter outlining relevant experience to SPARC India's recruitment team, indicating the position title in the subject line. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a written assessment and interview. 

Organization:  SPARC India

Website:  www.sparcindia.in

Locations:  Lucknow & Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh

E-Mail: sparcindia95@gmail.com

Tags Research Assessment Evaluation Monitoring & Evaluation Inclusive Education Disability Data Analysis Documentation Child Development Assistive Technology