Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy and Governance at African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)

Role Overview

• AFIDEP is undertaking a multi-country study on the governance and financing of key STI institutions in Africa, including science granting councils, national metrology systems, and standards and quality infrastructure bodies. The study will examine how institutional and funding arrangements enable countries to translate continental priorities, particularly the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA), into national policy, effective implementation, and industry uptake.
• AFIDEP therefore seeks to engage a Postdoctoral Fellow in STI Policy and Governance to provide rigorous research and policy-engagement support for this study and related STI work. The fellowship will offer an early-career researcher an opportunity to contribute to comparative, policy-relevant research while strengthening experience in evidence-to-policy translation and engagement with stakeholders across multiple African countries.

Scope of Services, Tasks and Expected Deliverables

Research design and study implementation

• Support refinement of the study questions, theory of change, conceptual framework, and comparative research design.
• Develop or adapt data-collection tools, analytical frameworks, protocols, and quality-assurance procedures.
• Conduct structured literature reviews, policy mapping, and institutional and political-economy analysis.
• Support fieldwork preparation, data collection, documentation, and coordination with country researchers and partner institutions.

Governance and institutional analysis

• Map and analyse the mandates, governance structures, decision-making processes, and accountability arrangements of science granting councils, metrology institutions, and standards and quality infrastructure bodies.
• Assess coordination among government, research institutions, industry, and other actors in national STI systems.
• Examine alignment between continental STI priorities, national policies, institutional mandates, and implementation arrangements.

Funding and financing analysis

• Analyse public, private, and blended funding models and resource-allocation mechanisms supporting STI systems.
• Assess the adequacy, predictability, governance, and strategic alignment of STI financing.
• Examine how financing arrangements shape research priorities, research quality, innovation outcomes, commercialization, and uptake by industry and society.

 Data analysis and comparative research

• Conduct rigorous qualitative and quantitative analysis using appropriate software and reproducible methods.
• Support cross-country synthesis to identify common patterns, context-specific differences, good practices, and transferable lessons.
• Generate insights on what works, for whom, under what conditions, and why.
• Contribute to validation of findings with relevant stakeholders and experts.

Knowledge products and policy engagement

• Draft and revise research reports, policy briefs, journal manuscripts, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Ensure outputs are analytically robust, concise, accessible, and responsive to policy audiences.
• Support policy dialogues, technical consultations, dissemination events, and stakeholder engagement.
• Translate evidence into feasible and actionable policy and institutional recommendations.
• Contribute to documentation of research uptake, stakeholder feedback, and emerging policy influence

Qualifications and Experience

• A PhD completed within the past five years in STI Policy, Public Policy, Economics, Development Studies, Innovation Studies, Science and Technology Studies, or a closely related field. Exceptional candidates nearing completion may be considered only where AFIDEP determines this to be appropriate.
• Demonstrated expertise in STI policy, innovation systems, research systems, industrial development, or economic development.
• Strong understanding of African development and STI policy frameworks, including STISA and Agenda 2063.
• Knowledge of quality infrastructure systems, including standards, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment, is desirable.
• Experience in policy-oriented and applied research using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct institutional, governance, financing, or political-economy analysis.
• A record of producing high-quality analytical outputs, such as peer-reviewed publications, research reports, or policy briefs.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Proficiency in French or another language relevant to the study countries would be an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and systems-thinking skills.
• Ability to synthesize complex evidence and communicate clear, actionable insights to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong qualitative and/or quantitative data-analysis skills and proficiency in relevant analytical software.
• Excellent writing, presentation, stakeholder-engagement, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a multi-country, multi-disciplinary, and multicultural environment.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Commitment to research integrity, ethical practice, inclusion, and gender-responsive analysis