R&D Consultant to fасilitate university-business partnership in the east of Ukraine
ЗАВЕРШЕНО
About FHI 360
FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research, technology, communication, and social marketing- creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories.
Background (Project Background)
The purpose of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity is to improve the overall economic resilience of eastern Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression, which has disrupted critical market linkages, catalyzed the economic decline of previously dominant industries, and caused massive population disruption.
ERA’s work is centered on three pillars that roughly correspond to the Objectives above:
- Inclusion: building the capabilities of vulnerable populations to capitalize on entrepreneurial and MSME economic opportunities.
- Growth: helping micro, small, and medium businesses innovate, invest, and expand markets; and
- Transformation: working with coalitions and leaders to articulate a vision for the future and put in place a modern, diverse, SME-friendly economy.
By accomplishing these objectives, the economy of eastern Ukraine will be more diversified, more integrated with the rest of Ukraine, less dependent on Russia, and the region’s residents will be better equipped to compete for the jobs of the future, thereby improving the economic resilience of the region. The activity will work primarily in the oblasts most affected by Russia’s aggression, Donetsk and Luhansk, but will also be active in the surrounding oblasts and throughout Ukraine as required to achieve the objectives.
R&D in Ukraine
A robust Research & Development (R&D) ecosystem can help connect students, faculty and business owners to their economies, not just in the present but also in the future by envisioning and actualizing applications, technologies and processes which will contribute to a modern economy where young people see a future for themselves.
ERA works with several sectors that are primed for R&D partnerships. These include information technology, manufacturing, and agriculture. These also represent some of the largest segments of non-retail enterprises in east Ukraine. More importantly, two of these sectors tend to attract young people who see themselves as part of a technologically driven future, where their skills and knowledge can be recognized and deployed globally. Agriculture is also a sector primed for increased HEI collaboration and R&D investment, not least because of its significance in Ukraine’s and the regions’ economy, but also because productivity in this sector has fallen far behind regional competitors due to outdated farming methods and a lack of innovation and investments in technology and is ripe for disruption that could be provided by R&D efforts.
Detailed Description of Tasks to be Performed:
To support UERA’s start of the R&D interventions, the Consultant will be primarily responsible for the technical oversight of the piloting of UERA’s R&D Guide in Eastern Ukraine by establishing R&D partnerships and developing working models that can be used as a basis for future R&D partnerships. The R&D Consultant will lead the partnership initiation between firms and education institutions in Eastern Ukraine and launch an R&D pilot leveraging the R&D Guide. As a result of the R&D pilot, it is expected one or more R&D-related contracts or agreements within ERA industry sectors.
Objectives and duties
- Raise awareness within program team on R&D benefits and best practices and develop case studies from Eastern Ukraine on successful R&D partnership models
- Research and identify potential firms and institution for R&D pilot and oversee piloting phases
- Provide technical insights and expertise to UERA interventions, including but not limited to technical inputs to the projects R&D Strategy
Time of performance: Part-time employment from March till September 2022
Tasks & Deliverables/Milestones
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Task |
Deliverable/Milestone |
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R&D Technical Expertise |
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Support ERA Workforce team in raising awareness and interest in R&D partnerships |
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Review existing ERA R&D Guide and work to improve during pilot period |
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Apply technical expertise on R&D best practices to ERA activities |
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Support ERA team during meetings with potential partners to establish R&D MOU or letter of commitment
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Provide expert input, guidance, encouragement, and problem solve as ERA works to establish pilot R&D Partnerships |
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Monitor and ensure smooth operation of pilot partnerships and interventions
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Support all other ERA activities related to R&D Partnership as they may arise |
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Application
Please send your CV and a cover letter in English explaining the motivation to apply until COB 14 February 2022, Monday.
Email: [email protected]
By sending the application a candidate gives the consent for the personal data processing for recruitment processes solely.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stages of the recruitment process.
