Research Fellow CDI
AKADEMIYA2063
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
AKADEMIYA2063 is a pan-African non-profit research organization with headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda, and a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. Inspired by the ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and grounded in the recognition of the central importance of strong knowledge and evidence-based systems, the vision of AKADEMIYA2063 is an Africa with the expertise we need for the Africa we want. This expertise must be responsive to the continent’s needs for data and analysis to ensure high-quality policy design and execution. Inclusive, evidence-informed policymaking is key to meeting the continent’s development aspirations, creating wealth, and improving livelihoods. AKADEMIYA2063’s overall mission is to create, across Africa and led from its headquarters in Rwanda, state-of-the-art technical capacities to support the efforts by the Member States of the African Union to achieve the key goals of Agenda 2063 of transforming national economies to boost economic growth and prosperity. Following from its vision and mission, the main goal of AKADEMIYA2063 is to help meet Africa’s needs at the continental, regional, and national levels in terms of data, analytics, and mutual learning for the effective implementation of Agenda 2063 and the realization of its outcomes by a critical mass of countries. AKADEMIYA2063 strives to meet its goals through programs organized under five strategic areas: policy innovation, knowledge systems, capacity creation and deployment, operational support, data management, digital products, and technology, as well as innovative partnerships and outreach activities. For more information, visit www.akademiya2063.org.
Vacancy Details
Position Title: Consultant, Research Fellow (AISESA)
1. Research Fellowship -Energy Transition Pathways and Sustainable Development (AISESA)
2. Research Fellowship -Effective Implementation Approaches (AISESA)
3. Research Fellowship -Policy and Governance (AISESA)
4. Research Fellowship -Finance and Technology (AISESA)
5. Research Fellowship -Building Institutions and Skills (AISESA)
Department: AISESA Program
Location: Remote
Duration: 3 years (approximately)
Role Overview
In partnership with AKADEMIYA2063, AISESA is seeking early-career African researchers passionate about advancing knowledge in development, sustainable energy, climate change, and systems thinking to address Africa’s unique challenges. Candidates should be committed to building tools and capacities that drive transformative change in Africa’s energy and development futures.
Fellows will strengthen their scholarship, expand professional networks, and contribute to shaping Africa’s energy and development agenda. They will lead original research, oversee data collection and analysis, and help translate findings into actionable insights.
About AISESA
AISESA (African Institute for Sustainable Energy and Systems Analysis) AISESA (African Institute for Sustainable Energy and Systems Analysis) is a new institute dedicated to ensuring Africa’s energy transitions are designed, led, and owned by African institutions. It brings together researchers, policymakers, civil society, the private sector, and financiers to co-create knowledge, tools, and capacity tailored to African contexts.
Energy is at the heart of Africa’s development agenda and its response to climate change. Across sub-Saharan Africa, energy systems remain underdeveloped, limiting the continent’s ability to achieve its social, environmental, and economic potential. This shortage is not only an infrastructure challenge but also a systemic one, rooted in inadequate institutional capacity, fragmented policy environments, and a persistent reliance on externally driven research and planning. The result is a knowledge and capacity gap, limited ownership of energy system knowledge, and a disconnect between decision-making and data and analysis. Too often, this is compounded by the limited recognition of African knowledge, with external standards applied in ways that don’t always fit local realities, further constraining effective planning and implementation.
Limited institutional capacity and reliance on outside expertise slow the growth of local knowledge and risk positioning African states more as recipients than as leaders of their own energy and climate agendas. Breaking this cycle means investing in institutional and human capacities and reinforcing Africa’s agency in defining its own energy future. Developing approaches grounded in African context, and led by African institutions, is therefore an urgent task. For more information, visit www.aisesa.org
Key Responsibilities
- Mapping African country contexts relevant to the cluster (e.g., tools, data, institutions, knowledge networks, socio-technical systems, capacity gaps, policies, plans, regulations, innovations, political economy, cultural context).
- Co-designing the cluster’s research pathway in collaboration with Cluster Leads, the AISESA network, and national and international partners.
- Participating in country studies, carry out research aligned with cluster priorities, and ensuring that outputs complement the work of other clusters.
- Supporting the design of innovative methodologies (e.g., open-access toolkits, models, survey instruments, dashboards) that integrate technical, socio-economic, and governance dimensions.
- Co-publishing high-quality peer-reviewed research articles, policy briefs, reports, and investment toolkits to inform practice and decision-making; contributing to cross-cluster integration through joint outputs and working papers.
- Contributing to cross-cluster integration by co-developing joint outputs, sharing methodologies and data, participating in collaborative workshops, and supporting synthesis reports that draw insights across AISESA’s five clusters.
- Leading stakeholder workshops and presenting findings to scientific, policy, and governmental audiences within and beyond AISESA’s network.
- Supervising and mentoring junior researchers, interns, and Youth Fellows, and contributing to AISESA training modules.
- Supporting project management, fundraising, and cross-cluster activities as required
- Manage the schedules, travel arrangements, and calendars of the Executive Office Team, skillfully prioritizing conflicting demands and resolving scheduling conflicts.
- Coordinate and facilitate meetings by scheduling, inviting participants, documenting minutes, and action plans. Respond to meeting invitations on behalf of the Executive Office promptly and effectively.
- Organize and maintain documents within the Executive Office for easy retrieval and reference. Maintain a structured database and documentation system.
- Track progress on agreed issues, follow up on deadlines and commitments, and coordinate report collection and submission as needed.
- Independently respond to a diverse range of inquiries, making informed decisions when multiple courses of action are possible. Communicate relevant actions taken by the Executive Office to concerned parties, sharing pertinent information, reports, and updates.
- Facilitate logistics, planning, and preparation for Board of Trustees meetings. Compile and organize board documents, manage travel arrangements, accommodations, and other logistics as required.
- Screen incoming communications and manage outgoing correspondence, ensuring proper signature, clearance, and follow-up actions. Adhere to the communication protocol and guidelines when interacting with partners.
- Establish and nurture contacts with executive assistants of senior government officials, development partners, embassies, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Facilitate effective communication dispatch on behalf of the Executive Office Team.
- Provide guidance and direction to the Administrative Support Team (AST), promoting synergy and coordination within the team.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- PhD in a discipline relevant to sustainable energy, climate change, and development (e.g., energy systems engineering, economics, political science, public policy, finance, environmental science).
- Proven research track record on African energy, climate, or development issues, including peer-reviewed publications.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively independently and in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, with excellent intercultural communication skills.
- Experience engaging with stakeholders, including policymakers, industry, and civil society.
- Intercultural awareness, an analytical and impact-oriented mindset, and a commitment to delivering high-quality work to agreed deadlines.
- Commitment to inclusive and equitable development
- Commitment to AISESA’s values and to African-led knowledge co-production for African development.
- Experience designing and running innovation challenges, hackathons, or incubator programs.
- Fluency in English and at least one widely spoken African language; proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Arabic is an advantage.
Preferred Qualifications / Skills
- A doctoral degree (PhD) is required; in exceptional cases, strong professional expertise may be considered in lieu of the degree.
- Professional experience working in African contexts on energy, climate, or sustainable development.
- Proven track record in research project management, capacity building, or supervision/mentorship of other researchers.
- Experience translating research into policy or practice through stakeholder engagement, practitioner experience, knowledge-sharing platforms, or advisory roles.
- Proficiency in additional data analysis tools, software, or methodologies relevant to the cluster-specific focus.
- Exceptional candidates with related expertise will be considered even if they don’t match one cluster perfectly.
Additional skills and expertise required per cluster:
Cluster 1: Energy Transition Pathways & Sustainable Development
- Proven experience in energy and climate systems modelling and integrated planning approaches, with the ability to adapt tools to African contexts, address data gaps, and align outputs with development priorities.
- Familiarity with collaborative model development with policymakers and stakeholders, along with strong skills in interpreting and communicating modelling outputs, and translating analysis into policy- and development-relevant reports and presentations.
- Experience in interdisciplinary research linking modelling and scenario analysis with socio-economic development and just transition principles.
Cluster 2: Effective Implementation Approaches
- Demonstrated experience translating energy systems modelling and analysis into practical, context-specific interventions.
- Proven ability to co-create and implement solutions with governments, communities, and other stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of pathways for scaling energy transitions, including the policy, institutional, and capacity conditions required for effective implementation.
Cluster 3: Policy & Governance
- Strong social science background and analytical skills with experience in climate and energy, and a proven record of working in interdisciplinary teams.
- Proven experience in policy analysis and governance assessment related to climate change, energy, or sustainable development.
- Expertise in applying political economy analysis to climate–energy–development issues, with an emphasis on African policy and governance contexts.
- Experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms or policy labs to co-develop context-specific solutions at national, regional, or continental levels.
Cluster 4: Finance & Technology
- Expertise in policy and regulatory analysis for finance instruments and technology deployment, with the ability to apply political economy analysis and an understanding of just transition frameworks
- Experience in innovation and technology adoption studies, including barriers, enablers, and knowledge systems
- Knowledge of African energy and financial landscapes, including regulatory frameworks, market dynamics, and socio-political contexts
- Competence in data management, processing, and statistical analysis using large datasets and experience in data science or machine learning for finance or energy forecasting.
Cluster 5: Building Institutions & Skills
- Experience in institutional capacity assessment and mapping of policy, planning, and governance frameworks in the energy or climate sectors.
- Skills in stakeholder engagement and facilitation across government, regulatory bodies, utilities, academia, and civil society in African contexts.
- Ability to design and implement capacity-building programmes, including training, mentorship, or fellowship initiatives.
How to apply
Submission of Applications
If you are interested in this position, please submit a single PDF in English containing the documents listed below to [email protected] by October 10, 2025. Please include the position title in the subject line.
- A cover letter indicating your preferred cluster, research interests, and how they align with AISESA’s program.
- A detailed CV (including publications),
- A sample of recent work (published or unpublished), and
- Contact details of three referees
Additional Considerations
- Only applications received by the deadline will be considered.
- We appreciate the interest of all applicants. However, due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- This job description is intended as a general guide to the position. AKADEMIYA2063 reserves the right to revise, update, or omit parts of this document as needed.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- AKADEMIYA2063 is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce.
