Deadline for Applications
January 23, 2026
Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
H (no hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
CONS Local
2026-02-02
Duration: 02 Feb 2026 - 31 October 2026
Duty station: Home-based (with missions to 2 pilot countries – locations tbd and a final project workshop - location tbd)
Total amount of days/weeks/months to be worked: 44 days
Contract Type: Individual Consultant
Working modality: Home-based, with travel for two cognitive testing missions and final workshop
General Background of Project or Assignment
UNHCR’s Global Data Service (GDS) oversees the production of global statistics on refugees and other populations affected by forced displacement and statelessness. GDS hosts the Secretariat of the Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS) in Copenhagen. EGRISS leads global efforts to promote the statistical inclusion of refugees and other forcibly displaced and stateless populations in national data systems through implementation of the International Recommendations on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics.
EGRISS first phase of work led to the development of the International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS), formally adopted by the UNSC at its 49th session in 2018. This was followed by the International Recommendations on IDP Statistics (IRIS), adopted in 2020, and most recently, the International Recommendations on Statelessness Statistics (IROSS), approved in 2023. Together, these three sets of Recommendations provide a comprehensive international framework for the inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in official statistics and national data systems.
The EGRISS Secretariat’s role is to support and coordinate activities of the wider group (62 countries and 40 international and regional organisations), including those incorporated into the workplans of its Technical Subgroup on Regional Engagement and Capacity Development (TSG1) and its Technical Subgroup on Methodological Research and Guidance Development (TSG2).
With the support of UNHCR Data Innovation Fund, the EGRISS Secretariat, together with Statistics Information Management Section (SIMS) Survey team, is supporting the update of methodological guidance on the inclusion of displaced populations in national statistical systems. As part of this effort, the TSG2 is preparing the second version of the Identification Questions paper, with enhanced methodological guidance, improved question formulations, and evidence from field testing. A dedicated project team has been established to lead this work, composed of members of the EGRISS Secretariat and the SIM Survey team, who also serve as task team leads under TSG2 workplan.
This consultancy forms part of a broader innovation project funded by the UNHCR Data Innovation Fund, which combines traditional survey testing methods with emerging digital tools such as AI-assisted document recognition to improve identification and enumeration processes. The project will be implemented by the project team, in close collaboration with SIMS survey specialists, the UNHCR Innovation Service, and members of EGRISS TSG2 task team on identification questions, including partners from JIPS, JDC, UNHCR, UNICEF-MICS, World Bank LSMS teams and NSOs from different countries.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment
In 2025/26, EGRISS, through its TSG2, is leading the second edition of the Identification Questions Methodological Paper, which provides international guidance on how refugees and IDPs can be identified in household surveys and censuses in line with IRRS and IRIS.
Building on findings from the first edition of the paper and new insights from national survey and census applications, the second edition aims to provide an updated, field-validated set of question formulations and methodological guidance to improve data quality and comparability across contexts that can be used as a standard identification question set for refugees and IDPs in household surveys.
To support this process, a Survey Cognitive Testing Expert will be hired within the framework of the UNHCR Data Innovation Fund. The consultancy forms a key component of a broader innovation project combining traditional survey testing with behavioral analysis and AI-assisted document-scanning tools to enhance accuracy in the identification of displaced populations during survey data collection.
The consultant will design, implement and document two cognitive testing missions in pilot countries (potentially Cameroon, Somalia or others where interest is expressed) to evaluate the comprehension, interpretation and cultural appropriateness of draft identification questions. This includes developing testing protocols, training materials and interview guides; supervising field implementation in coordination with national statistical offices and survey teams; and analyzing respondent and enumerator feedback to recommend improvements to question design and sequencing. The cognitive testing missions will be organized by the project team in coordination with the designated national statistical offices (NSOs), aligning with surveys already included in their official statistics calendar that cover, or plan to cover, refugee or internally displaced populations. The testing will take place during the piloting or training components of these ongoing surveys, where the revised identification questions will be introduced as add-on modules (potentially not included in the final production questionnaires). The consultant will work in direct coordination with the project team and respective NSOs to ensure that all reasonable technical and logistical requirements for high-quality cognitive testing are met including respondent recruitment, translation, field preparation, and supervision.
Findings from these activities will directly inform the revision of the Identification Questions paper and be integrated into a revised set of tested and validated questionnaires and supporting documentation. The consultant will also prepare a comprehensive report on privacy, sensitization and community feedback and participate in the final validation workshop organized by EGRISS to present results and integrate inputs from the TSG2 task team and Innovation Service partners.
Deliverables, Timeline, and Day Allocation
Phase 1. Desk Review and Preparation
Activities: Desk review of methodological findings and prior testing of ID questions; support design of revised version of questions based on desk review, design of testing plan and cognitive interview materials (protocol, probes, scripts).
Estimated Number of Days: 12 days
Completion Timeline: Feb 2026–Mar 2026
Deliverable 1: Cognitive Testing Plan and Instruments Package
A 15-page document summarizing findings from previous methodological work, proposed testing approach (sampling, behavioral probes, consent procedures), and draft testing instruments (question variants, scripts, interviewer/debrief guides). Includes 5–6 training slides for enumerators.
Phase 2. Mission 1 – Field Cognitive Testing (Pilot 1)
Activities: Field mission to Pilot Country for 6 days of testing and 5 days of preparation and reporting. Includes supervision, training, data collection (min. 5 interviews per day), and initial analysis.
Estimated Number of Days: 10 days
Completion Timeline: Mar – Apr 2026
Deliverable 2: Pilot 1 Summary Report
A 12-page report summarizing implementation of the first field test, including training overview, data collection process, respondent comprehension analysis, enumerator feedback, and key recommendations for revisions to the question set. Annexes include the revised question set (max 5 pages).
Phase 3. Mission 2 – Field Cognitive Testing (Pilot 2)
Activities: Field mission to Pilot Country for 6 days of testing and 5 days of preparation and reporting. Includes revision and refinement of questions based on first pilot results. Also includes supervision, training, data collection (min. 5 interviews per day) and initial analysis of second mission data.
Estimated Number of Days: 10 days
Completion Timeline: Apr–May 2026
Deliverable 3: Comparative Field Testing Report
A 15-page report consolidating results from both pilots, comparing respondent comprehension and operational feasibility across contexts. Includes final recommended core and contextual question sets, interviewer notes, and translation guidance (max 5 pages of annexes).
Phase 4. Reporting and Final Documentation
Activities: Preparation of report on
privacy/confidentiality issues and analysis of
respondent/interviewer feedback across both missions.
Estimated Number of Days: 10 days
Completion Timeline: Jun-Aug 2026
Deliverable 4: Final Analytical Report on Tested Identification Questions A 15-page report consolidating findings from both cognitive testing missions, presenting the final validated version of the identification questions for refugees and IDPs. The report will summarize key methodological lessons, respondent and enumerator feedback, and analysis of question comprehension, flow, and sensitivity. It will include recommendations for integration into household surveys and censuses, as well as guidance on privacy, consent, and enumerator training.
Phase 5. Final Workshop and Integration of Findings
Activities: Participation in final validation workshop; presentation of findings; integration of feedback into the final documentation and methodological annex. Estimated Number of Days: 2 days
Completion Timeline: Oct 2026
Deliverable 5: Final Validation and Integration Package
A concise 12-page package containing: (i) workshop presentation slides; (ii) executive summary of key findings and lessons learned; and (iii) final tested instruments and methodological annex section for inclusion in the revised EGRISS Identification Questions paper.
Travel and Daily Subsistence Arrangements
All travel costs (DSA, flights, terminal expenses) are covered under the project budget in addition to the consultant’s professional fees.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Degree: Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Survey Methodology, Cognitive Psychology, Social Research, or related field.
Field of expertise, competencies:
Required/mandatory
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in survey questionnaire design and testing, including cognitive interviewing or behavioural pre-testing methods.
• Proven experience designing and conducting field pilots or qualitative testing, which include cognitive interviewing both in laboratory as well as filed settings for large-scale household surveys (e.g., MICS, DHS, LSMS, FDS, or similar), preferably in fragile or developing contexts.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing household surveys in developing country contexts
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and document findings from qualitative and cognitive research, including synthesis of respondent and enumerator feedback.
• Experience training enumerators or national statistical staff in cognitive interviewing, pilot testing, or field implementation of survey modules.
Desirable:
• Experience working with or alongside expert groups, UN agencies, or global survey programmes.
• Familiarity with digital data-collection tools (e.g., KoBoToolbox, CSPro, Survey Solutions, or other).
• Familiarity with international statistical frameworks, in particular the International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS), IDP Statistics (IRIS), and Statelessness Statistics (IROSS), as well as relevant UNSD guidance on population and housing censuses.
• Understanding of migration, displacement, or development survey contexts, preferably in collaboration with national statistical offices or international survey programmes.
Required Skills and Competencies:
• Excellent qualitative and analytical writing skills, with ability to produce concise and methodologically sound reports.
• Strong capacity for cross-cultural communication, facilitation, and stakeholder coordination, including collaboration with NSOs and multi-agency partners.
• Ability to manage complex timelines and deliver high-quality outputs independently.
• Language: Fluency in English (written and spoken) required; working knowledge of French or Spanish is desirable.
Monitoring and Progress Controls
• Regular check-ins with team members.
• Draft deliverables reviewed and validated by the TSG2 task team co-leads.
• Payments released per deliverable upon satisfactory completion.
Performance Indicators:
• Timely delivery of testing protocols, reports, and analytical documentation.
• Technical robustness and clarity of testing methods and analysis.
• Constructive integration of
respondent/interviewer feedback into final question recommendations.
Location and Conditions
This is a part-time consultancy and the successful candidate will be home-based.
Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.
Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
Standard Job Description
Required Languages
English
,
,
Desired Languages
,
,
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Master's: Cognitive Psychology (Required)
Certifications
Other information
This position doesn't require a functional clearance
Remote
Yes
