Research Officer

WorldFish is an international research organization working to transform aquatic food systems to reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. It collaborates with international, regional, and national partners to co-develop and deliver scientific innovations, evidence for policy and knowledge to enable equitable and inclusive impact for millions who depend on fish and other aquatic foods for their livelihoods and nutrition. Our work in countries advances progress on multiple 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through science and innovation, with a vision of healthy people, healthy planet and shared prosperity.   

WorldFish Bangladesh will implement the GIZ-funded “Strengthening Inclusive Marine Protected Area Management and Community-Based Blue-Economy Livelihoods in Coastal Bangladesh” project across the Nijhum Dwip, St. Martin’s, and Naf MPAs. The project contributes to the broader objectives of the CONNECT (Better Protection of Mangroves, Swamp Forests and Marine Areas) project in Bangladesh by strengthening evidence-based MPA management, inclusive governance, community participation, and sustainable blue-economy livelihoods.

The CONNECT project is commissioned and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This position will support fisheries research through the development, management and application of digital data systems and data-science tools, contributing to data-driven research, monitoring, analysis and decision-making for MPA management.

Under the direct supervision of the Lead Scientist the Research Officer is responsible for overseeing the implementation of larger-scale or specialized operational research activities, ensuring alignment with project objectives, maintaining data integrity, and generating high-quality outputs. The role facilitates collaboration by engaging with local collaborators, organizing capacity-building activities, guiding research support teams, and disseminating project communication materials to promote effective partnerships and alignment. The Research Officer ensures timely and accurate delivery of research operation activities, inputs data, and maintains compliance with organizational standards and international quality certifications to achieve research excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day implementation of large-scale or specialized research operation activities in fisheries including sample collection, processing and analysis to maintain scientific accuracy and data integrity, ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
• Assess and verify methods and techniques for research, experiments, or surveys to ensure alignment with project objectives and successful implementation.
• Set up data management methods for routine data collection and implement and maintain data capture, storage, retrieval and analysis systems to ensure that data is validated, recorded and stored correctly and is easily retrievable.
• Collect, compile, process, and input research data, ensuring accurate data storage, efficient retrieval, and basic analysis or modeling for subsequent research.
• Conduct standard quantitative research related to fisheries.
• Engage and communicate with local collaborators, partners, communities and/or government to implement research operation activities, including organizing meetings, field visits, workshops, and dialogues for effective collaboration.
• Apply GIS, spatial analysis and remote-sensing data to support mapping and analysis of fishing grounds, habitats, MPAs, and other aquatic resources.

• →Arrange and oversee administrative and logistical aspects of planned project or research activities with team members, partners, and other organizational teams during the design, planning, and implementation phases to ensure the timely supply of materials and alignment with the research plan.
• →Oversee, guide and validate the work of general research support staff and surveyors to ensure the implementation of general research operations activities aligns with the project plan and established protocols.
• →Plan and conduct standard trainings on standard operational practices to enhance the skill set of staff involved in research implementation.
• →Organize the implementation of standard training and capacity-building activities to build capacity and to ensure information is disseminated and partners or stakeholders are equipped to address relevant challenges.
• →Create and disseminate project communication materials based on predefined guidelines to share information on specific topics, prepare content for the organization’s webpage, and develop success stories to highlight project impacts.
• →Explore and apply artificial intelligence (AI), and predictive analytics for resource assessment and decision-support applications, where appropriate.

• →Monitor the correct implementation of research ensuring timelines are met and all tasks align with project objectives and inform supervisor is activities are not implemented according to plan and specific standards.
• →Oversee the maintenance of the overall work environment, including the instruments and equipment used, related to a large project or area of focus.
• →Oversee that all research operations activities under supervision comply with organization rules and regulations.
• →Input data in database to ensure accurate recording, efficient storage, and reliable retrieval for analysis and reporting purposes.
• →Verify, clean, and validate data and information to ensure high-quality inputs for monitoring reports, journal publications, presentations, and posters.
• →Laboratory: Implement and maintain ISO certifications to uphold international quality standards and credibility in research practices.

• →Monitor the correct implementation of research ensuring timelines are met and all tasks align with project objectives and inform supervisor is activities are not implemented according to plan and specific standards.
• →Oversee the maintenance of the overall work environment, including the instruments and equipment used, related to a large project or area of focus.
• →Oversee that all research operations activities under supervision comply with organization rules and regulations.
• →Input data in database to ensure accurate recording, efficient storage, and reliable retrieval for analysis and reporting purposes.
• →Verify, clean, and validate data and information to ensure high-quality inputs for monitoring reports, journal publications, presentations, and posters.
• →Laboratory: Implement and maintain ISO certifications to uphold international quality standards and credibility in research practices.
• →Support researchers and project teams in extracting, analysing and visualizing data for scientific publications, technical reports, policy briefs and management recommendations

This job might be for you if you have the below skills, qualifications and experiences:   

• Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Marine Science, Oceanography, Environmental Science, Data Science, Statistics, or a related discipline, or secondary education and extensive laboratory or field experience.
• Extensive experience in collecting data using digital tools such as tables and mobile phones.
• Extensive experience performing routine research tasks in field / laboratory.
• Extensive experience operating and maintaining machinery related to job.
• Experience guiding team members in the implementation of routine, well-defined research tasks.
• Experience working in or with an international not-for-profit organization is an advantage.

• Accountability: Collaborates with team members, taking responsibility for both individual and team success and seeks feedback to improve performance. Meets deadlines consistently and follows ethical guidelines.
• Collaboration and Communication: Conveys information clearly and ensures the recipient understands the message. Fully engages in conversations and shares relevant information to support informed decision-making.
• Respect and Inclusion: Acknowledges team members' contributions and collaborates effectively with diverse colleagues. Demonstrates flexibility and openness, supporting inclusive approaches that encourage full participation.
• Results and Impact Orientation: Proactively identifies challenges and demonstrates effective problem-solving; Consistently fulfills commitments and respects the organization’s mission and values. Adapts to new processes, emerging technologies and evolving requirements to maintain efficiency.

• Analytical, Critical and Systems Thinking: Analyzes information from multiple sources to identify trends, draw conclusions, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Scientific Ethics and Integrity: Adheres to ethical guidelines in data collection, analysis, and reporting, discloses potential conflicts of interest, and ensures compliance with open data principles to ensure transparency and accessibility.
• Equipment Operations: Anticipates and mitigates equipment hazards, applies preventative maintenance protocols for equipment longevity, and ensures adherence to safety procedures and guidelines by the team.
• Planning and Organizing: Plans and manages multiple priorities and deadlines independently, using time management tools to stay on track, and effectively balances competing tasks while adjusting as needed.
• Problem Solving: Analyzes information to identify root causes, collaborates with colleagues to gather information, and prioritizes critical factors to propose effective solutions.
• Fisheries Data Science – Applies quantitative methods, programming and fisheries datasets to analyse, model, visualize and interpret fisheries and ecological data.
• GIS, Spatial and Environmental Data Analysis – Applies GIS, remote sensing and spatial analysis tools to manage, analyse and interpret fisheries, environmental and geospatial data.
• Digital Data Collection and Data Management – Applies digital data-collection platforms, data management and integration tools to support efficient field data collection, quality control and research data systems.

Interested applicants are invited to submit the following information online latest by 13 October 2026:

• A cover letter including a 2-page (max) description of why you are an ideal candidate and what you would bring to the role.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• Names and contacts (telephone and e-mail addresses) of three professional referees who are familiar with your qualifications and work experience. Your nominated referees ideally should have persons from each of the following category: direct supervisor, head of HR and peer.

The screening will start immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. Due to the high volume of applicants for WorldFish positions, we appreciate all interest, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WorldFish has seven offices across Asia, Africa and the Pacific, with more than 400 staff and 27 nationalities who contribute to a dynamic multicultural work environment.

WorldFish is committed to promoting a work environment where diversity and inclusion is valued and we seek to have gender balance in the organization. We aim to also seek balance across other diversity dimensions.

People in WorldFish are treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnicity/race, national or social origin, disability, religion, political affiliation, age, family size, marital status or any other form of personal identity.