Southeast Asia Research Facilitator

Job title: Southeast Asia Research Facilitator

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Salary: RM 8,500 - RM 10,700 + statutory benefits

Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Contract Type: Fixed-term contract for 9 months, with possibility of extension subject to funding

Reporting to: RLRH Southeast Asia Programme Manager

Closing Date: 12 August 2026, midday (MYT)

Sponsorship: No relocation sponsorship available

Start Date: 14 September 2026 (desired) but flexible

About the Refugee Led Research Hub: 

The Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) supports individuals with lived experience of displacement to become leaders in fields related to human rights, forced migration, humanitarian response and development, politics, law, and other areas. We do so by delivering academic and professional development programmes to a global cohort of learners affected by displacement—including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), stateless persons, and others—supporting access to graduate education and meaningful career opportunities. RLRH also creates opportunities for researchers with displacement backgrounds to lead primary and secondary research from inception to completion.

RLRH's team is deeply committed to advancing refugee leadership, with the majority of colleagues having lived experience of displacement. Our global network of staff, researchers, students, and affiliates comprises more than 1,400 individuals across 80+ countries. Since our establishment in Nairobi in 2020, RLRH has expanded to six active offices, including the University of Oxford, Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kampala (Uganda), and the Oxfordshire community (UK).

The role

As RLRH enters an exciting phase of organizational growth, expanding its global research portfolio and regional presence, it is launching a two-year pilot initiative in Malaysia to strengthen refugee-led research across Southeast Asia. Delivered in partnership with Ideas International School, the pilot represents an important opportunity to build locally grounded research leadership among refugee communities, generate high-quality research that informs humanitarian policy and practice, strengthen regional partnerships, and produce learning that can guide RLRH's future regional expansion.

The RLRH Southeast Asia Research Facilitator will play a key role in delivering this vision by supporting the planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of research and capacity-strengthening activities across the pilot. Working closely with the RLRH Southeast Asia Programme Manager, the Senior Research Facilitator, researchers, affiliates, and partner organisations, the post-holder will provide mentorship and technical guidance to refugee researchers, facilitate research methods and research ethics training, support the delivery of high-quality research projects, and contribute to the development of research resources, learning activities, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

The post-holder will also contribute to strengthening research quality, embedding ethical and inclusive research practice, capturing learning from the pilot, and supporting evidence-informed programme development. Through collaboration with colleagues across RLRH's Research, Academic, Professional Pathways, and Operations & Strategy Pillars, the Research Facilitator will help ensure research activities align with RLRH's mission, organisational values, and strategic objectives while contributing to a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and refugee leadership.

Responsibilities: 

Research Skills Development, Mentorship, Facilitation and Quality Assurance (45%)

1. Provide high-quality written and verbal guidance throughout the full research lifecycle, supporting refugee researchers of diverse experience levels from project inception through dissemination. 


2. Foster a culture of learning, collaboration and continuous improvement by mentoring colleagues and supporting their development as early-career researchers. 


3. Support the development, quality assurance and finalisation of research outputs, including editing, copy-editing, formatting, referencing and visual presentation. 


4. Coordinate work planning activities, monitor progress against agreed timelines, and support colleagues to deliver research outputs to a high standard. 


5. Plan, coordinate and deliver high-quality in-person and virtual training on research methods, research ethics and related research skills. 


6. Coordinate and support research ethics approval processes, ensuring compliance with organisational and partner requirements. 


7. Contribute to the design, continuous improvement and delivery of research curricula, facilitation materials and learning resources. 


8. Contribute to setting RLRH’s research agenda and developing proposals related to topics such as, but not limited to, issues of socioeconomic inclusion and social cohesion. 


9. Support researchers in developing realistic fieldwork plans, dissemination activities, budgets and resource requirements. 

Strategic Programme Development and Cross-Pillar Collaboration (20%)

1. Contribute to the recruitment, onboarding and integration of new research colleagues where appropriate. 


2. Support the continuous development and scaling of the research traineeship programme in line with RLRH's strategic priorities.  


3. Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Research, Academic, Professional Pathways and Operations & Strategy Pillars to strengthen programme quality, organisational learning and consistency of research practice. 


4. Deliver or co-deliver learning seminars related to pre-existing self-paced refugee studies course, delivering selected components and facilitating sessions  

Research dissemination and Knowledge Sharing (20%)

1. Support the planning, coordination and implementation of dissemination strategies that maximise the reach and impact of research outputs. This can include supporting the development of tools, policy briefs, forums, and more. 


2. Support researchers in translating research findings into accessible knowledge products, including policy briefs, blogs, presentations and digital communications.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Continuous Improvement (15%)

1. Coordinate or support the development of monitoring, evaluation, and learning tools and plans related to research outputs 


2. Capture, document and share learning from the Southeast Asia pilot to strengthen organisational knowledge, support evidence-informed programme development and inform future regional expansion.


3. Contribute to the development and maintenance of research templates, guidance documents, facilitation resources and other knowledge management tools that strengthen consistency and quality across RLRH's research activities.


4. Identify opportunities to improve research processes


5. Contribute to the continuous improvement of research training


6. Strengthen research resources and documentation


7. Support the development of reusable tools and guidance

Selection Criteria

Essential Selection Criteria

• A master’s degree or equivalent in international development, refugee studies, international relations, education, or a relevant field in Social Sciences or Humanities. 


• Demonstrated experience applying qualitative research methods within academic or professional settings. 


• Demonstrated experience applying basic quantitative research methods.


• Demonstrated experience conducting research on displacement-related issues, including refugee livelihoods, education, leadership, or related fields.


• Demonstrated ability to facilitate learning and build the research capacity of colleagues from diverse backgrounds. 


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing reports, research outputs and learning materials.  


• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, with experience working across diverse teams with empathy and sensitivity. 


• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work independently and collaborate effectively across multicultural teams. 


• Commitment to refugee leadership, equity, inclusion and ethical research practice. 


• Spoken and written proficiency in Bahasa Melayu/Malay 

Desirable Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated experience applying qualitative research methods in academic or professional settings. 


• Demonstrated experience in project coordination and management, with excellent organisational skills. 


• Experience writing research proposals to private and public donors and institutions.


• Published writing (academic or grey literature). 


• Proficiency in data visualisation.


• Experience in content development for websites and social media (Twitter)


• Experience in disseminating research findings through presentations, events and stakeholder engagement.


• Contextual knowledge on refugee issues in Malaysia or Southeast Asia


• Expertise or specialised knowledge in selected sub-fields related to forced migration: children, health, disability, social cohesion or conflict 


• Experience or skills in conducting or facilitating training and workshops in writing and research 

We believe that lived experience of displacement is a strength, and we give active, positive consideration to those with intersecting identities and backgrounds as part of our commitment to equitable hiring practices. As such, RLRH encourages applications from individuals who have been affected by displacement and others who may belong to historically under-represented groups, including but not limited to those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQI+, women, and differently-abled candidates. 

How to Apply 

To apply, please complete the online application form. As part of the form, you will be asked to:

• Upload your CV in PDF format (maximum 2 pages)


• Upload one academic or research writing sample relevant to the position in PDF format (2,000 words maximum each, excerpts welcome, and from work that you independently authored).


• Upload cover letter in PDF format that includes, at a minimum, the following points:

1. 
   
   
   
   1. One paragraph describing your academic and professional background.
   
   
   2. One to two paragraphs describing your research skills and examples of projects where you have used them. 
   
   
   3. One paragraph explaining why you are well-suited to support others in conducting research.
   
   
   4. One paragraph describing past experiences working independently, in cross-cultural contexts, and in a dynamic team environment.
   
   
   
   

• Provide details of two references (Name, email, organisation and relationship to the candidate)


• Complete a short set of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) questions. Your answers to the following questions are entirely optional. This information will not be used as selection criteria. If you'd rather not share this information, feel free to select "Prefer not to say". 

We are committed to ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to apply and be considered for any role, and our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you would like to request an adjustment (including requests for alternative formats) to our process, please contact our team at [email protected]

Evaluation of Candidates

When reviewing candidates, the selection committee will then check how your application materials demonstrate evidence of the essential competencies, commitment to RLRH’s values of uplifting refugee leadership, learning, and inclusive practices, and other intersectional lived experiences and identities which are present within a candidate’s personal and professional contexts. Desirable skills and experience are also reviewed. 

We are reviewing applications and extending interviews on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as early as possible. If you have any questions about the role, please contact: [email protected]

Use of AI
In line with RLRH’s AI Use policy, we kindly ask that you do not use generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) to draft or edit your responses. Applicants may use limited AI to improve grammar or formatting, however, the use of AI to generate complete cover letters, answer specific application questions, or create other responses/presentations is prohibited. RLRH is evaluating your personal skills, thought process, and original communication style. RLRH values your unique voice and authentic experiences over purely generated content.