[Hiring] Remote Sensing Analyst @GiveDirectly

Role Description

GiveDirectly is launching an exploratory research initiative to understand the market-level economic effects of cash transfers—moving beyond household impacts to measure how cash circulation affects local markets, prices, firm dynamics, and economic activity. To advance this ambitious research agenda, we're seeking a Remote Sensing Analyst to lead a three-month pilot project that will test whether satellite imagery and geospatial analysis can serve as cost-effective, scalable proxies for measuring market transformation in cash transfer contexts.

You will work closely with our research team to design and implement a feasibility study using satellite imagery, telecom data, and geospatial analysis tools to track agricultural patterns, infrastructure changes, and population movement as indicators of market-level economic effects. This is a rare opportunity to help pioneer a novel methodology for development research in-house at an implementing organization—one that could unlock new ways to measure economic multiplier effects and structural transformation in low-income settings. You'll own the technical execution of the pilot, from sourcing imagery and developing analysis scripts to documenting findings and recommending next steps for the potentially larger application of these methods.

Qualifications

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of core competencies: intellectual humility, problem-solving, project management, follow-through, and attention to practical constraints.
• Strong geospatial and remote sensing expertise: Demonstrated experience with satellite imagery analysis, GIS platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS), and geospatial data interpretation.
• Technical programming skills: Proficiency in Python, R, or similar languages for geospatial data processing and analysis.
• Hypothesis-driven thinking: Ability to translate economic and social research questions into technical geospatial proxies.
• Resourcefulness with data: Experience sourcing, evaluating, and working with open-source or cost-effective data sources.
• Clear communication: Ability to explain technical findings to non-specialists; strong documentation practices.

Requirements

• Lead geospatial analysis design: Work with the GiveDirectly research team to translate research hypotheses about market effects into testable geospatial proxies.
• Source and evaluate imagery options: Identify, assess, and procure satellite imagery or telecom data from various sources.
• Conduct exploratory analysis, and interpret findings: Execute spatial analysis on smaller samples of pilot data.
• Develop repeatable analysis scripts: Build reproducible, well-documented code for automated detection and quantification of changes over time.
• Document and communicate: Create clear technical documentation, methodology notes, and findings summaries suitable for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Benefits

• Estimated total compensation for this 3-month contract: To be determined based on candidate experience and geographic location.
• Competitive, equitable compensation for contract roles.

Company Description

GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. We believe cash transfers are one of the most scalable, cost-effective, and dignified forms of aid, with the research to back it up. Our work has been covered by The Economist, NPR, TED, and The Washington Post. We are one of Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2026. Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical. We support high ownership and real professional growth.