Jacob is a research and evaluation expert with over 15 years of experience providing technical oversight and leadership to international development projects in research, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). Jacob has led, conducted, and authored/co-authored over 50 publications and reports across a range of sectors including democracy and governance, health, basic and higher education, economic growth, infrastructure, and agriculture.

Jacob is well-versed in the full range of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools and approaches, including quasi-experimental designs, quantitative and qualitative methods, complexity-aware monitoring, political economy analysis, and collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA) practices. Jacob has regional experience in East Africa and the Great Lakes Region since 2009 (Tanzania and Uganda), Latin America since 2004 (Colombia and Honduras), and South Asia since 2006 (Pakistan and India).

Since 2017, Jacob has served as a Senior Research Scientist and Evaluation Advisor for USAID Tanzania’s Data for Development Activity. In this role, Jacob has led, co-authored and advised 29 evaluations and/or assessments focused on democracy and governance (DRG), youth, gender, health, WASH, education and economic growth. He has also provided training and technical assistance (TA) in research methods, monitoring, evaluation design, quality assurance, and CLA to Tanzania Mission staff, implementing partners, local organizations, and government civil servants in Tanzania and Washington. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Party for USAID’s Monitoring and Evaluation for Collaborative Learning Activity in Honduras, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist for USAID PPL/LEARN, and as Evaluation Technical Advisor for the USAID M&E Program in Pakistan.