Public Policy Fellow - Kerala

CivicDataLab Pvt. Ltd.; Thiruvananthapuram; Hybrid; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

CivicDataLab Pvt. Ltd. is seeking a role focused on engaging government departments, public institutions and civil society to drive policy research and partnerships. You will translate complex policy concepts into accessible language and facilitate stakeholder workshops.

The ideal candidate has a master's in a related field, 1–2 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, and strong communication skills for government interactions. A hybrid work setting and field visits are expected.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Management, Technology or related disciplines.
• 1-2 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, public policy, research, consulting, development sector or related work.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with government and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Engage with government departments, public institutions, universities, civil society and other stakeholders to build relationships.
• Conduct stakeholder, policy and sectoral research and analysis.
• Prepare meeting notes, briefs, presentations and policy recommendations in accessible language.
• Plan and facilitate workshops and stakeholder engagements.
• Identify partnerships, datasets and use cases for collaboration.
• Coordinate with teams to develop roadmaps, guidance materials and capacity building.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Public policy

Research

Communication skills

Data literacy

Policy analysis

Education

Master's degree in Public Policy

Tools

Excel/Google Sheets

Data visualization tools

Python/SQL

Job description

About CivicDataLab

We work at the intersection of data, technology, design and social science to strengthen the data for public good ecosystem and citizen participation in governance. CivicDataLab (CDL) harnesses the potential of open knowledge movements to strengthen the data-for-public-good ecosystem and enable citizens to engage in matters of public reform. We work closely with governments, non‑profits, think‑tanks, media houses and universities to enhance their data and technology capacity to better data‑driven decision‑making at scale.

Please read more about us: https://civicdatalab.in/

Roles and Responsibilities

• Engage with government departments, public institutions, universities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to initiate conversations and build long‑term institutional relationships.

• Conduct stakeholder, policy and sectoral research, including stakeholder mapping, ecosystem assessments, field visits and analysis of relevant institutional and regulatory frameworks.

• Prepare meeting notes, research briefs, presentations, concept notes, policy recommendations and other project documentation, translating complex technical, legal and policy concepts into accessible language.

• Plan and facilitate workshops, consultations, round tables and other stakeholder engagements.

• Understand government priorities and challenges, and identify potential partnerships, datasets, use cases and opportunities for collaboration.

• Coordinate with internal teams and external stakeholders to develop partnerships and support implementation through roadmaps, guidance materials, training resources and capacity‑building activities.

• Contribute to CDL’s research, publications and knowledge products across thematic areas such as data governance, responsible AI, language technologies, climate resilience and digital public infrastructure.

Eligibility Criteria

• Educational Background: Master's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Management, Technology or related disciplines.

• Professional Experience: 1-2 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, public policy, research, consulting, development sector or related work.

• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage confidently and build relationships with government and other stakeholders.

• Language Proficiency: Native or professional proficiency in the relevant state language(s) of the selected location.

• Research Skills: Ability to understand new policy and sectoral areas, conduct research and synthesise information.

• Availability: Willingness to work in a hybrid setting with regular field visits, government meetings and stakeholder engagements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with government datasets, open data platforms or data repositories.

• Familiarity with tools such as Excel/Google Sheets, data visualisation tools, or basic Python/SQL.

• Familiarity with data, AI, digital public infrastructure or technology.

• Prior experience working with state government departments or public institutions.

• Experience in stakeholder consultations, community engagement or partnership development.

• Knowledge of Indian language datasets, corpora, or linguistic resources

• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and their application in multilingual contexts