Research Associate (Rolling) - Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR

Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab; India; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab India Centre invites applications for Research Associate roles on a rolling basis to support field-based research on gender, governance and environment in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, India. The Associate will provide oversight from the hub office and interact with policy partners.

This position suits those aiming for a policy-engaged research career, with opportunities to influence research agendas and inform government policy priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in economics or related fields.
• Fluent in English and Hindi with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Stata.
• Experience in data collection and fieldwork is a plus.
• Interest in public policy and economic development in low-income countries.
• Ability to balance multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day field-based research activities, including surveying, data collection, budgeting, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with IRB and field safety protocols for data activities.
• Design and test survey instruments and manage procurement, staffing, and partner coordination.
• Collect administrative data from policy partners and government agencies.
• Conduct data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis across multiple data sources.
• Review academic literature and contribute to policy briefs and reports.
• Manage relationships with government officials, academics, NGOs, and partners.
• Support project management with budgets and progress reports.

Skills

Analytical skills

Data collection

English

Hindi

Stata

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in economics, social sciences, political science, public policy, or related fields

Tools

Stata

Microsoft Office

Job description

Research Associate (Rolling) - Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR

Drawing upon economics, political science, and related fields, we conduct cutting-edge research to understand how policy can promote inclusive, accountable economies and societies. Our core research focuses on gender as it relates to labour economics and broader economic empowerment; political economy and governance; and environmental economics. We also aim to build a culture of evidence and increase data literacy in the public sector, strengthening leaders’ ability to identify and implement evidence-informed policies. Throughout the research life cycle, we engage closely with policy counterparts to ensure we address questions of immediate relevance, and we regularly communicate data-driven insights with policy counterparts and the general public.

The role

We are hiring Research Associates to support a portfolio of several field-based research projects on gender, governance, and environment in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, India. The Research Associate will provide support and oversight for these projects from the hub office where the study is located.

It is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in a career in policy engaged research, whether in university or a research/policy think tank. This position requires a self-starting candidate, who enjoys working on cutting edge research that informs policy. The candidate will have a unique opportunity to drive efforts to ensure that government policy priorities inform research agenda and vice versa.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day implementation of field-based research (scoping, surveying, project implementation), including the management of field personnel, procurement, budgets, and reporting for the project
• Support research professors in ensuring all field and data activities are in compliance with IRB and field safety protocols
• Assist in the design and field-testing of survey instruments (paper and digital) and develop and implement appropriate structures and systems for a larger randomized intervention, including the procurement of supplies; development and oversight of field and quality control protocols; recruitment, training, and leading of field staff; and coordination with local partners
• Seek out and collect administrative data from policy partners and government agencies
• Conduct data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis using multiple primary and secondary data sources for several Inclusion Economics India Centre-affiliated policy research projects
• Review and report on academic literature of requested topics in support of policy briefs and research projects
• Contribute to analysis and writing of policy briefs for various government partners and case studies on Inclusion Economics India Centre project components
• Manage day-to-day relationships with national, state, and district/block/gram panchayat government officials and other potential partners (academics, policy organizations, NGOs, etc.) as requested
• Provide appropriate inputs for project management (budgets, reports, etc.) for Inclusion Economics India Centre and for program monitoring and reporting to the management hub at Yale
• Others, as required
• A Bachelor's/Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, political science, public policy, or related fields
• Fluency and excellent communication skills (verbal and written) in English and Hindi
• Strong potential/familiarity in setting up primary data collection
• Proven analytical skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Stata
• Data collection experience is a plus
• Interest in public policy and economic development in low-income countries
• Mature, self-directed individual with ability to balance multiple tasks and prioritize effectively to meet deadlines in a fast-paced working environment
• Interest in working with government policy partners
• Demonstrate commitment to uphold Inclusion Economics’ organisational values.

Who should apply for rolling positions:

We are always looking for great candidates and understand that some of the fixed start dates in our positions may not work for you! Please check out the positions with specific start dates on our website. But if none of those start dates work for you, we strongly encourage you to apply for the positions we are hiring for on a rolling basis. For rolling positions, the start date is flexible. If you are looking to apply at a future date, we strongly encourage you to apply for it now and indicate your preferred start date in the application form. Candidates who will be completing their Bachelors/Master’s degree in 2025 and are available to join in the summer or later in the year can also apply.