Research Associate (Environment & Governance Portfolio) – Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR – J-PAL

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of 194 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. J-PAL South Asia, based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research in India, leads J-PAL’s work in the South Asia region. J-PAL South Asia conducts randomized evaluations, builds partnerships for evidence-informed policymaking, and helps partners scale up effective programs. Over more than ten years of existence, J-PAL South Asia has conducted 193 ongoing and completed randomized evaluations.

Who We Are:                                     

Inclusion Economics India Centre at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) is a policy-engaged research initiative that strives to inform and encourage evidence-backed dialogue on economic and social inclusion. Our work in India includes research engagements across multiple states and focuses on some of India’s most challenging problems, ranging from pollution and climate change to women’s economic engagement and engagement with technology, to supporting effective governance and building state capacity.

As a policy-engaged research initiative focused on issues of inclusion, we believe that every life is shaped by institutions, from the family to the economy to the state. Through our work, we ask which policies build institutions that enable economies and societies, where everyone can access economic opportunities.

We believe that inclusion must be intentional and that inclusion occurs when institutions distribute power equitably, rather than in ways that reinforce exclusion and bias. We aim to identify how policy can promote inclusive and accountable institutions, economies and societies and how citizens – including the vulnerable and marginalised – can influence political and economic systems to ensure that they are responsive to their needs, now and in the future.

Inclusion Economics India Centre collaborates with the Inclusion Economics at Yale University team to enable inclusive economies and societies through research and policy engagement.

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 in the Environment & Governance portfolio focuses on understanding how extreme weather affects the well-being of communities and seeks to support effective governance in empowering communities to adapt to risks related to environment and climate change. 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.

We are driven by values of

• Inclusive Opportunity – We study how policies can promote inclusion, and strive to practice this value by creating opportunities for individuals from all walks of life. We collaborate with, and seek to learn from, each other.
• Rigour – We take a rigorous approach to research and the entire research environment – from asking initial questions, to engaging with the right policy counterparts to create impact, to communicating final results.
• Curiosity – We approach problems with open-minded curiosity and consider a wide range of approaches – which we then pursue with discipline and rigor. We innovate, drawing upon other fields and developing new approaches beyond traditional economic tools.
• Integrity – We respect each other and those we work with, uphold ethical standards, are honest, admit our mistakes, and are committed to constant improvement.
• Challenge Accepted Paradigms – Bold research and policy engagement allow us to speak to the challenges of supporting the world’s poor and vulnerable. We are willing to look through new lenses to rethink the status quo.

The Role:

We are looking for a Research Associate to support a field-based research project investigating the impact of a community-based floods early warning system in Bihar on households’ ex-ante adaptation behaviour, and post-flood physical and mental morbidity. Read more about the project here. Specifically, the research team is seeking a full-time Research Associate who will (a) work closely with our on-ground implementation and government partners to execute the research study; (b) train and monitor grassroots volunteers in community outreach techniques and how to view and use Google’s flood forecasting and alert system on Android phones; and (c) plan, collect, clean and analyse data from households enrolled in our panel study. By generating new insights on how best to encourage flood avoidance behaviors over a set of highly-variable flood seasons, the research will offer important lessons for responding to the environmental consequences of climate change.

The Research Associate will be based in Patna where the study is located. It is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in a career in academic 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. The candidate will also conduct in-depth interviews and scoping activities, engage with government stakeholders, manage field activities and coordinate field staff for the execution of primary data collection activities across Bihar. She/he will support high quality cleaning and rigorous analysis of both primary and secondary data. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to join a team of leading economists and public policy experts from top universities across the world, Inclusion Economics India Centre to work on cutting-edge development research and gain first-hand experience working with policy partners, implementing surveys and field experiments, and conducting rigorous data analysis.

Responsibilities:

• Research Associates work closely with Research Managers & Principal Investigators who guide and supervise them in their various tasks and work closely with field staff to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:
• Oversee the day-to-day implementation of field-based research (scoping, surveying, project implementation) – including the management of field personnel, and reporting for the project
• Support research professors in ensuring all field and data activities are in compliance with IRB and field safety protocols
• Identify and manage threats to the research design with support from Research Managers and Principal Investigators
• 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
• 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 project components
• Support the Research Manager to 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
• Others, as required

Basic Qualifications: 

• A Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, public policy, environment 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
• Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills
• Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and team player
• Ability to work independently and in rural field locations

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in economics or related field and experience in Stata/R/Python/QGIS is highly desired
• Candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to engage with policy partners of various levels
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials preferred
• Experience working with large datasets, satellite data etc. strongly preferred.

How to Apply: 

If you are interested in this position, please fill out our Screening Questionnaire; you will be asked to upload a single PDF containing your CV, cover letter, and academic transcripts. Label your file “Last name, First name – Research Associate, Environment_Governance”.

To view other open positions, visit the Inclusion Economics Opportunities page. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, particularly women, people of color and other marginalized communities which have historically been underrepresented in the field of economics.