Job Opportunity for Research Associate at J-PAL South Asia in India

  • India

J-PAL South Asia

**Job Title:** Research Associate – Green Accelerator Program – J-PAL South Asia

 

**Organization:** The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia

 

**Location:** India

 

**About J-PAL:** The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center dedicated to reducing poverty through evidence-based policymaking.  With a network of over 1,000 researchers worldwide, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to address critical poverty-related issues. J-PAL South Asia, based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research in India, focuses on conducting randomized evaluations, fostering partnerships for evidence-informed policy, and scaling up effective programs within the South Asia region.  Over its ten-year history, J-PAL South Asia has undertaken 193 randomized evaluations.

 

**About the Position:**

 

J-PAL South Asia seeks a Research Associate to lead impact evaluations in India. This role provides hands-on field management experience within a cutting-edge development research organization.  The Research Associate will collaborate with leading researchers and gain practical experience implementing randomized controlled trials.

 

**Project Specifics:** This 24-month project evaluates the success and scalability of a green accelerator model.  In collaboration with a prominent NGO, the project will compare different green accelerator models, measuring their economic and environmental impacts on participating firms using a randomized controlled field experiment.  This research will contribute to the understanding of combining multiple interventions within a single business support program.

 

**Roles and Responsibilities:**

 

* Design survey questionnaires, conduct qualitative research, and refine study design and instruments.

* Supervise data collection and entry, ensuring data quality and productivity.

* Oversee evaluation implementation according to the research design, collaborating with partner organizations.

* Maintain relationships with partner organizations at all levels.

* Manage field teams: recruit, train, and supervise project assistants, field managers, surveyors, data entry operators, and other staff.

* Assist with data cleaning, preliminary data analysis, and document/presentation preparation.

* Report to Principal Investigators (PIs) and supervisors on all activities.

* Perform other tasks as assigned.

 

**Desired Qualifications and Experience:**

 

**Required:**

 

* Advanced university degree in economics, environmental science, or public policy.

* 1-2 years of experience in development research (preferred).

* Familiarity with impact evaluations and randomized controlled trials.

* Proficiency in STATA (or R, SPSS).

* Excellent management, organizational, and quantitative skills.

* Fluency in English; conversational Hindi preferred.

* Flexibility, self-motivation, ability to manage multiple tasks, and teamwork skills.

* Willingness to travel extensively.

* Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations.

* Work authorization to work in India.

 

**Preferred:**

 

* Basic understanding of business finance and accounting.

* Basic understanding of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions measurements and environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).

* Understanding of emission sources in industrial and manufacturing processes.

* Ability to contribute, learn, and ideate within a team environment.

* Familiarity with data collection tools like SurveyCTO.

 

**Start Date:** November 4, 2024 (earliest)

 

To apply for this job please visit www.povertyactionlab.org.