Job Opportunity for Research Associate – Good Business Lab at Poverty Action Lab

Good Business Lab is an independent, non-profit labor innovation and research company. We use rigorous academic research to prove that worker wellbeing programs have business impacts. Additionally, we develop market-ready, scalable products capable of providing dual benefits to workers and businesses. Our goal is to disrupt the traditional notion of business and show that worker well-being can be a part of core business strategy, or in other words, a good business practice.

The founders of the GBL are Ach Adhvaryu – Professor of Economics, Director of 21st Century India Center, School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego, Anant Ahuja – Head of Organization Development at Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd. (India’s largest Ready Made Garment firm), and Anant Nyshadham – Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. 

Overview:

Projects include but are not limited to looking at the migration experience and mental health of workers and how this is affected by pairing them with experienced workers from their region (through a novel ‘buddy system’), Digital screening and training tool for frontline managers, and unlocking female labor through overcoming mobility barriers.

To ensure the smooth implementation of all projects, we are looking for a Research Associate, details of which are given below.

We are actively looking to host people from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds. If comfortable, please share your social location in relevant fields in this form. Please note that this information will only be accessible to the hiring leads/People Ops (select team members), will be kept confidential, and will in no way act as a detriment to your application.

Qualification & Experience:

(The areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role)

• Masters’ degree in economics/statistics/demography required; Masters preferred
• In-depth knowledge of survey design and quantitative research methods required; knowledge of qualitative research preferred
• Experience working with SurveyCTO, preferred
• Working knowledge of at least one of the following – Stata, Python, R.Ability to work in a team, manage multiple projects and be self-motivated
• Strong communication skills

Roles & Responsibilities:

(Areas that will play to your strength and all the responsibilities we will trust you with)

The Associate will work closely with academic researchers, the research implementation team, and other research staff to help implement various projects. The work would involve developing Research strategies; Sampling methods and design; Data Collection Methods; Data Analysis; Use of Software Packages in Qualitative and Quantitative Research. 

Key responsibilities include (but not limited to):

• Understand the setting, sampling, survey design, measurements for each project
• Designing survey instruments across different projects (Types of questions, framing and sequencing)Ensuring that survey is being conducted properly
• Training enumerators to implement large-scale surveys
• Data collection through different methods (In-depth interviews, FGDs, Vignettes etc.)Conducting validity and reliability of survey instrumentsUnderstanding sources of bias in measurements
• Data processing and analysis
• Report writing
• Working with multiple stakeholders and partners to understand and implement their project-specific surveys
• Work with field teams in developing relevant manuals
• Monitoring data quality and ensuring that problems with data are resolved promptly
• Identifying potential threats to research design, proposing solutions, and escalating as needed to researchers
• Ensuring research and data protocols are upheld. (For instance, ensuring IRB approval before data collection, ensuring coding and analysis protocols are followed)Ensuring project documentation is complete and well maintained
• Coordinating with the administrative and finance teams on a variety of tasks related to payments to study participants and other study related costs
• Length of Commitment: At least 1 year

Location: Bengaluru / Delhi / Rajasthan / Field Based

Remuneration: 8.5-10 lacs p.a. (depending on experience)

Start Date: ASAP

What should you be comfortable with?

• A dynamic environment with competing priorities.
• Working in a team with shared responsibilities.
• Independently coordinating with coworkers to accomplish goals.
• Being resourceful in new environments and scenarios.
• Problem-solving in high-pressure environments. Adapting your approach, being focused on the problem and not being stuck to one idea or way of solving a problem.

Perks of working with us:

There are plenty of benefits at GBL, here are some examples:

• Flexible leave policy: Time away from work can be extremely helpful for maintaining a healthy work/life balance. GBL encourages managers and leadership to set the example by taking time off when needed and ensuring their team members do the same. We don’t have a strict limit on paid leaves, only suggested ( extremely liberal) averages. 
• Flexible working hours: We recognize that a better work-life balance can improve employee motivation, performance, and productivity, and reduce stress. The basis of our norms pertaining to this is a system of trust in each other and our common goals.
• Training and Development: GBL team members can set aside 10% of their work time / around 4 hours a week to improve their skills/knowledge on a subject that they think will help them perform their job better. There is a separate budget set out for this. We encourage all employees to focus both on technical and soft skills. We also facilitate employee mentorship programs.
• GBL Care Systems: As an organization, we are committed to ensuring the well-being of our team members and creating a thriving work environment- because that gives us, together, the best chance at achieving our shared mission and sparking joy at work. We do this by partnering with organizations such The Mindclan, Therapize among others for workshops and other wellbeing-related initiatives. 
• Growth-oriented review policy: To foster collaboration, we have adopted regular reviews and check-ins among team members. We see a manager’s role beyond what is expected from them by conventional management thinkers. Apart from delivering high-quality work, managers are responsible for the holistic development of their team members. This can be achieved through practices inspired by coaching philosophy.

Additional benefits:

• Wellbeing budget: This includes an individual budget for each team member that they can claim reimbursement for things such as therapy, any physical-health related activity and home office setup. Additionally, there’s a separate budget for Managers for care packages or any other team activities. There’s also a budget for our People Operations team to organize team-wide activities or provide mental health services in collaboration with organizations like Therapize and Mindclan.
  Informal virtual and in-person hangs and activities!