Data Senior/Research Associate - Strengthening Data Systems and Analytics under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme - J-PAL South Asia

About the organization

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 affiliated professors at leading universities, J-PAL conducts randomized evaluations to answer critical policy questions and works with governments and partners to scale effective programs.

J-PAL South Asia (J-PAL SA), hosted by the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), has a large portfolio of projects across sectors including energy, environment, finance, governance, health, and agriculture, and works closely with central and state governments in India.

Project description

J-PAL South Asia, in partnership with REC Limited, is implementing a two-year data capacity building and advisory engagement under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

The project aims to strengthen how REC and electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs):

• Improve data quality, validation, and reporting practices
• Develop standardized analytics workflows
• Use high-frequency smart meter data for operational and policy decision-making

The Data Research Associate will be part of the India Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator and will be embedded within REC Limited. The role will focus on supporting training content development, workshop delivery, and knowledge product creation, working closely with the Technical Research Associate and J-PAL team.

Research Associate roles and responsibilities

The Data Research Associate will work closely with the research team, policy and training team and Government stakeholders to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:

Data pipelines, analytics, and smart metering applications

Design and implement analytics use cases using smart metering data (e.g., consumption analysis, load forecasting, AT&C loss tracking)

Build standardized templates, code libraries (SQL/Python/R), and technical guides to support analytics and reporting workflows

Develop and manage data pipelines and validation processes for large administrative datasets, including high-frequency smart metering data

Stakeholder Engagement

Engage with power distribution companies, technical service providers and other partners to understand data systems and operational needs, and translate these into training and analytics priorities

Training & capacity building

Support the development of data quality protocols, reporting frameworks, and documentation for institutional use

Collaborate with the training team in designing coding exercises, case studies, and applied datasets

Desired Qualifications and Experience

• Required
  • Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field
  • Experience working with power distribution companies, working on power sector data is highly desired
  • 2-4 years of relevant work experience
  • Proficiency in SQL for querying datasets
  • Proficiency in Python / R / STATA for data cleaning and
  • Experience with data visualization and presenting insights clearly
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and work collaboratively in a team environment
• Preferred
  • Master’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Engineering, or related disciplines
  • Experience in training, teaching, or content development
  • Prior experience working with government or public sector partners
  • Familiarity with administrative datasets and reporting systems
  • Interest in energy, climate, or public policy

Additional information

Candidates must have work authorization to work in India

Willingness to be based in New Delhi and work in an embedded government setting is required

This role is well-suited for candidates interested in applied data work, capacity building, and public sector engagement