Research Associate – Agroforestry adoption - J-PAL South Asia

About J-PAL South Asia

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) J-PAL was established in 2003 as a research center at the Economics Department at MIT. Since then, it has grown into a global network of researchers who use randomized evaluations to answer critical policy questions in the fight against poverty. J-PAL is propelled by a first-rate team dedicated to research, policy, training, and other vital work, supporting J-PAL's mission to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence.

J-PAL South Asia, based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) in Chennai, leads J-PAL’s efforts to advance evidence-informed policymaking in the region. By conducting rigorous randomized evaluations, forging impactful strategic partnerships, and scaling effective programs, we strive to deliver better evidence to help governments design better policies so people can live better lives. Established in 2007, J-PAL South Asia is the oldest and the largest among all J-PAL offices. We have 255 ongoing and completed evaluations in the South Asia region across 11 sectors to date. We have a growing number of partnerships in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Project description

This project studies how to scale agroforestry adoption among smallholder farmers in India as a strategy to address land degradation, climate vulnerability, and rural poverty. Nearly one-third of India’s land is degraded, and smallholder farmers face significant barriers to investing in climate-friendly land use, including high upfront costs and exposure to market risk. In partnership with a leading organization in this space, the project evaluates innovative, scalable approaches that lower barriers to agroforestry adoption and reduce farmers’ exposure to downside risk, while maintaining strong environmental additionality. The research examines how different program designs influence farmers’ land-use decisions, long-term investment behaviour, and income trajectories, with the goal of identifying policy-relevant mechanisms that can restore degraded land, increase resilience, and improve livelihoods. The study will be implemented across multiple states in India and will combine household surveys, administrative and market data, and high-resolution remote sensing (including drone- and satellite-based monitoring) to measure land use, tree survival, and environmental outcomes. The project aims to generate rigorous evidence to inform climate-smart agricultural policy and scalable solutions at the intersection of poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability.

About the role

J-PAL South Asia is inviting expressions of interest for upcoming Research Associate (RA) positions across a variety of sectors and geographies. RAs at J-PAL play a central role in managing the implementation of randomized evaluations, working closely with researchers from leading Universities around the world, ensuring that each evaluation is designed and implemented with precision and rigor.

Key responsibilities

The responsibilities of a Research Associate typically include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting researchers in developing and refining study protocols through in-field scoping activities. You will provide contextual and operational insights to help researchers shape experimental protocols that are methodologically rigorous and feasible within the study setting.
• Strengthening measurement validity and reliability by assisting in the development and piloting of survey instruments. You will be responsible for organizing field tests, analyzing pilot data, and integrating structured feedback loops to improve the precision and accuracy of indicators.
• Enable accurate and efficient data capture through the programming of digital surveys and development of end-to-end data workflows. This includes incorporating survey logic, real-time checks, and secure data transmission to ensure clean, analysis-ready datasets.
• Ensuring collection of high-quality primary data—recruiting, training, and managing field teams to collect data that meets rigorous research standards.
• Safeguarding data integrity in consultation with the research team by setting up and maintaining systems for real-time quality monitoring. You will identify issues in incoming data, identify solutions in collaboration with the researchers, and implement corrective measures.
• Preparing analysis-ready datasets by writing reproducible code (in Stata, R, or Python), generating summary statistics, and contributing to the analytical preparation for publications, working closely with researchers.
• Facilitating alignment between research teams and implementation partners to ensure that project implementation aligns with study protocols. You will coordinate timelines, share updates across teams, and help troubleshoot day-to-day challenges while maintaining strong working relationships with external stakeholders.
• Ensuring transparency and reproducibility by developing and maintaining detailed documentation, including codebooks, field protocols, and project logs that align with academic standards and support eventual replication and publication.
• Maintaining strict adherence to J-PAL’s research protocols throughout all stages of the research lifecycle.

What we’re looking for:

• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to addressing operational and analytical challenges
• Ability to manage day-to-day work with minimal supervision
• Excellent time management and attention to detail
• Ability to navigate fast-evolving settings that require flexibility and initiative
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for diverse audiences.

Required knowledge and skills

• A Bachelor's/Master’s degree in economics, sociology, social sciences, public policy, public health or related fields.
• Sound understanding of impact evaluation methods, especially randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Proficiency in data analysis and statistical tools such as Stata or R
• Experience with digital data collection platforms such as SurveyCTO or Qualtrics
• Fluency in English; speaking proficiency in Hindi; proficiency in Marathi is a strong asset
• Willingness to travel extensively and stay in field locations around Pune
• Experience working with external stakeholders such as government departments or NGOs is a plus.

Note on work authorizations

Candidates must have work authorization to work in India.

Length of commitment: 12 months and extensions upon performance and funding.

Location: Pune, Maharashtra

PIs: Teevrat Garg (UC San Diego) and Namrata Kala (MIT).