Research Associate - Gender & Governance Portfolio - Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR

Who we are

Inclusion Economics India Centre is a policy-engaged research initiative affiliated with Inclusion Economics at Yale University, founded and based out of the Yale Economic Growth Center and MacMillan Center. Inclusion Economics India Centre is based at and accountable to the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) Society.

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 focuses on gender as it relates to labor economics and broader economic empowerment; political economy and governance; education and environmental economics. Our core research in the Gender and Governance portfolio focuses on understanding how the state, market and society interact with women’s economic opportunities and broader agency.

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, aiming to build a culture of evidence and increase data literacy in the public sector.

The role

We are looking for a Research Associate to support a field-based pilot research study. The study aims to test the feasibility of a statewide randomized controlled trial (RCT) to understand whether and how short-term government employment opportunities can trigger women’s broader labour market engagement and the extent to which including soft skills training and the opportunities to test those skills further improves women’s economic outcomes. The research team is seeking a full-time Research Associate who will (a) work closely with our government partners to execute the pilot study; (b) support with the design and test of soft skills training materials based on qualitative and data insights ; (c) plan, collect, clean and analyze data from individuals enrolled in our study and (d) support refining study design and materials for statewide RCT.

The Research Associate will be based in Shillong, Meghalaya, where the study is located. It is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in a career in academic research, whether at a 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 the 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 Meghalaya. She/he will support high-quality cleaning and rigorous analysis of both primary and secondary data, and work with a team of leading economists and public policy experts from top universities across the world and the Inclusion Economics India Centre. 

Responsibilities

Research Associate works 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
• Seek out and collect administrative data from policy partners and government agencies
• Conduct data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis using 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/village 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
• 2 to 4 years of experience in field research/data collection in international development or related field
• 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 has strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to engage with policy partners of various levels
• Candidate has knowledge of at least one of the local languages: Khasi/Jaintia/Garo
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials.

Principal Investigators for Gender Project

• Simone Schaner, University of Southern California and Inclusion Economics
• Charity Troyer Moore, The Ohio State University and Inclusion Economics.