Research Associate – Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR - J-PAL South Asia

Duration: 4 months

Who We Are:        

Inclusion Economics India Centre is an 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, with strategic oversight from Krea University. Inclusion Economics India Centre collaborates with the Yale Inclusion Economics team to enable inclusive economies and societies through research and policy engagement.

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 labour economics and broader economic empowerment; political economy and governance; and environmental economics. We also aim to build a culture of evidence and increase data literacy in the public sector, strengthening leaders’ ability to identify and implement evidence-informed policies. 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.

Principal Investigators:

• Ankush Asri, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
• Viola Asri, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
• Anke Hoeffler, University of Konstanz

The Study:

This project is part of an ongoing research study evaluating the impact of a school-based Career Exploration Program (CEP) on educational and career choices among secondary school students in urban India. The original study covered more than 6,000 Grade 12 students, primarily young women from low-income households attending non-fee-paying schools, and examined how career guidance influences aspirations, skill-building decisions, and transitions into higher education and employment. You can find the two already published papers here (open access):

• Asri, A., Asri, V., & Hoeffler, A. (2025). Unlocking young women’s potential? The impact of a low-cost career guidance program. Journal of Development Economics, 103662.
• Asri, A., & Asri, V. (2026). The leaky pipeline: when career expectations meet social norms. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 246, 107536.

The current phase of the project involves another follow-up phone survey approximately three years after the intervention. The survey will be implemented using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) on SurveyCTO and will collect information on students’ education, training, employment, household responsibilities, career aspirations, and life transitions after secondary school.

The Role:

We are hiring a Research Associate to support field-based research in Delhi, India. It is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in a career in policy-engaged research, whether in 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.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the implementation of CATI-based phone surveys using SurveyCTO.
• Monitor survey progress, respondent tracking, high-frequency data quality checks and daily fieldwork operations.
• Assist with enumerator training, survey testing, and troubleshooting during fieldwork.
• Maintain organised documentation of survey protocols, call records, and research activities.
• Contribute to preliminary data cleaning, analysis, and reporting tasks as needed.
• Support the preparation of research and policy-oriented output
• Interact and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders
• Join calls weekly to update PIs and other team members on the progress of the project - sometimes during non-business hours to accommodate various time zones.
• Others, as required

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's/Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, political science, public policy, or related fields
• Fluency and excellent communication skills (verbal and written) in English and Hindi
• Strong potential/familiarity in setting up primary data collection using SurveyCTO
• Experience working on quantitative research projects, especially phone surveys or CATI operations, is strongly preferred.
• Proven analytical skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Stata
• Data collection experience is a plus
• Interest in public policy and economic development in low-income countries
• Mature, self-directed individual with ability to balance multiple tasks and prioritize effectively to meet deadlines in a fast-paced working environment
• Prior experience supervising or coordinating enumerators is an advantage.