Research Associate - Women in Leadership in Economics (WiL) - Inclusion Economics India Centre

About Us:

Inclusion Economics India Centre (IEIC) is an initiative affiliated with Inclusion Economics at Yale University (YIE), founded and based out of the Yale Economic Growth Center and Yale MacMillan Center. IEIC is based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) Society. IEIC and YIE are both a part of the broader Inclusion Economics network.

Inclusion Economics’ vision is a world where research and dialogue ensure economic justice, social opportunity and environmental protection. 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 Investigator Team:

• Subarna Banerjee, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Inclusion Economics India Centre
• Charity Troyer Moore, Ohio State University and Scientific Director, Inclusion Economics India Centre
• Rohini Pande, Yale University and Faculty Director, Inclusion Economics
• Simone Schaner, University of Southern California and Scientific Director, Inclusion Economics (Gender)

Role:

We are looking for a Research Associate to support quantitative and qualitative research, data initiatives, and monitoring, learning and evaluation (MLE) for the Women in Leadership in Economics (WiL) initiative at the Inclusion Economics India Centre (IEIC). WiL seeks to understand and advance women's representation in leadership in economics and public policy in India, in collaboration with Inclusion Economics at Yale University (YIE).

This is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in a career as an applied economics researcher. The position requires a self-starting candidate who enjoys working directly with academics, policymakers, and institutional partners on cutting-edge, policy-relevant research.

Responsibilities:

• You will work closely with the WiL Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research Managers, and Scientific Directors, and perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:
• Supporting quantitative research and data work for WiL, including designing and piloting survey instruments to measure women's representation in Indian economics, and building sampling frames through collaboration with academic institutions and professional networks
• Supporting qualitative research work, including designing and implementing FGDs, Informant Interviews to gather in-depth insights on participant experiences, perceptions and program outcomes
• Supporting data collection efforts through web scraping, including identifying relevant sources, developing and maintaining scraping workflows, and ensuring the quality and reliability of extracted data.
• Collecting, cleaning and analysing administrative data from institutional partners and primary data from institutions
• Developing baseline indicators and data collection frameworks to track gender gaps, track the progress and assess the impact of programmatic interventions
• Contributing to policy briefs, research summaries, and other written outputs in support of WiL's research and advocacy goals
• Others, as required

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in economics, public policy, social sciences, or related fields
• Fluency and excellent communication skills (verbal and written) in English and Hindi
• Understanding of causal evaluation methods and familiarity with randomised controlled trials
• Strong potential in setting up and executing primary data collection
• Proven analytical and quantitative skills, and proficiency in Stata
• Proficiency in web scraping in Python or R
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent management and organisational skills
• Flexible, self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player
• Ability to work independently

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or above in economics or a related field
• Interest in gender economics and women's economic empowerment
• Experience working with large datasets and primary data collection (e.g., surveys, RCTs)
• Proficiency in Survey CTO or ODK
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including academic institutions, policy partners, and donors.