Senior Research Associate

About the Trust

The University of Chicago Trust (the Trust) is a charitable trust in India, established in 2008 by an alumnus of The University of Chicago. The Trust’s objectives are to provide opportunities for grants to support educational programs, research programs and activities for the betterment of India.

The Development Innovation Lab - India (DIL-India)

DIL-India, based at the Trust in India, is dedicated to using the tools of economics to benefit millions of people. We work across sectors like health, education, agriculture, climate change, road safety, and others. We do so by collaborating with government agencies, firms, and non-profits in India to identify, test, and scale evidence-based solutions.

DIL-India has a fast-growing portfolio of policy relevant research. For example, DIL-India is collaborating with the Ministry of Jal Shakti and other collaborators to identify and test safe water solutions that could be deployed at scale. Our estimates suggest that safe water solutions could save the lives of up to 136,000 children annually in India. DIL-India  is also working with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to test the impact of personalized adaptive learning on student outcomes in secondary schools across the state.

Position Description

The Trust and DIL-India is seeking a full-time Senior Research Associate to collaborate on new and ongoing research in development economics. The Senior Research Associate would lead scoping and research implementation efforts for DIL India’s projects in education, weather forecasting/digital agriculture, safe water and other areas. 

Successful applicants will work closely with Principal Investigators (PIs) and collaborate with Professor Michael Kremer, Nobel laureate and DIL Faculty Director.

The ideal candidate possesses a mix of economics, analytical, interpersonal and communications skills, and is passionate about conducting research in development economics.

Responsibilities

  • Support the design and implementation of experiments under the direction of the PI.
  • Design and refine data collection instruments as well as data collection and monitoring protocols aligned with the research design and desired outcome measurements.
  • Lead data quality assurance efforts for studies
  • Collect, record, and analyze data from field activities.
  • Oversee data management systems, transcribe and code data, conduct consistency and accuracy checks, and ensure data integrity across all field and administrative datasets.
  • Maintain relationships with partner organizations, government departments, and implementation partners to ensure smooth project execution.
  • Conduct literature reviews.
  • Support in writing policy memos, technical reports, and academic manuscripts summarizing research findings.
  • Ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
  • Supervise research support personnel, field staff, and interns; mentor and provide feedback and technical guidance as needed.
  • Present research findings at staff meetings, seminars, and scientific conferences.
  • Recruit and schedule research participants in compliance with ethical standards and study protocols.	
  • Provide technical and administrative support to ongoing and new  research projects.
  • Provide guidance to new research associates and research support staff  and support their onboarding and capacity building.
  • Perform additional related duties assigned by the PI or senior management.

Required Qualifications

Education

  • A master’s degree in economics, Public Policy, Environment Policy or Science or another related field. Will consider a bachelor’s degree in a related field with at least two years of work experience.

 Experience  

  • At least two years of experience, which can be a combination of graduate education and work experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to independently manage components of field research projects, including research design, data management, and analysis.
  • Advanced knowledge of research techniques and methods in relevant scientific fields.

Competencies

  • Excellent management and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to independently lead multiple research activities  
  • Excellent  quantitative skills, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with experience managing and analyzing large datasets.
  • Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, able to mentor junior staff and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
  • Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication, and presentation skills.
  • Advanced knowledge of research techniques and methods in relevant scientific fields.
  • Knowledge of impact evaluations, particularly randomized controlled trials.
  • Excellent data management, cleaning, and analysis skills. Familiarity with Stata/R is required, and experience with SurveyCTO is preferred.
  • Strong demonstrated interest in the development sector.
  • Fluency in both English and Hindi required. Fluency (at least spoken) in Telugu preferred.

 Working Conditions

  • Positions are based in Delhi, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar or other project sites.
  • Candidates must be flexible and able to travel extensively across India as per the requirement of their assignments.
  • Possible travel to the United States

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in India.

Application Documents

  • Resume/CV (required)
  • Cover Letter (required)
  • References Contact Information (3 required)

Apply Online