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 working with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to test the impact of personalized adaptive learning platform 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. Based in Vijaywada, the Senior Research Associate would lead research implementation efforts for DIL’s evaluation of a Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) program in Andhra Pradesh.

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.
  • Collect, record, and analyze data from field activities.
  • Maintain good relationships with partner organizations.
  • Conduct literature reviews.
  • Participate and assist in writing reports and manuscripts related to research performed.
  • Ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
  • Mentor and oversee the work being performed by research support personnel.
  • Transcribe and code data; develop data collection instruments.
  • Present research findings at staff meetings, seminars, and scientific conferences.
  • Assist with building databases.
  • Recruit and schedule research participants.
  • Technical and administrative support for research projects.
  • Provide new research associates and research support staff programmatic guidance during the onboarding process.
  • Conducting other related tasks, as directed.

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.

Competencies

  • Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills.
  • Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player.
  • Strong 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, and SurveyCTO is preferred.
  • Fluency in both English required. Proficiency in Telugu required.

 Working Conditions

  • Positions is based in Vijayawada.
  • Possible travel to the United States
  • Candidate must be flexible and able to travel extensively across India as per the requirement of their assignments.
Applicant must be legally authorized to work in India.

Application Documents

  • Resume/CV (required)
  • Cover Letter (required)
  • References Contact Information (3 required)
The anticipated start date for this position is October 2024. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Priority deadline for this role is October 8th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Apply Online