Research Associate or Senior Research Associate

Overview

Role: Research Associate or Senior Research Associate

No of Openings: 1

Faculty Name: Professor Bhavna Rai

Academic Area: Economics and Public Policy

About the Role

We are hiring for one position, which may be offered at the Research Associate (RA) or Senior Research Associate (Senior RA) level, to support an ongoing research and policy collaboration with the Government of Punjab. This is not a conventional desk-based research assistant position, and the role instead sits at the intersection of research and product development. It will suit candidates who enjoy building and improving systems, working across cross-functional teams, and translating ideas into action, be it in government, international development, or tech-driven environments.

The RA/Senior RA will support a portfolio of high-impact projects, from rigorous randomized evaluation to rapid, data-driven decision support, aimed at transforming governance in Punjab. They will be based in Mohali and work directly with officials to follow up on key actions, troubleshoot operational gaps, and ensure timely progress. The successful candidate is motivated, action-oriented, and able to work independently to get things done in complex institutional environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact between co-investigators and government counterpart.
• Track progress on planned activities, identify bottlenecks, and follow up on pending items.
• Coordinate with research, tech, and field teams to ensure smooth project implementation.
• Pull data using SQL and conduct analysis using R/Stata.
• Maintain documentation, meeting notes, and weekly updates to the core team.
• Build trust with partners by consistently delivering on short-term goals and communicating clearly.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics, public policy or a related field.
• 1 to 4 years of relevant work experience, depending on position.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, especially in institutional settings.
• Ability to work independently, follow through on tasks, and solve problems with minimal supervision.
• Comfort working with large datasets.
• Fluency in English and Hindi; knowledge of Punjabi is a plus.
• Prior experience working with government stakeholders is highly desirable.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Fast-moving: Able to make progress and delivers on time.
• Strategic: Can see the bigger picture and identify what will unlock progress.
• People-smart: Builds relationships, earns trust, and gets work done through others.
• Technically savvy: Comfortable with data tools and able to work in short, focused sprints.

Benefits

• High-visibility work directly with senior government officials.
• Compensation is commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Opportunity to take PhD-level courses at ISB.
• Mentorship on grad school applications. Past RAs have gone on to Harvard Kennedy (MPA/ID), UC San Diego (PhD in Economics), and Cornell Dyson (PhD in Applied Economics).

How to Apply

Please complete the application here https://forms.gle/8EsNSR8p5sH2wLJa9

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please let us know if any additional details required.