Advertisement for Position of Senior Research Associate / Research Associate (Contractual)
Indian Institute of Management Indore’s ANVESHAN- a Centre of Excellence on WASH and Waste Management
IIM Indore is looking for two change agents committed to India’s ‘Swachhata’ goal to contribute to Anveshan, a Centre of Excellence in WASH, sanitation and waste management. Supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under SBM 2.0(Urban), the CoE has embarked on a transformational journey in building a strong resource pool of public service officials while documenting, creating and scaling knowledge & practice in the urban WASH and waste management sector. Anveshan is working with innovators and researchers to bring forth new dimensions of systemic change amidst the current conventional paradigms. Leveraging the diverse expertise amongst IIM Indore’s faculty and the overall ecosystem, the Centre is designing and delivering on-campus, blended and e-learning modules for government and other sector stakeholders to inspire them to contribute to the wave of transformation. The COE is set to become a model practical ground for training, capacity building and research. It has also been included as a key measure of Ecosystem Strengthening under recently launched National Capacity Building Framework for Garbage Free Cities.
About the Role:
The Senior Research Associate (SRA) / Research Associate (RA) role supports Anveshan in the above work streams and provides an immense opportunity to contribute to ANVESHAN’s multidisciplinary research, consulting, and capacity-building initiatives by supporting research studies, policy analysis, field investigations, project implementation, and stakeholder engagement. The position requires a motivated practitioner-cum-researcher capable of producing high-quality analytical outputs while working closely with the Centre Coordinator, faculty members, project teams, government agencies, and development partners.
Key Responsibilities:
Research & Policy Support:
- Conduct comprehensive literature reviews and background research on Waste Management, WASH, Circular Economy, Urban Governance, Climate Resilience, and Sustainable Development.
- Assist in designing research methodologies, questionnaires, surveys, interview schedules, and data collection tools.
- Collect, clean, validate, and analyse quantitative and qualitative datasets.
- Prepare research reports, policy briefs, technical papers, case studies, and knowledge products.
- Support publication of research articles in journals, conferences, and institutional reports.
Project Implementation:
- Support implementation of research and consultancy projects across multiple states.
- Coordinate project activities with internal teams and external stakeholders.
- Monitor project timelines, deliverables, and documentation.
- Assist in maintaining project records and reporting requirements.
Field Research:
- Plan and undertake field visits for surveys, assessments, and monitoring.
- Coordinate with field investigators and partner organizations.
- Ensure quality assurance during data collection.
- Compile and analyse field observations.
Capacity Building:
- Support the planning and delivery of Management Development Programmes (MDPs), Executive Education Programmes, workshops, and Training of Trainers (ToTs).
- Assist in developing training modules, manuals, presentations, case studies, and learning materials.
- Support development of digital learning resources and e-learning content.
Stakeholder Coordination:
- Coordinate with officials of State Governments, Urban Local Bodies, development agencies, academic institutions, and industry partners.
- Organize meetings, workshops, consultations, and stakeholder interactions.
- Prepare meeting agendas, presentations, minutes, and follow-up reports.
Proposal Development:
- Support preparation of concept notes, Expressions of Interest (EOIs), and technical proposals.
- Assist in developing project budgets and supporting documentation for funding proposals.
Documentation & Reporting:
- Prepare periodic progress reports for funding agencies and institutional stakeholders.
- Develop presentations, dashboards, newsletters, and communication materials.
- Maintain research databases, project documentation, and knowledge repositories.
Qualifications:
Post-Graduate in Environmental Science, Public Policy, Public Health, Development Studies, Urban Planning, Social Sciences, Economics, Management, Sustainability, Data Science, or any other relevant discipline.
Experience
- 10-12 years of relevant experience (for SRA) & 6-8 years (for RA) in research, consulting, policy analysis, monitoring & evaluation.
- Experience in data collection, statistical analysis, report writing, and project coordination.
- Prior experience working with Government agencies, academic institutions, NGOs or international development organizations.
Essential Skills:
- Strong research and analytical skills.
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
- Excellent report writing and documentation skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
- Ability to analyse complex datasets and derive actionable insights.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) & AI tools for documentation.
- Strong organizational, planning, and multitasking skills.
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
Desirable:
- Experience in Waste Management, WASH, Circular Economy, Environmental Sustainability, Urban Development, Climate Change, or Public Policy.
- Experience supporting Government-funded or donor-funded projects.
- Familiarity with Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, or similar flagship programmes.
- Publications, technical reports, or conference papers will be an added advantage.
Personal Attributes:
- High level of professionalism and integrity.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities.
- Attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
- Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
Employment Type: Full-Time (Contractual)
Interested candidate shall send their CV to anveshan@iimidr.ac.in by August 5, 2026.