[Hiring] Lead – Research Integrity @WRI India

Role Description

You will help foster a culture of policy research excellence to ensure high quality knowledge products across WRI India that contributes to its mission and goals. You will oversee the peer-review process for products assigned to you and will stand up for quality in a fast-paced and dynamic policy research organization. You will derive satisfaction from helping others succeed. You will also maintain an active interest in research and publishing.

You will mentor research staff, develop and provide research training and ensure ethical research and data practices. You will work closely with the WRI India programs to help connect the dots between problem definition, research design, evidence building and country and program strategies. You will be supported by the rest of the Research Integrity team in India and by colleagues across WRI’s global network. You will report to the Director of Research Integrity, at WRI India.

What you will do:

• Ensure that all WRI India-branded knowledge products meet WRI India’s quality standards and are designed to deliver actionable results (50% of time)
• Work with Global and India RI teams to oversee the peer review process for WRI India knowledge and data products
• Use expert judgement to ensure that all WRI India-branded knowledge products meet WRI India quality standards for research integrity
• Advise on research design (problem definition, questions, methodology), methods, data analysis and interpretation. Offer inputs for effective writing to ensure that the publication is fit for the intended audience and is coherent with other WRI knowledge products
• Assist research staff in identifying external experts who can provide objective, relevant and critical reviews of drafts
• Help implement WRI India’s Human Subject Protection protocols and maintain compliance with laws pertaining to digital personal data
• Foster a strong culture of excellence in learning from implementation and in policy relevant research across the organization, working closely with the WRI India programs and the RI team (20% of time)
• Foster and facilitate research collaborations and partnerships with academia, peer research organizations and external experts to introduce diverse perspectives and new/cutting-edge knowledge on issues of interest and strengthen research outputs
• Nurture a learning culture where constructive criticism and candor are valued, and staff feel empowered to ask questions and discuss failures
• Work with programs to logically connect the dots between problem identification, policy-relevant research, learning and evidence-building and program planning and implementation
• Provide mentoring and support to strengthen WRI India’s capacity to conduct high-quality actionable research (30% of time)
• Identify skills gaps and contribute to the development of RI research training modules to address those gaps
• Participate in hiring of research-related staff
• Review large grants and contribute to research components of fundraising proposals
• Continue joint or independent research and writing

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a social or natural sciences discipline relevant to environment and development or in fields such as environmental planning, public policy, or management. Inter-disciplinary graduate training in both natural and social sciences is a plus.
• 10-12 years of post-undergraduate experience (this includes time spent pursuing your Ph.D.) conducting policy-relevant research related to environment and development and at least 5+ years in teaching and overseeing junior researchers.
• Strong analytical skills, inter-disciplinary training, preferably at the master’s level, and a commitment to policy-relevant research and communication.
• Demonstrated interest in sustainable and equitable development, with experience in any one or more of the three human systems (viz., Food-land-water; Energy; Cities) and three enabling systems (Finance, Economics, and Governance) across which WRI India’s work is organized.
• Demonstrated knowledge and curiosity about research design and methodology, experience in research methods (quantitative and/or qualitative), and experience with inter-disciplinary policy relevant research.
• Experience publishing in high-quality international journals or other peer-reviewed venues. And experience reviewing for international journals or other peer-reviewed outlets.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to mentor, advise and support research teams with different levels of research experience, to give constructive feedback and to clearly explain reasons behind decisions.
• A strong understanding of critical environmental and development challenges in India, a natural curiosity and interest in keeping current with the latest research, data and evidence and policies relevant to WRI India’s mission and work.
• Is invited as a speaker on panels and webinars in area of expertise.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.

Location

• Bangalore/ Delhi/ Mumbai/Remote

Salary and Benefits

• INR 25,00,000 to INR 34,00,000 CTC per annum
• Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI India offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Duration

• 1 year (Extendable based on performance and project requirements)

To Apply

• Only Qualified applicants should apply online.
• All applications must be submitted online through this career portal to be formally considered.
• Submission of a cover letter, a CV/resume and a writing sample is required. Final candidates will be invited to review and comment on a sample draft WRI India manuscript.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

People-centric to the core

• We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.
• Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs
• Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member
• Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance
• Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle
• Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job
• Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities
• Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.
• Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability.