[Hiring] Principal Researcher – Infrastructure & Systems @Straits Meridian Capital Office

Role Description

We are seeking an infrastructure and systems analyst to support our research on urban networks, energy infrastructure, logistics systems, and the transition to resilient, scalable systems — with primary coverage across East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.

This is a remote, freelance engagement with a competitive monthly retainer and long-term potential. You will work directly with our research team, producing analysis that shapes capital allocation decisions across infrastructure sectors.

What You'll Do — Day to Day

• Urban infrastructure research: Analysing trends in transport, energy, water, and digital networks across your coverage regions — including investment pipelines, policy frameworks, and emerging technologies.
• Policy & regulatory analysis: Assessing policy and regulatory frameworks affecting infrastructure investment — from concession agreements to environmental permitting to tariff structures.
• Project viability assessment: Evaluating infrastructure project fundamentals — counterparty creditworthiness, revenue models, construction risk, and system-level resilience.
• Sector monitoring: Tracking developments in energy transition, grid modernisation, logistics automation, and digital infrastructure deployment.
• Report writing: Producing structured, decision-grade analytical reports — typically 2–4 per month — that translate complex infrastructure data into clear investment implications.

The work is independent but not isolated. You will have access to our research team for discussion, review, and debate. You will be expected to bring your own hypotheses, defend them with evidence, and revise them when the facts change.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of infrastructure economics, project finance, or urban systems.
• Sector expertise in one or more of: energy (renewables, grid, storage), transport (ports, rail, airports), digital infrastructure (data centres, fibre), or urban systems (water, waste, public transport).
• Ability to interpret policy documents, regulatory frameworks, concession agreements, and infrastructure project data.
• Strong written communication and analytical synthesis skills.
• Regional familiarity with Southeast Asian infrastructure landscapes is a strong plus.

Requirements

• 2+ years in a relevant analytical or research role. Exceptions may be made for exceptional candidates with strong institutional backgrounds.

Preferred Backgrounds

• Infrastructure advisory, project finance, or development finance institutions.
• Government infrastructure, transport, or urban planning agencies.
• Research roles in energy policy, urban systems, or logistics.
• Engineering, economics, or public policy backgrounds with an infrastructure focus.
• Investment research covering infrastructure sectors.

Institutional affinity

• We are especially interested in candidates whose work has been shaped by settings such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GIC, Temasek, BlackRock Infrastructure, Macquarie, or equivalent infrastructure or financial institutions.

Benefits

• Your work directly informs capital deployment.
• Research-driven, not sales-driven.
• Fully remote, flexible arrangement.
• Competitive monthly retainer with long-term engagement potential for the right candidate.
• No micromanagement.

How You'll Be Evaluated

• Analytical rigour — are your arguments well-supported? Do you consider counterarguments? Can you distinguish signal from noise?
• Writing quality — is your analysis clear, structured, and decision-ready?
• Timeliness — do you deliver on schedule? When deadlines are tight, do you prioritise effectively?

How to Apply

Please submit your CV. While not required, we welcome examples of past analytical work — reports, briefings, or assessments — if you have them. Relevant professional insights can also be discussed during the interview process.

We will only consider candidates who meet the core competency requirements. If you are unsure whether you qualify, please read the requirements carefully before applying.