Position Summary: Economist/Sr. Economist
As the demand for CEGIS’s offerings is growing, we aim to hire multiple Economists to join the “Economics and Statistics Unit” (ESU) at CEGIS to conduct economic analysis focused on state-level policy issues in India. In this pivotal role, you will be at the forefront of driving analytical work and conducting impactful research on policies and programmes that can boost the effectiveness of thousands of crores of public spending, and thereby improve the translation of public expenditure into development outcomes for millions of people.
You will work closely with a diverse team of analysts and economists in close collaboration with senior government officials and with technical guidance and inputs from Prof. Karthik Muralidharan (and other faculty members as appropriate).
As a CEGIS Economist, key responsibilities will include (but not be limited to): (a) conducting original research and technical analysis to evaluate new proposed expenditure items - we are interested in both causal inference and predictive analytics; (b) conducting economic analysis of government policies and programs and evaluating key programs; (c) staying abreast of and summarizing relevant research for answering policy questions; (d) knowing and understanding major datasets on the Indian economy, and helping to merge and manage these datasets to enable rapid policy-relevant analysis, (e) identifying and liaising with academic and other researchers to obtain expert inputs into policy decisions, and (f) mentoring and coaching teams of analysts with undergraduate and master’s degrees. This position offers an exciting opportunity to apply your analytical skills and communicate impactful ideas, making a tangible impact on governance and public policy in India.
Role and Responsibilities
1. Economic Research and Technical Analysis
- Conduct comprehensive economic research and analysis on various policy and programmatic issues relevant to state governments.
- Review and synthesize research literature to inform policy and intervention design
- Develop data-driven insights and recommendations to support effective policy implementation and governance reforms.
- Provide technical leadership and inputs to CEGIS field projects, including sampling design, data analytical frameworks, and analytical tools.
- Coordinate internal reviews, offer substantive advice on economic rationale and quality of economic analysis in CEGIS’s strategies, programs, and projects.
- Curate and update datasets (international, national, and state) for rapid analysis.
2. Policy Development and Collaboration
- Engage with senior government officials to identify research, analysis, and knowledge gaps that can be filled by CEGIS
- Engage with a range of stakeholders, including government officials, researchers, and think-tanks, to foster effective policy dialogues and knowledge sharing across Indian states, and beyond.
- Support CEGIS teams and projects in developing and implementing evidence-based policy solutions, providing critical economic insights and analyses.
- Translate economic research findings into practical policy ideas and reforms that can be presented to state governments for consideration.
3. Knowledge Creation and Dissemination
- Draft high-quality notes, reports, policy briefs, and academic papers, applying economic concepts and analytical methods effectively.
- Create and present accessible content to communicate complex economic findings and insights to both academic and non-academic audiences.
- Serve as a liaison between CEGIS projects and external academic and technical experts, ensuring the relevance and rigor of economic analysis.
- Contribute to and oversee the production, quality control, and dissemination of diverse knowledge outputs, including academic publications.
- Engage with media, public forums, and academic conferences to promote discourse on key economic issues and share CEGIS’s research contributions.
Education & Skills
- Ph.D. in Economics, Public Policy, Applied Statistics/Data Science, or a related field is strongly preferred (‘Ph.D and 0-6 years’ experience will be considered for an Economist position, and 6-12 years would be evaluated for a Sr Economist position)
- Proficiency in data science methods such as predictive modeling (building, comparing, and tuning predictive models; cross-validation and out of sample evaluations; updating models over time); management and manipulation of large scale datasets; and some CEGIS domain-specific ML skills (small-area estimation and forecasting; risk scoring and early warning systems will be greatly valued
- Familiarity with major research datasets covering India and experience in compiling and using complex datasets.
- Strong writing and communication skills in English; fluency in other Indian languages, especially Hindi, is a plus.
Experience
- Applied research and policy at any level, with a focus on public finance, budget analysis, and program-level analysis.
- Cutting edge data analytics for decision making; conducting rapid A/B tests with iterative experimental designs will be a plus
- Writing high-quality policy briefs, research papers, and notes.
- Exposure to project design and implementation, particularly in collaboration with government officials or large-scale projects, is advantageous.
- Demonstrated interest in government functioning improvement and using research, data analytics, and evidence to inform policy.
Personal Characteristics and Desired Qualities
- Strong quantitative, analytical, and conceptual skills in economics.
- Creative thinking, willingness to experiment with new ideas, and ability to translate ideas into action plans and execute them.
- Intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous learning.
- Passion for working with governments to enhance state effectiveness.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders and build consensus.
- Excellent people management skills and ability to motivate and lead teams.
- Adaptability to work independently and as part of a small, dynamic team.
Location and Compensation
- The location of the role will be based out of any of: Delhi/Chennai/Hyderabad/Bengaluru/Mumbai/Raipur/Lucknow/Chandigarh/ Bhubaneswar.
- Remuneration will be highly competitive with Indian academic, and think tank pay scales and will depend on the candidate’s experience levels.
