Associate Researcher

**Job Information**:
Industry
- Research & DevelopmentSalary
- ₹7.5L - ₹9L per annumCity
- GuwahatiState/Province
- AssamCountry
- IndiaZip/Postal Code
- 781001**About us**:
**About CivicDataLab**:
CivicDataLab (CDL) is a private research lab working at the intersection of data, tech, design and social science to strengthen access to public information and improve citizen participation in governance in India. CDL works to harness the potential of open knowledge movements and better enable citizens to engage in matters of public reform.

We work closely with governments, non-profits, think tanks, media houses, universities, and other actors; to grow their data and tech capacity to enable data-driven decision-making at scale.

**Who we are**:
**What We are looking for**:
Our projects in Assam involve regular engagements with the government stakeholders and working with them to promote fiscal transparency through timely machine-readable budget and contract data publication, data standardization, data analysis, enhancing fiscal data literacy, and fostering citizen engagement. The goal is to utilize this data for informed decision-making, improving resource allocation, and enhancing transparency and efficiency in Governance. They should be willing to work from Guwahati and should be willing to travel within Assam and other states in NE.

**Our commitment to diversity**:
**What You’ll be Doing**:

- Enhance CDL’s Public Finance research capabilities and support the team in expanding the stakeholder network, scaling initiatives, fundraising efforts, and seeking collaboration opportunities.
- Build capacity in government agencies for effective utilisation of public finance data for effective decision making.
- Facilitate Public Finance Research training, workshops, and seminars for a variety of stakeholders, including academia, civil society, media, and government agencies.
- Standardise and analyse public finance data (e.g., Budgets, Treasury Spending, Public Procurement Data) from multiple sources. Integrate this with socio-economic data to provide timely, insightful analysis.
- Utilise your analytical expertise to provide data insights and create custom data visualisations.
- Understand and Strengthen existing databases by identifying and bridging data gaps.
- Developing Capacity Building and Training Materials like guidebooks and communication materials to enhance Public Finance data utility. Proactively disseminate public finance research through blogs, research reports, policy recommendations, and open knowledge resources.
- Collaboratively develop strategic roadmaps with various teams to address diverse public finance data needs, contributing to initiatives like Budgets & Spending, Public Procurement (Open Contracting India), Justice Hub, and more. This includes both internal projects and partnership-driven research.
- Contribute to organisational growth through hiring, communications, event management, and operational support, dedicating approximately 10% of your time to these activities.

**Requirements**:
**Skills you should bring**:

- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating a solution-oriented approach.
- Be able to comprehend, understand, analyse and provide insights from Public Finance Datasets such as Budgets (State and Union), Treasury data, Public Procurement, Economic Surveys and Indian Public Finance Statistics among other datasets.
- Capacity for quick, innovative thinking and efficient management of multiple tasks, including ad hoc requests and presentations.
- Preferred experience in engaging with government stakeholders
- A strong ability to create and deliver high-quality presentations is essential
- Adaptability and willingness to learn are essential.
- Must be proficient in Excel / Spreadsheet tools like Google Sheets, LibreOffice and other tools for effective data analysis
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex documents like acts, rules, policies, and budget documents.**Education and Experience**:

- Postgraduate in Economics, Public Policy/Administration, Development Studies, Urban Planning & Governance, or related fields.
- 1-2 years of relevant experience.
- Proficient in English, Assamese, and Hindi with effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with Internet/social media platforms.

**Good To Have**:

- Invested in the cause of open-source, open data and open knowledge for social good
- Keen working in an interdisciplinary team setting
- Proficiency in a programming language for data analysis, like Python or R, is preferred

**Benefits**:
**Why work with us**:
We help you not just define your 'impact' but also work with you towards finding a path to learn, realize and quantify its effect on our ecosystem.

Our past work and experience of working with communities and civic tech, in general, has connected us as a branch to a network of civil society actors and organ