Satoru Fellowship

If you've ever wanted your skills to make a change in real people's lives, this is your moment.

Satoru Foundation is inviting applications for the
Satoru Fellowship 2025
, a full-time, six-month, on-site program in Hyderabad that blends rigorous community research with day-to-day engagement alongside older adults. Fellows document lived experiences, build datasets that can move policy, and help shape kinder, age-inclusive neighborhoods across the city.

Why this fellowship and why now?

India is ageing rapidly. In our fast-changing cities, older adults carry richly layered stories about health, caregiving, work, loss, resilience, friendship, dignity and hope. Yet these stories often remain unseen in policymaking and practice. The
Satoru Fellowship
was conceived to change that: to
listen closely
,
document carefully
, and
translate evidence into action
. Fellows spend time where life actually happens doorsteps, living rooms, parks, clinics, temples, buses, markets, and municipal offices so that research mirrors reality rather than the other way around. The result is impact that is empirical, empathetic, and immediate.

What the fellowship is

At its core, the Satoru Fellowship is a
field-based research program
that immerses you in the everyday lives of older adults across urban field sites in the Hyderabad metropolitan region. Through interviews, observation, and careful field documentation, fellows examine how ageing unfolds in real time how people navigate family relationships, public spaces, services, and social expectations in a city that seems to move faster each year. The insights gathered help inform
more inclusive policies, programs, and public understanding
of ageing in India.

You won't be doing this alone. The program intentionally
combines fieldwork, community engagement, and applied research
, emphasizing observation, listening, and documentation as core practices that lead to usable knowledge for institutions and communities alike.

What you'll actually do (day to day)

• Work closely with older adults
  to understand routines, social interactions, and the practical realities of daily life.
• Conduct direct fieldwork and meaningful engagements
  in homes, neighborhoods, and community spaces often partnering with organizations and public institutions already serving seniors.
• Observe, listen, and document
  experiences related to health, wellbeing, participation, and care, with sensitivity to diversity and dignity.
• Participating in research training, reflection sessions, and team discussions are
   essential rituals to turn raw field notes into reliable insights.
• Contribute to robust qualitative and quantitative datasets
  that strengthen research and advocacy on ageing.
• Join our flagship project, Aatmeeya Sparsha
  , and also develop a self-directed topic connected to ageing, longevity, or public health.

Think of a week as a cycle: meeting participants; writing up field notes; debriefing with mentors; refining instruments; transcribing and coding; designing small tests or pilots; preparing documentation; and turning observations into clear, community-useful insights.

Where, when, and how you'll work

• Duration:
  6 months, full-time.
• Schedule:
  Approximately
  45 hours per week, Monday–Saturday
  .
• Location:
  Hyderabad
  with daily travel across the metropolitan region for fieldwork;
  training is conducted at our head office
  .
• Stipend:
  (paid position).
• On completion:
  Fellowship certificate
  plus a
  personalized recommendation letter
  .

The work is mobile and urban you'll be comfortable navigating different neighborhoods and public systems, from buses to clinics to community centers as that is how we meet people where they are.

What you'll gain

• Mentored research training
  from start to finish.
• Workspace and software access
  so your fieldwork has a solid technical backbone.
• Access to research literature and resources
  , so you can read deeply and design thoughtfully.
• Opportunities to co-author reports or publications
  where your effort deserves academic or public credit.
• Networking with practitioners and researchers
  in India's NGO and academic communities, plus
  potential collaborations
  with national and international researchers.

Who should apply

We welcome applications from candidates with a
postgraduate degree
across many disciplines: Social Sciences and Humanities, Natural and Behavioural Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences, and allied/interdisciplinary areas related to ageing, health, and society. We also welcome
researchers, grassroots workers, social workers, and community practitioners without a postgraduate degree
if they bring
2–5 years of strong field experience
in our focus areas or regions.
Reading and speaking both Telugu and Hindi is mandatory
.

Required qualities and skills

We're looking for people who are
empathetic, curious, research-driven
, and serious about real-world impact in ageing and longevity. You should bring:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with older adults
• Active listening and observation
• Cultural sensitivity and respect
• Ability to work independently in the field while contributing to teams
• Strong written documentation and analytical ability
• Commitment to
  ethical research practices
• Flexibility in dynamic field settings; time management and self-motivation

Preferred qualifications

• Familiarity with
  Hyderabad/Telangana contexts
  (beyond language), comfort navigating local systems
• Experience with
  marginalized communities
  (especially seniors)
• Experience with
  participatory/community-based research
  and with
  quantitative or qualitative methods
  such as surveys, interviews, interventions/RCTs, or ethnography in urban or rural settings (independent or institutional)

Application timeline and how to apply

• Where to apply:
  Submit your application via our website ).
• Application deadline:
  28 November 2025
• Fellowship start date:
  December 2025

If this work excites you, we encourage you to apply and
become part of our mission.

About Satoru Foundation

Satoru Foundation
is a Hyderabad-based non-profit dedicated to improving societal well-being, with a strong focus on
aging and longevity
. We combine
evidence-based interventions, advocacy, and capacity building
to address challenges such as health risks, limited livelihoods, and low awareness. Our work spans
holistic health
,
research and innovation
,
skill development
, and
awareness campaigns
.