Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), New Delhi

Programme Associate – Technology Futures

Terms of Reference

At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. So, if the below description strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you!

At CEEW, we build careers in public policy

• We offer strong visionary leadership – with emphasis on research and impact at scale

• We actively promote leadership by initiative

• We celebrate talent and ambition

• You will be surrounded by smart people who will challenge you and help you grow

• You will learn faster than your peers in other organisations

• Curiosity and irreverence as well as responsibility come together at CEEW

• You will get above-market remuneration

• We provide a safe space for all

• At CEEW, your life is your example for others

Designation offered

Programme Associate

Reporting to

Programme Lead

Location

New Delhi, India

Purpose

Just like other emerging economies, India is undergoing multiple energy transitions. The country is gaining universal access to modern, reliable and affordable energy services on one hand while transitioning to a low-carbon energy mix on the other. The Council’s Energy Transitions team is supporting India’s and emerging economies’ double leapfrog to a clean energy future, albeit in a socially equitable and environmentally responsible manner.

CEEW seeks to hire a suitable candidate for the Programme Associate position to shape the team’s research efforts on accelerating the adoption of the circular economy in clean energy sectors. To achieve this, the candidate will be expected to build expertise on three fronts: technical understanding of recycling technologies and processes for clean energy technologies, market mechanisms to incentivise circularity, and policy and regulations related to circular practices.

The candidate will be expected to travel frequently to recycling clusters, priority states, and research institutions to support the team's research efforts, as well as plan and organise consultations and workshops with diverse stakeholders.

Job Duties and Accountabilities

     Research and research management:

·       Stay abreast of the latest research and developments on recycling technologies for solar modules and batteries, recycling processes in academia and private sector to inform team’s research.

·       Track and analyse the policy and regulatory developments on circularity for clean energy sectors in India and globally to inform team’s strategy.

·       Conceptualise and implement new research to inform circularity narrative for clean energy sectors. Design innovative ideas on technological solutions, policy interventions and market design that can support the ecosystem of battery circularity in India.

·       Independently create different knowledge pieces to disseminate research: blogs, reports, briefs, memos, and opinion pieces.

Programme Assistance:

·       Lead project execution by contributing towards preparing detailed activity plans and timelines, resource planning, stakeholder management, cross-team interactions, and donor engagement.

·       Develop trust-based relationships with key stakeholders, such as recyclers, OEMs and other research organisations and interact regularly to understand the challenges and opportunities in the circularity for clean energy sectors.

·       Contribute to the team’s outreach efforts including organising webinars, roundtable discussions and physical events, as well as representing CEEW at key platforms.

·       Contribute towards consultations and briefings with government, industry and institutional partners.

·       Co-develop the programme and mentor younger colleagues. Work closely with other teams like Technology Futures and Industrial Sustainability.

·       Work with senior researchers on conceptualising new projects (as and when needed) and support revenue generation for new projects.

Desirable Outcomes (first year):

·       Lead at least one research project on circularity in clean energy sectors.

·       Establish at least one new partnership to advance team’s work.

·       Take up at-least one institutional responsibility or actively work on one institutional initiative.

Selection Criteria

·       Masters’ degree in chemical science/engineering, environmental science/policy, or related fields.

·       4-6 years of experience in circular economy, waste management, industrial sustainability, or relevant areas mentioned in the section ‘Purpose’ above

·       Published peer-reviewed publications (reports/journal papers) on the relevant topic.

·       Ability to identify technical and policy issues, interpret data, develop quantitative methods, and identify/ develop creative solutions.

·       Strong written and oral communication skills; Good report writing and strong presentation skills.

Personality

·       Willingness to learn new research and project management skills.

·       Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment.

·       Ability to adapt to new environment and deliver under tight deadlines in a professional environment.

·       Ability to effectively work in a team while being able to independently drive research with minimum assistance, when time demands.

·       Willingness to learn, grow and develop at personal and professional front, at a rapid pace with a steep learning curve.

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks. CEEW is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Compensation

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organizations for similar roles.