We are looking for a Senior Associate (Built Environment Specialist) to lead research on Karnataka’s and India’s buildings sector, with a focus on affordable housing and developing scalable low-carbon pathways. The role involves driving systemic transformation through robust scientific approaches—from on-site data collection and digital twin development to life-cycle assessments—and translating research insights into actionable policies through close engagement with government agencies, industry partners, and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead research activities, including data collection, literature reviews, and quantitative analyses, to assess energy demand, thermal comfort, and emissions in the buildings sector.
• Develop and apply life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies to quantify embodied and operational carbon in building prototypes.
• Oversee on-site performance monitoring to establish real-world energy and comfort baselines.
• Synthesise research findings to create scalable models projecting energy use and emissions across affordable housing schemes.
• Track emerging trends in urban and buildings sector policies, construction technologies, and sustainability standards.
• Engage with experts, government stakeholders, contractors, and communities to co-create practical, evidence-based solutions.
• Organise and facilitate stakeholder consultations, workshops, and roundtables to ensure research relevance and policy impact.
• Disseminate research outcomes through technical reports, policy briefs, journal publications, and interactive dashboards.

Qualifications

Master's degree in architecture, urban planning/design, civil engineering, building science, or a related sustainability field, with 5-8 years professional experience in sustainable built environments, building performance analysis, construction materials, and/or policy research.

Skill Set

• Hands-on experience with building energy modelling software and/or life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools, with the ability to apply these for low-carbon building design and analysis.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, fieldwork, and translating technical research into actionable insights for policy and implementation.
• Applied understanding of the buildings sector, including construction materials, energy demand, and thermal comfort principles.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and critical-thinking abilities, with proficiency in technical analysis such as energy modelling, LCA, or data science.
• Experience with data analysis and scripting tools (e.g., Python, R) will be an advantage.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders across government, industry, and academia.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work both independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Familiarity with India’s urban development and affordable housing ecosystem, and awareness of relevant policies and standards.
• Experience or interest in system dynamics, policy modelling, or on-site building performance monitoring will be beneficial.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and standard analytical tools.
• Proficiency in spoken Kannada will be considered an asset.

We are seeking a dynamic, technically strong professional to join the Energy Policy and Regulations team at CSTEP as a Senior Analyst. The role will involve leading and supporting work on electricity demand forecasting, with a strong focus on integrating socio-economic and weather-related drivers of demand. The candidate will also contribute to GHG accounting for DISCOM decarbonisation and city-level net-zero planning. This is a high-impact opportunity to work on policy-relevant research and contribute meaningfully to shaping India’s energy transition.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to research and analytical studies on electricity demand forecasting across national, state, DISCOM, and feeder levels, integrating socio-economic indicators, tariff structures, and weather parameters to develop robust projections.
• Support the development of GHG accounting frameworks for DISCOMs and city-level net-zero planning, including emission baseline estimation, scenario analysis, and decarbonisation pathway assessment.
• Track and analyse distribution sector policies, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies; generate strategic insights through data analytics and quantitative modelling to inform evidence-based policy recommendations.
• Collaborate with state and national stakeholders to co-develop and advance actionable recommendations.
• Prepare policy briefs, technical reports, presentations, and journal articles to effectively communicate research findings.
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to travel within India to engage with stakeholders and support project requirements (travel requirements may vary by project).

Qualifications

Master's degree in a relevant field such as energy economics and sustainable energy.

Skill Set

• Proven experience in electricity demand forecasting, incorporating socio-economic, tariff, and weather drivers across national, state, DISCOM, or feeder levels.
• Strong understanding of the Indian power sector, particularly DISCOM operations and regulatory frameworks.
• Proficiency in data analysis and quantitative modelling, with advanced Excel skills and working knowledge of R and/or Python.
• Knowledge of GHG accounting and decarbonisation approaches for DISCOMs and city-level net-zero planning.
• Familiarity with emerging energy technologies, including EVs, rooftop solar, distributed energy resources, and energy efficiency.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical analysis into clear, policy-relevant insights.
• Ability to support end-to-end project delivery, including proposals, analysis, and reporting.
• Capability to work across technical and policy domains and collaborate effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders.