The Research Consultant will be involved in the project ‘Odisha Climate Support Unit nested within the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha’, to promote Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for a resilient Odisha. The Consultant will lead and support value chain and cost–benefit assessments of agricultural practices promoted through the project. The role will involve working closely with project teams and stakeholders in Odisha to map value chains, estimate costs and benefits of intervention across actors, and assess economic viability and scalability potential.

About the Project

The project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of agriculture systems in Odisha by identifying, prioritising, and scaling context-specific CSA practices. As part of the second phase of this initiative, we are undertaking a Value Chain Analysis and/or Cost–Benefit Analysis of selected CSA interventions to inform government uptake and investment decisions.

Responsibilities

• Conduct value chain analysis or cost–benefit analysis of selected CSA practices/interventions.
• Engage with Farmer Producer Organisations, Self-Help Groups, Civil Society Organisations, line departments, and private sector actors to collect primary data.
• Collate and analyse secondary data from existing literature, government schemes, and databases.
• Estimate costs, savings, and benefits to farmers, government, and private partners.
• Identify constraints, bottlenecks, and policy or institutional gaps along the value chain.
• Liaise with field teams and government partners to validate findings and co-develop recommendations.
• Prepare research outputs: policy briefs and presentations on stakeholder uptake.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, Rural Management, Agribusiness, Public Policy, or related fields
• PhD in a related discipline with demonstrated expertise in value chain or economic analysis in agriculture, with at least 2 years of relevant work experience

Skill Set

• Proven experience in conducting empirical research, preferably in agriculture or natural resource sectors.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in undertaking Value Chain Analysis / Cost–Benefit Analysis
• Proficiency in Excel or R for analysis is a plus.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, especially in rural/agricultural settings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with Odisha’s agricultural context is an advantage.

Duration

8 months

We’re seeking a technically grounded and impact-driven professional to lead our climate risk analytics and modelling work, with a focus on Heat Mapping and Risk Analysis. The role calls for a blend of scientific rigour, spatial insight, and policy understanding, translating high-resolution climate and socio-economic data into actionable risk intelligence for national and city-level decision-makers.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of national- and city-scale heat risk mapping and analysis frameworks, aligned with IPCC AR6 methodologies and tailored to India’s rapidly urbanising regions.
• Oversee climate data processing and analysis and develop compound and cascading risk models that integrate heat, flood, and drought interactions using statistical and machine learning approaches.
• Guide spatial analysis and GIS-based mapping of hazards, exposure, and vulnerability for integration into interactive dashboards and decision-support tools.
• Ensure scientific accuracy and policy relevance by providing technical oversight for data-driven visualisation platforms.
• Collaborate with national and state agencies to embed risk analytics into planning and policy decision-making processes.
• Develop research publications, policy briefs, and presentations that enhance CSTEP’s thought leadership in climate and disaster risk domains.
• Mentor analysts and senior analysts, contribute to proposal development and fundraising, and support capacity-building initiatives with government and civil society partners.

Qualifications

PhD or Master’s degree in Climate Science, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Engineering, Geography, or Geoinformatics, with specialisation in heat stress, urban climatology, or multi-hazard risk modelling

Skill Set

• Proven track record of working with interdisciplinary teams, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and engaging with government or donor-led climate initiatives.
• Experience in urban heat island analysis, hazard–exposure–vulnerability assessments, or the development of climate service tools is preferred.
• Proficiency in data analytics and programming (Python, R, etc.) for statistical and spatial modelling; hands-on experience with QGIS/ArcGIS Pro and Power BI/Tableau.
• Strong familiarity with climate datasets (IMD, CMIP6, ERA5, MODIS, and CORDEX) and geospatial data processing workflows.
• Excellent analytical, mentoring, and communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex scientific evidence into actionable insights, strategies, and tools for policymakers.

We are seeking a Geospatial Analyst to collect, analyse, and visualise spatial data in support of research on climate, energy, and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Collect, create, edit, and manage spatial and tabular data using ESRI ArcGIS Pro and/or QGIS.
• Perform core spatial analyses and geoprocessing tasks (e.g. overlay analysis, spatial queries, and zonal statistics) to support research projects.
• Conduct rigorous quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) on geospatial data and outputs.
• Develop clear, concise, and publication-quality static maps and figures for reports, briefs, and presentations.
• Provide geospatial support to a multidisciplinary team of researchers and analysts.
• Document data sources, methodologies, and analytical workflows with precision.
• Stay updated on emerging trends, tools, and technologies in the geospatial field.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Geography, Geoinformatics, Environmental Science, Geomatics, or a related field.
• Strong foundational knowledge of GIS concepts, cartographic design, and spatial analysis.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with ESRI ArcGIS Pro and/or QGIS, gained through academic projects, internships, or professional work.

Skill Set

• Genuine interest in applying geospatial skills to climate, energy, and sustainability challenges.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with keen attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with tools such as Google Earth Engine (GEE) for satellite data analysis is an added advantage.
• Basic programming skills for automation, preferably in Python (e.g. Pandas, GeoPandas, Rasterio), will be valued.
• Knowledge of remote sensing concepts (e.g. spectral indices like NDVI and NDBI) is desirable.
• A portfolio of academic or personal projects (e.g. GitHub repository or online map portfolio) will be considered a strong plus.

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Intern to support ecological surveys as part of an ongoing project on Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Bengaluru. This internship provides hands-on experience in biodiversity surveys, ecological sampling, and field data management across a range of diverse urban and peri-urban habitats. The internship offers an opportunity to contribute to an ongoing project on urban ecosystems and climate resilience. Interns will also receive guidance and mentorship from a multidisciplinary research team.

Responsibilities

• Assist in conducting biodiversity field surveys across selected parks, lakes, wetlands, and urban forests in Bengaluru.
• Support the sampling of indicator taxa (e.g. birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and plants) using standardised ecological methods.
• Record and manage field data using datasheets and mobile applications (e.g. Survey123 and iNaturalist).
• Help with species identification using field guides and reference materials.
• Contribute to data entry, cleaning, and metadata preparation using R, Excel, and GIS tools.

Qualifications

Currently enrolled in a Master’s programme in Ecology, Environmental Science, Zoology, Botany, Geography, Geoinformatics, or a related field.

Skill Set

• Familiarity with GPS devices, field guides, and mobile applications for ecological surveys.
• Basic knowledge of GIS software (QGIS/ArcGIS).
• Proficiency in data handling and analysis using Excel or R.
• Demonstrated interest in biodiversity monitoring and conservation ecology.
• Prior fieldwork experience in bird, insect, or vegetation surveys (preferred but not mandatory).
• Must be based in Bengaluru.

Location

Bengaluru

Duration

Approximately 3 months, from the first week of November through the last week of January.