IIHS Post-Doctoral Programme

The IIHS Post-Doctoral Programme

IIHS seeks Post-Doctoral Fellows to join its vibrant intellectual environment within the Academics and Research programme. IIHS is increasingly recognised in India and internationally as a significant node in urban research and practice on the global South. Its promotion of inter-disciplinary pedagogy, on-the-ground learning, an excellent library on various aspects of the urban, and a convivial place for research make it an ideal location for scholarship.

Post-Doctoral fellowships at IIHS typically have one or two-year terms, and some may be extendable. While Fellows are hired institutionally at IIHS, each is hired into a specific and on-going research-based project, which will be the Fellow’s first home within IIHS.

This call is associated with the Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) research project.

About the Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) research project 

ReSET is a research collaboration funded by the Volkswagen Foundation with academic partners from the Netherlands (Utrecht University), India (Indian Institute for Human Settlements), Germany (University of Freiburg) and South Africa (Stellenbosch University). ReSET aims to illuminate how the transition from fossil to renewable energy can be leveraged to address the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG7 (transition to renewables) and, while doing so, deliver on SDG5 & SDG10 (reducing inequalities) and SDG16 (inclusive and just institutions). This 4-year project also investigates how investments in the energy transition can improve social equity in the global north and south and illuminate key principles that can help achieve this.

ReSET’s guiding research question is: what processes of institutional work determine the Social Equity Outcomes (SEOs) of investments in the Energy Transition? We address this question by investigating in four countries the emergence of RE configurations that explicitly aimed (and sometimes succeeded) to improve SEOs by re-imagining, re-coding and re-configuring parts of the energy regime. We call these particular RE configurations ‘ReSET alternatives’.

For more details, see https://www.uu.nl/en/research/urban-futures-studio/initiatives/reconfiguring-energy-for-social-equity

Post-Doctoral Fellow in Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) 

IIHS is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow interested in working on issues related to energy transitions, particularly focused on ‘institutional work’ aspects of the energy transition landscape. It is expected that the ideal candidate be familiar with the contemporary national (India) and global debates, issues and challenges in the context of sustainable energy transitions (fossil to renewable), climate goals (Paris Agreement) and energy-linked development challenges.

The researcher will work closely with the Practice team at IIHS on a range of research activities. These will include but not be limited to:

• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in undertaking background secondary and primary research that enables a better understanding of the evolving dynamics of the Indian energy policy change(s) since the 1990’s. It is expected that this analysis would span multiple scales: national, regional, the city region and the firm;
• Leading the research (primary and secondary) work around potential ‘ReSET’ alternatives (cases) in the context of understanding the multiple ‘discursive contestations’ defining and mediating the transition and the specific policy rules that have emerged out of these;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in the analytical work that compares findings from each country case(s), leading to a synthesis of key lessons for critical stakeholders such as Development Finance Institutions (DFIs);
• Contributing to the co-production of background papers and various working papers as part of the project;
• Contributing to the co-production of academic publications, participating in educational seminars (outreach activities) and contributing to research dissemination through multiple forms and channels;
• Contributing to innovative learning products such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) throughout the project and participating in existing educational efforts within the institutional and project mandate;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in conceptualisation and delivery of PhD workshop(s);
• Providing support to stakeholder engagement and capacity building activities, including management of and being part of field visits; particularly interfacing with key stakeholders identified in the Indian context;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in the day to day management, reporting and administration of the project;
• Providing support to other IIHS activities including academics, research, training, practice, and operations;
• Participating in all activities of Institution-Building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as and when needed.

Structure and Reporting

The Post-Doctoral Fellow will report to the Senior Lead – Practice at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/organisations, and students.

Qualifications

An ideal candidate will have a PhD (or submitted PhD dissertation), in a relevant discipline such as energy policy, energy systems or energy economics with demonstrable experience in research or practice, project management and field work as well as writing capabilities. Other disciplines such as political science, sociology, anthropology, public policy, public administration; with a dissertation focused on energy policy, energy systems, the politics of energy transitions, political economy of energy transitions will also be welcome.

Having at least 2-3 years of relevant work experience in the field of energy policy and energy systems would be an added advantage.

Applicants must have spoken and written proficiency in English and Hindi. Ideal applicants will be proficient in one other modern Indian language.

The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Location

This position is based in Bengaluru and may entail travel to other locations in India. This is a one-year position, extendable.

Diversity Policy

IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.

To apply

If you are interested to explore this opportunity with us, please fill the online application form by clicking here. (You can also click on the “Apply Now” button at the end of the Job Description displayed on the website).

Contact

Please write to us at hr@iihs.co.in if you need any clarifications while filling the online application form.

Note

All offers are on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.

Apply Now

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The IIHS Post-Doctoral Programme: GCRF PEAK

IIHS seeks Post-Doctoral Fellows to join its vibrant intellectual environment within the Academics and Research programme. IIHS is increasingly recognised in India and internationally as a significant node in urban research and practice on the global South. Its promotion of inter-disciplinary pedagogy, on-the-ground learning, an excellent library on various aspects of the urban, and a convivial place for research make it an ideal location for scholarship.

Post-Doctoral fellowships at IIHS typically have one or two-year terms, and some may be extendable. While Fellows are hired institutionally at IIHS, each is hired into a specific and on-going research-based project, which will be the Fellow’s first home within IIHS.

Project-related research will account for up to half of the Fellow’s time, though this can vary for different projects. The remaining time is equally split between the Fellow’s own research and writing as well as their participation in IIHS institutional roles. These roles include: teaching in on-going academic or capacity building programmes, participating in the internal conference and seminar series, and supporting institutional processes.

This call is associated with the PEAK (Prediction and projection, Emergent urbanism, Adopted knowledge, Knowledge exchange) consortium, funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), UK.

About the PEAK project

Led by the University of Oxford, and in partnership with IIHS, Peking University and the University of Cape Town, the PEAK consortium has identified four overarching themes of urban dynamics – Prediction, Emergence, Adoption and Knowledge. Researchers will work across natural sciences (including mathematics, medicine, transport and engineering), the social sciences (including anthropology, development, migration) and humanities (including law, history). The PEAK framework synthesises traditional urban studies disciplines with emergent new urban sciences in a programme of research and capacity building across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. PEAK is grounded in the logic of urban complexity to develop an array of disciplinary perspectives that will address the challenges of the 21st century city. More details on the PEAK consortium are available here: http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/projects?ref=ES/P011055/1

The focus of the PEAK project is particularly on developing a new cohort of interdisciplinary urban researchers, and therefore offers multiple opportunities for young scholars to develop research, teaching, and writing skills. Opportunities exist for individual scholarship, collaborative work with scholars at partner institutions including the University of Oxford, and the University of Cape Town, as well as potential travel to partner institutions through summer schools and internships.

Post-Doctoral Fellow in Urban Energy Systems

Cities are emerging as important sites for mediating sustainable energy transitions, which are crucial for meeting development, climate and environmental goals. Much of the urban energy sector is hugely fragmented across national, regional and local axes and across sectors and fuel-types, with weak mandates and ambiguous incentives. The incumbent energy governance regime leaves no space for city governments to intervene and manage key transitions. Focusing on questions of urban energy, and considering technology as a key driver of change, this research will test innovative institutional and governance regimes that could provide for a larger decision-making role for city governments to manage technology mediated urban energy transitions.

We intend to set up rigorous mathematical frameworks to examine three aspects:

1. Segregated technical baselines across the energy value chain, particularly around end-use technology use across the industry, transport, and building sectors;
2. Energy linkages with economic activity (including informal economy) and
3. Future pathways of technology-mediated energy trajectories, with underlying necessary frameworks of governance regimes and capital management.

This research will have 3 main components: (a)  collection of a range of data, such as micro-patterns of energy use, technical specifications of energy demand, market and regulatory structures and technology specifications; (b) modelling: collected information to be defined in a relational sense, using established mathematical formulations (either using an existing modeling framework or creating a bottom-up assessment frame) to be able to answer Aspects  1 and 2  above and to develop the mathematical frame to enable answering Aspect  3 defined above. In addition, the assessment frame should be able to quantitatively assess the various social, economic and environmental implications of the identified pathways.

Fieldwork: This position is based in Bengaluru, with travel for fieldwork. This is a one-year position, extendable.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate should have some exposure in frontier research on energy and climate change economics and integrated assessment modelling, with a specific focus on energy modelling, demand side modelling and related statistical analysis.

Applicants should already have a Ph.D. or be near completion. A PhD in Economics will be preferred, but degrees in energy engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, or statistics coupled with an economic background will also be considered. A proven research and publication record with at least one publication in a noted peer-reviewed academic journal is required. Experience in modelling, and proficiency in programming are important pre-requisites.

Working knowledge of Kannada and/or Tamil would be an advantage.

Diversity Policy: IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.

To Apply: If you are interested to explore this opportunity with us, please fill the online application form by clicking here (You can also click on the “Apply Now” button at the end of the Job Description displayed on the website).

Contact: Please write to us at hr@iihs.co.in if you need any clarifications while filling the online application form.

Note: All offers are on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.

Download Job Description Document