About the Position
The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) invites applications for a senior research position at the level of Senior Fellow in its Centre for Economic Growth (CEG). The Senior Fellow will provide intellectual leadership across the Centre’s research agenda, which spans six interconnected themes: the investment climate and firm dynamics; jobs, labour markets, and skills; trade, industrial policy, and global competitiveness; innovation and enterprise upgrading; city-regions and transformational urban development; and state capacity for public financial management and economic reforms.
The Senior Fellow will lead major research and policy engagement initiatives, help shape the Centre’s research agenda, mentor junior researchers, and play a central role in establishing CEG as a leading policy-oriented research centre. The role is intended for a scholar-practitioner with a strong record of applied research and demonstrated ability to engage senior policymakers and external partners.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead independent and collaborative research on one or more of CEG’s core research themes.
- Lead and provide expert input into state growth diagnostics, sectoral and thematic studies, and policy engagement with state governments, central ministries, and partner institutions.
- Help translate the Centre’s strategic priorities into a coherent multi-year pipeline of research, policy engagement, partnerships, and funding opportunities.
- Serve as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on projects, including project design, methodological oversight, quality assurance, and client interaction.
- Produce and supervise high-quality outputs, including working papers, journal articles, policy reports, policy briefs, and externally publishable research.
- Foster collaboration among economists, social scientists, data scientists, policymakers, and the private sector to strengthen NCAER’s reputation and influence and identify opportunities for attracting research grants.
- Mentor junior researchers and help strengthen technical quality, writing, and project execution across the Centre.
- Contribute to NCAER’s visibility through seminars, policy roundtables, media engagement, and relationship-building with scholars, practitioners, funders, and policymakers.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
- PhD in Economics or a closely related field, with a strong applied economics orientation.
- Typically 12 or more years of relevant professional experience in research, policy, or advisory work, together with a strong publication and policy-engagement record.
- Deep expertise in at least one domain central to the CEG agenda and the ability to work across adjacent growth-related themes.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex research projects and managing teams or junior researchers.
- Excellent writing, presentation, and stakeholder-engagement skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with policymakers and non-academic audiences.
- A strong commitment to policy-relevant research of high analytical quality.
Desirable attributes
- Familiarity with large survey or administrative datasets or policy modelling would be highly valuable.
- Experience working on Indian state-level policy issues would be an advantage.
Last Date: September 15, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.
Duration of Appointment: Initially for three years, with a provision for renewal.
Compensation: A salary that is commensurate with market and experience of the selected candidate.
Appointment Term
Applicants should submit their application by email to [email protected], with “Senior Fellow-CEG” in the subject line.
The application should include the following:
- Detailed curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details of three professional references.
- Cover letter describing the candidate’s interest in the position and suitability for the role.
- Selected writing samples, such as published papers, reports, or other relevant work. These may be submitted as copies or links.
- Brief note on research philosophy or future research agenda, outlining the candidate’s key research interests and priorities.
About NCAER
NCAER is India’s oldest and largest national, non-profit, independent economic research institute. Since 1956, NCAER has contributed high-quality research to shape policy decisions in India. It is among the few think tanks globally that have strong field data collection capabilities for national surveys; and its research covers a spectrum of policy-focused applied research in economics, from macroeconomics to poverty and infrastructure.
NCAER offers a vibrant, dynamic academic environment with both world-class faculty and physical infrastructure. If you’re stuck with a writer’s block, a stroll around our campus might be the antidote. If you want to unwind, there will always be someone willing to play a game of table tennis or badminton.
Join a visionary team that values research excellence, collaboration, and professional growth. NCAER offers a stimulating work environment where your research ideas can make a real difference.
NCAER is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
