Job ID: 289387

Research Lead

Vowels of the People Association

Location: Pune, Maharashtra

Apply by: 04 May 2026

Relevant Sectors

Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research

About the Role :

Vowels of the People Association (VOPA) is seeking a seasoned professional to spearhead our research vertical as the Research Lead. This is a high-impact leadership role for a candidate interested in working at the intersection of technology, governance, and public policy.

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter capable of mining large-scale datasets, conceptualizing and executing rigorous studies, and building strategic partnerships with universities, think tanks, and other relevant institutions. We are looking for a professional who can independently work with complex data to produce meaningful insights and disseminate them through study reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, op-eds, etc. and under minimal supervision. The Research Lead will report directly to the Director and/or the Senior Manager.

Roles and Responsibilities:

•Independently explore and analyze datasets generated across organizational projects and conceptualize rigorous research questions that can be addressed using these data.
•Lead the end-to-end design and execution of research studies, including analytical framing, implementation of analysis plans, and publication of findings through appropriate outlets.
•Develop research proposals secure funding for the research projects.
•Conduct regular literature reviews to situate VOPA’s work within the broader landscape of development work in India, and to inform project design and execution.
•Identify opportunities to publish data-driven long-form articles, including descriptive analyses and policy-oriented articles, in outlets like IDR, Ideas for India, etc. that enhance the visibility of VOPA’s work.
•Proactively identify, build, and independently manage research partnerships with academic and policy institutions, taking full ownership of collaborative studies from design to dissemination.
•Support the development and refinement of data collection instruments and protocols, ensuring methodological rigor across projects.
•Provide technical guidance to the MEL team on the analysis and interpretation of internal monitoring and evaluation data.
•Offer high-level research and analytical support to senior leadership as required.
•Provide knowledge support to the senior leadership in developing project proposals.

Desired Qualifications & Skills

•Ph.D. in Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, or a related quantitative field.
•Deep understanding of quantitative research designs, causal inference, and econometrics.
•Advanced proficiency in R, Python, or STATA, along with strong SQL skills for data extraction.
•Proven ability to communicate complex data findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
•A collaborative mindset with the resilience to incorporate critical feedback and adapt to a
fast-paced environment.
•Demonstrated experience in conceptualizing, executing and publishing research studies.
•A problem-solver attitude and willingness to work in a dynamic social-impact startup environment.

Job Location :- Kothrud, Pune.

• Interested candidates should fill in application through our career page https://careers.vopa.in/
•Our Website :- https://vopa.in/

Job Email ID:

hr.vopa(at)vopa.in