Research Associate (RA), Economics and Public Policy (Principal Project Scientist) at IIT Delhi

About the position

IIT Delhi invites applications for one Principal Project Scientist post, treated here as Research Associate. The post is under the project "Communities, Developers, and State: Exploring Governance, Risk, and Finance for India's Net-Zero Transition" (RM00125F). The project studies how developers of utility-scale solar and wind projects engage with local communities and raise capital. The Principal Investigator is Prof. Kaveri K. Iychettira, School of Public Policy. The appointment is contractual with consolidated pay, renewable yearly or up to the project duration, whichever is earlier.

Eligibility

• Ph.D. with first class or equivalent in economics, energy systems, innovation studies, public policy, political science, sociology, engineering, or a related discipline.
• OR MTech with 1st class, or MSc 1st class, or equivalent degree in the above disciplines, with 6 years of experience in related areas from a reputed university.
• Required skillset: strong aptitude for independent research, including formulating research questions, choosing methods, managing research with limited supervision and leading academic outputs.
• Evidence of independent research through publications, working papers or research projects is highly desirable.
• Experience of mixed-methods research including survey design, interviews, data analysis and conjoint analysis.
• Experience in the energy sector, project finance, energy technologies and industry contacts is valuable.
• 5% relaxation of marks may be granted to SC/ST candidates.
• The post may be downgraded at the discretion of the Selection Committee if no candidate is found suitable.

Fellowship / pay

Rs.75600-77870-80210-82620-85100-87650-90280-92990-95780-98650-101610 p.m. plus HRA @30%. If a retired government employee is selected, salary is fixed as per prevailing IRD norms.

How to apply

1. Download Form No. IRD/REC-4 from the IRD website (http://ird.iitd.ac.in/rec) and fill it in with full details of qualifications (percentage of marks or division) and work experience.
2. Prepare your CV.
3. Prepare a cover letter.
4. Combine the form, CV and cover letter into a single PDF named "<Designation applied for>-<YourLastName>.pdf", for example "Principal Project Scientist -Khanna.pdf".
5. Email it quoting Advertisement No. IITD/IRD/308/2026 to kaveri@iitd.ac.in and tkhanna@iitd.ac.in, with cc to ashwinim.cstaff@iitd.ac.in, by 11 Nov 2026, 5:00 p.m.