Program Research Fellow, Energy

Location

Bangalore | India

Job description

WRI India s energy program aims to inform and guide India s energy transition. The program staff engage on different aspects of the energy transition such as - Equitable Energy Access; Energy Transitions across various levels such as utilities, industry, cities and different aspects of energy governance.

As far as urban transitions go, we engage national and subnational stakeholders to accelerate energy efficiency in buildings. Beyond building energy efficiency, the program goals include acknowledging the need for mainstreaming sustainable cooling strategies in buildings to achieve thermal comfort for all through inclusive policies and programs. In line with this stream of work, WRI India has projects in Kerala and Assam to promote widespread adoption of sustainable cooling practices across multiple sectors. The project also intends to support subnational government institutions to fast track the implementation of the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) in their respective regions.

In addition, we also work with utilities/Discoms to understand the impacts of e-vehicle charging on the electric grid. We have developed an initial version of a tool called ELEVATE to help Discoms understand the loading on Distribution Transformers (DTs) and support in the planning process.

Along with the support from the team, the potential candidate will contribute towards achieving the goals defined under this project/program. He/ She will ideally be based out of Kerala or require travelling to the state to support the project/program s activities. The candidate is expected to demonstrate his/her involvement in the other ongoing energy programs of WRI in the state.

How your day will unfold

• Identify and engage with stakeholders and communities in the state(s) relevant to the project objectives. Identify stakeholder needs and priorities based on discussions and meetings. Conduct meetings, workshops and site visits as required under the project.
• Conduct research and analysis on sustainable and inclusive cooling strategies for affordable houses suitable for the diverse geographies and climatic conditions.
• Conduct research and analysis of state climatic features, demography, and geographies to identify locations/communities for case studies.
• Working with other team members assess challenges and opportunities for subnational government agencies to implement ICAP.
• Engage DISCOMs to work with them to understand challenges related to grid impacts of EVs and strategies to deal with them.
• Conduct assessment of utility economics and tariffs to design suitable tariffs to alleviate peak time loading on DTs.
• Support scoping out offer on energy efficient appliances in healthcare and livelihoods for underserved regions in India through research and analysis.
• Support development of reports and knowledge products to document and communicate the findings and learnings from this research through written materials, and presentations.
• Under the guidance of the project manager, assist in tracking of deliverables, coordination with partners and stakeholders, reporting to funder, monitoring and evaluation activities and any other daily task management activities. Prepare project-related documentation.
• Contribute to communication and knowledge products on relevant topics as required under the project and by the program leadership.
• Travel to the key project sites based on program needs.

Requirements and skills that we seek:

• Graduate or post graduate degree in science, engineering, architecture, policy, or related fields
• At least 8 years of relevant experience in buildings sector, environment, public policy, e-mobility, or energy.
• Strong interest and knowledge on cooling and related projects, initiatives, and programs at the subnational and national levels in India.
• Knowledge and interest in national and international policy discourse around sustainable and inclusive cooling, climate action, e-mobility, electric grids and building efficiency are necessary.
• Experience working in Kerala -particularly with state government agencies, CSOs, academia, and the private sector is necessary.
• Technical and quantitative skills and some training in research methods is required. Experience conducting cost-benefit analysis is an asset.
• Strong ability to communicate clearly and effectively in conversation and writing, including professional-quality writing for research and communications products
• Willingness to travel on short notice when needed by the project/program.
• The ability to respond to urgent requests from the team proactively is an asset.
• Ability to work cooperatively with others; to demonstrate flexibility in fulfilling assignment.
• Fluency in English and Malayalam is a must. Proficiency in other languages is desirable.

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