Reports to

Director-Research, CSBC

Employment Type

Full-time

Experience (in years)

7-10 years of experience managing research projects

Location

Delhi-NCR (preferred)

Application Deadline

20 February 2026

About Ashoka University

Ashoka University -India’s premier interdisciplinary teaching and research university. An institution that has become a beacon of academic excellence in less than 10 years since its inception. At Ashoka, we encourage you to embrace the new, push the boundaries for continuous learning, and adapt to a world of constant change because we believe that each Ashokan is capable of becoming a thought leader.

As part of our thriving and committed workforce, you will:

• Be Mission-Driven: Champion interdisciplinary learning, innovative pedagogy, and academic rigor to transform Indian higher education.
• Think Strategically: Collaborate with visionary minds to shape the future of higher education through strategic planning and a forward-thinking approach.
• Act Authentically: Embrace authenticity and integrity, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where every voice is valued.
• Take Accountability: Own your work and drive positive change, as an empowering individual seeking to make a meaningful contribution.
• Build Collaboration: Experience the power of teamwork and diverse perspectives, working collectively towards our shared goals.
• Deliver Excellence: Strive for excellence in all aspects, upholding the highest standards of academic excellence, student support, and professional development opportunities.

At Ashoka University, we are on a mission to redefine higher education and create a remarkable space where innovation and collaboration thrive. As a pioneering force in interdisciplinary learning, we continually grow and adapt to stay at the forefront of educational excellence with emphasis on inclusivity and equal opportunity. Our philosophy revolves around care, well-being, and connection, which are deeply embedded in everything we do.

When you join our community, you become part of an extraordinary journey in which you can unleash your potential and make a meaningful impact. Where education empowers, where innovation thrives, and where excellence and humility coexist. We truly believe the world will enrich itself when there is progress with purpose.

About the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC)

At the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change, we bring together behavioural scientists, policy experts, and researchers to transform insights into action. We partner with governments, non profits, and corporations to embed behavioural science in programme design, creating solutions that work in practice and at scale. Established by Ashoka University with Gates Foundation support, we make development more people-centric through real-world applications of behavioural science. In recent years, CSBC researchers have contributed 25 peer-reviewed articles to top journals, advancing the nation’s behavioural evidence base and catalysing collaborations with leading institutions such as the University of Chicago, Yale School of Management, the University of Michigan, the Collegio Carlo Alberto, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.. For more information, please visit https://csbc.org.in/.

The Experiments and Evaluation (E&E) team supports the design and implementation of rigorous empirical 2 evaluations informed by behavioural science. The team collaborates with programme, research, and government partners to develop evaluation questions; design experimental and quasi-experimental studies; and embed measurement and learning into ongoing programme implementation. E&E leads survey and tool design, oversees data quality and field protocols, and conducts analysis to generate actionable evidence that informs programme improvement, scale-up, and policy decisions.

Role and Responsibilities

The Senior Research Specialist will manage the Experiments & Evaluation (E&E) team and oversee the delivery of rigorous empirical research across the Centre’s policy and academic portfolios. Reporting to the Director (Research), the role balances people management and operational oversight with hands-on technical contribution to selected quantitative research projects.

1. Team Management and Coordination

• Manage the day-to-day functioning of the E&E team, including work planning, task allocation, and coordination with operations and finance teams.
• Support team members in prioritising workloads and meeting timelines, flagging risks and dependencies to the Director (Research) as needed.
• Provide ongoing mentorship, technical guidance, and feedback to junior colleagues.
• Contribute to team capacity building through knowledge sharing.

2. Research Design

• Lead and support the design of experimental and quasi-experimental studies grounded in behavioural science, in collaboration with Centre teams and external partners.
• Own key components of study design, including protocol development, outcome measures, measurement tools, sample size calculations, and pre-analysis plans.
• Manage ethics approvals and ongoing compliance for research studies.

3. Implementation

• Lead planning and execution of research implementation, including coordination with internal teams, external partners, and field stakeholders.
• Support contracting, budgeting, and deployment planning to ensure studies are delivered on time and in line with approved protocols.
• Provide ongoing technical input during implementation and proactively address implementation challenges.

4. Data Management and Analysis

• Oversee secure data storage, documentation, and archiving in line with data protection and research best practices.
• Lead data cleaning, quality checks and analysis to support hypothesis testing and evidence generation.

Qualifications and Skills Required

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in economics, psychology, public policy, behavioural science, statistics, or a related discipline.
• 7–10 years of experience designing and implementing experimental or quasi-experimental research, preferably in applied or field settings.

Technical Skills

• Expertise in experimental and quasi-experimental research design, including sampling, power calculations, and survey design.
• Experience developing, piloting, and programming measurement tools and surveys, including online surveys and virtual lab experiments (e.g., SurveyCTO, Qualtrics, oTree, zTree).
• Proficiency in statistical analysis using Stata, R, Python, or similar tools.
• Experience with data preparation, documentation, secure data management, and developing pre-analysis 3 plans.

Professional Skills

• Ability to lead complex research projects and manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Strong coordination and communication skills, including working with multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• Ability to clearly write and present research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong management, organisational, and quantitative skills.
• High attention to detail and sound judgment in managing research quality, ethics, and timelines.
• Experience mentoring and providing technical guidance to junior staff, and giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Knowledge of Hindi is required, given fieldwork in Hindi-speaking states.

Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC) is a leading Indian behaviour science institution, driving behavioural change measures for people and communities in need. CSBC advances the science and practice of behaviour change, harnessing cross-disciplinary expertise in the areas of nutrition, sanitation, maternal health, family planning, and financial services. The Centre executes this vision through behavioural change programmes, foundational research, and capability building. For more information, please visit https://csbc.org.in/

Application Submission Process

We invite you to embark on this journey by submitting your application to Ashoka University's Centre for Social and Behaviour Change. To ensure your candidacy receives the attention it deserves, kindly follow the application submission process outlined below:

• Prepare an Updated CV: Showcase your professional accomplishments, skills, and experiences in an updated curriculum vitae.
• Submit Your Application: Email your CV to careersatcsbc@ashoka.edu.in, ensuring the subject line reads as follows: "Senior Research Specialist_E&E_CSBC_(Applicant Name)". This will help us efficiently process your
• Include Essential Details: Along with your CV, kindly provide the following information:
  • Last compensation received: We value your expertise and acknowledge the importance of fair compensation.
  • Expected salary: Share your aspirations for growth and remuneration.
  • Notice period: Inform us of the time required to transition from your current role, if applicable.
• Pursuit of Excellence: At Ashoka University, we strive for excellence in all aspects of our operations. Therefore, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted as part of our rigorous selection process.
• Adherence to Deadlines: Applications should be submitted by 20 February 2026. While late applications will not be considered, eligible applications may be reviewed and shortlisted on a rolling basis prior to the deadline.

We look forward to receiving your application as we embark together on a remarkable journey of professional growth and development. Join our exceptional community at Ashoka University, where excellence is nurtured, and aspirations are transformed into reality.