The Small Enterprise Finance Centre (SEFC) at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) is looking for Research Associates in Chennai, India. Current research projects in India are aimed at increasing policy-relevant knowledge of small business financing. Key topics include the nature of demand for financial services; the extent of impacts of financial access on incomes, human capital, infrastructure, and broader aspects of business development and growth; and mechanisms that enable improving impact and scale. We are testing our research through randomized evaluations in order to scale up effective financial product innovations to reach millions of entrepreneurs.

SEFC works closely with ideas42, a premier research center based at Harvard University, to implement and manage research projects. Principal researchers at ideas42 drive much of the research agenda within the Centre. Ideas42 brings together leading researchers from economics, psychology, and behavioral sciences across Harvard, MIT, Princeton, etc. to develop new solutions to problems of development and access to finance in collaboration with companies, financial institutions, and SEFC.

THE JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Research Associate will spend 100% of his/her time managing his/her specific project. Duties and responsibilities include:

• Conducting background research on new projects and initiatives
• Developing and maintaining relationships with partner organizations
• Ensuring smooth functioning of the project and quickly addressing problems as they arise
• Assisting with data collection through surveys, focus groups, and interviews with stakeholders
• Executing surveys, focus groups, interviews and other research activities
• Managing and training survey teams, including quality control of data
• Ensuring that financial mechanisms and operational model are properly implemented
• Conducting rigorous data analysis
• Assisting in meetings and presentations to partner organizations.
• Providing a final report and suggesting policy recommendations for expanding the project to other regions, industries, etc.

The Skills & Qualifications:
Applicants for the positions of RAs should:

• Have a Master’s degree in economics, public policy, social sciences, or other related fields and should have strong quantitative skills (undergraduate/post-graduate training in finance, microeconomics, development economics, econometrics and statistics is preferred).
• 1-2 years field experience in developing countries is strongly preferred.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and writing skills.
• Knowledge of STATA or other data analysis software is required.
• Be interested in economic development and in working in a developing country with an interest in rigorous and policy-relevant research
• Be organized, disciplined, and able to work independently with limited supervision – you will work under close supervision in the beginning, but the job will work best if you can show quickly that you can do high quality work with limited supervision
• Have a taste for and experience in managing teams and interacting with institutional partners.
• Be very meticulous and detail oriented – this is critical since most of the work will involve carefully documenting all that you do in the field

The Application Process:
This Research Associate position is open to both Indian as well as foreign applicants. Foreign applicants will be considered only if they have previously lived and worked in a developing country.

We are looking for a minimum commitment of at least 12 months.

Note: All Research Associates (RAs) will be employed as full time IFMR employees, and will be eligible for staff benefits. The monthly compensation will be commensurate with experience, and will range from Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 50,000 (cost to company). The Research Associates will also be eligible for medical reimbursements, leave allowance and provident fund, and superannuation fund contributions.

Please send your resume and cover letter to: sefc@ifmr.ac.in
Please indicate in the subject line that you are applying for the Research Associate position. We will contact you shortly after submission if we are interested in interviewing you. Please no calls or follow-up emails.