Research Assistants in Economics and Strategy | IIM Ahmedabad

Research Assistant (2 Positions) — Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Project theme: Socio-economic and climate impact of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad

Principal Investigators (PIs): Prof. Jeevant Rampal (Economics), Prof. Anindya S. Chakrabarti (Economics), Prof. Anish Sugathan (Strategy), Prof. Amit Karna (Strategy)

Base location: Ahmedabad (travel within India as required; work-related travel reimbursed)

Compensation: Up to INR 80,000 per month (commensurate with qualifications and experience)

Tenure: Initial 6 months, extendable based on performance and project requirements

Joining: As soon as possible after selection

Application window: Hiring remains active until suitable candidates are found; positions expected to be filled by 7 September 2025

About the Project

The RAs will support an ongoing, multi-faculty research effort to forecast and quantify the expected socio-economic and climate impacts of the proposed 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad. The work spans ex-ante impact evaluation, methodological design, data assembly, and evidence communication.

Key Responsibilities

• Stakeholder coordination: Liaise with officials of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad.
• Study design: Draft survey tools; develop empirical strategy; map the study to relevant academic and policy literature.
• Field operations: Plan, organize, and execute primary data collection.
• Data work: Clean, manage, and analyse datasets using econometrics, simulations, and quantitative methods.
• Reporting: Prepare high-quality analytical reports with clear visualisations and a readable narrative.

Who Should Apply

Ideal for early-career researchers seeking pre-doctoral experience before applying to top PhD programmes in Economics, Strategy, Public Policy, or related management disciplines.

Qualifications & Skills

Minimum qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics / Public Policy / Engineering / Statistics (or a quantitatively rigorous discipline).

Preferred

• Master’s degree or higher.

Technical skills

• Proficiency in at least one of: Stata, R, Python; ability to learn new tools quickly.
• Working knowledge of theoretical modelling, econometrics (e.g., time-series), data analysis, simulation, and computation.
• Prior experience handling real-world datasets.

Other requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication in English.
• Ability to work independently and in teams under time constraints.

Letters of recommendation are welcome but not mandatory.

Selection Process

• Shortlisted applicants will complete task-based assessments aligned with the role’s requirements.
• Interviews will be conducted online (Zoom).

How to Apply

Email the following to Ms. Shubhangi Sahai at shubhangisahai@iima.ac.in with the subject line:

“RA application JR August 2025”.

1. CV (include, within the CV, a short paragraph—under 80 words—explaining your fit).
2. Any additional material you wish to submit (e.g., Master’s/Undergraduate thesis or a written report).

Notes

• Base location is Ahmedabad; travel may be required for data collection and project activities across India.
• Work-related travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Source: Official call document, IIM Ahmedabad