Programme Associate - Public Transport (Sustainable Mobility)

Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), New Delhi

Programme Associate - Public Transport (Sustainable Mobility)

     Terms of reference

At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. So, if the description below strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you!

●        We offer strong visionary leadership – with emphasis on research and impact at scale

●        We actively promote leadership by initiative

●        We celebrate talent and ambition

●        You will be surrounded by smart people who will challenge you and help you grow

●        You will learn faster than your peers in other organisations

●        Curiosity and irreverence, as well as responsibility, come together at CEEW

●        You will get above-market remuneration

●        We provide a safe space for all

●        At CEEW, your life is your example for others

Designation offered

Programme Associate

Team/ Focus area

Sustainable Mobility

CEEW seeks a highly skilled Programme Associate to spearhead its expanding portfolio in bus-based mobility and impacts. Our research focuses on high-impact interventions, including large-scale fleet electrification, operational service improvement, and the quantification of socio-economic co-benefits in Indian cities.

The ideal candidate shall have a deep interest in data-driven public transport and sustainable mobility paradigms. You will lead the team’s national, state, and city-level initiatives, bridging the gap between complex transit modelling and on-ground impact assessments. A core component of this role involves measuring benefits of active travel, bus systems, mobility resilience and providing direct technical assistance to government agencies and State Transport Undertakings (STUs) to help them navigate the shift toward bus-based public transport systems.

Job duties and accountabilities

Research Support

●        Conduct analyses involving a combination of multiple complex data layers, network analysis and detailed visualisation of the outputs.

●        Conduct relevant literature reviews and summarise findings in reports.

●        To support the team in developing questionnaires, survey forms and other qualitative and quantitative tools specific to transport-related works.

●        To extrapolate and verify data, analyse and research provided by analysts; evaluate, organise, and edit the data into comprehensive yet concise reports and other collateral.

●        Oversee the execution of a multi-city study combining cross-sectional assessments for mature bus ecosystems  and longitudinal studies for cities introducing buses for the first time.

●        Manage a large-scale data collection effort targeting primary surveys in cities, ensuring representative sampling and data integrity across diverse operational and socio-economic contexts.

●        Lead in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with key demographics to identify thematic areas and inform the design of robust quantitative survey instruments.

●        Execute deep-dive analytics on real-time transit data to optimise bus service performance, including ridership trends, cost-efficiency, and fleet asset management.

●        Establish technical and societal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tailored to state and city requirements, supporting the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) processes required for national schemes.

●        Extract data from existing fuel and mobility models to perform rapid sensitivity analysis on energy demand, charging cycles (for e-buses), and route-level emission profiles.

●        Leverage big data analytics to synthesise operational insights for optimised bus and micro-bus deployment, specifically focused on enhancing last-mile connectivity through integrated feeder service planning.

●        Develop innovative business and procurement models for city/intercity bus systems to improve operational viability and bankability.

●        Perform spatial analysis to guide cities in the strategic development of bus infrastructure, including depots, terminals, and charging hubs to ensure optimal siting, sizing, and network integration.

Collaboration and Liaison

●        Inform and support the development of knowledge products, tools, and research methodologies for public bus transport promotion within the team.

●        Assist the team in generating snackable insights by creating robust, statistically sound models that produce compelling data visuals for the organisation’s social media platforms.

●        Provide technical handholding to national/state governments for flagship programs, such as PM E-bus Sewa and CM Bus Programme, focusing on bus procurement strategies.

●        Identify gaps in current institutional structures and lead training sessions for government officials on low-carbon mobility planning and bus service standardisation.

●      To engage with relevant stakeholders, represent the organisation and attend conferences and pertinent sessions to sustainable mobility.

●        Assist with specific projects and overall plan of activities under public transport, electric vehicle transition, and other sustainable mobility research, bridging teams research.

●        Assist in preparing presentations, fact sheets, and other research communication material.

●        To assist in publishing impactful communication pieces to drive opinion and nudge behaviour.

●        To generate knowledge content – blogs, articles, briefs in regular intervals.

●        To develop and coordinate effectively with stakeholders on cross-cutting themes on accessibility, inclusion, VRUs, road safety, gender, climate justice, economic growth and technology transition.

●        To actively find opportunities to present and disseminate research to key constituencies, advisory bodies, conferences & research institutes.

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking various tasks.

Education

●        Master’s degree with specialisation in transport planning/transportation engineering/urban planning/public policy/ energy or related field.

●         Should have a strong research background, including an understanding of bus operation.

Business Experience

●        Minimum 5-6 years of relevant work experience

●        Experience in dealing with public and private institutions

 Compensation

CEEW offers competitive compensation commensurate with the experience and matching the best of the standards adopted by industry or other similar organisations for similar roles.

 Application Process

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer, and the selection process does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality. Female candidates are encouraged to apply. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are advised to apply at the earliest possible.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified by us. We appreciate your interest.