Research Intern

Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW),
New Delhi
Research Intern – Improving food consumption trends in India

Terms of Reference

At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. We are proud to build careers in public policy and social impact.

•      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 ambitious 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: Research Intern – Sustainable Food Systems

Reporting to: Research Analyst– Sustainable Food Systems

Location: Delhi

We seek to hire a Research Intern to build and contribute to CEEW’s work on on diet-led crop diversification for a sustainable food system. The role sits within the Farmer Perceptions Survey, a primary survey covering farmer perceptions of crop diversification, trust in institutions and markets, and the link between what farming households grow and what they eat.

Job duties and accountabilities

Key responsibilities include:

●      Analysing survey data: Supporting in data cleaning, quantitative and spatial analyses where relevant (e.g., trend analysis, district typologies, diversification potential), as well as basic costing/budget estimation exercises.

●      Literature review on the survey themes: perceptions of diversification, trust in institutions and markets, and household diets.

●      Assisting in planning and delivering convenings/workshops, including preparation of background notes, coordination, and documentation of outputs.

●      Drafting and synthesising inputs for reports, presentations, and internal notes, ensuring high-quality documentation and timely delivery.

Master’s degree in Public Policy, Economics, Data Science, Development Studies, Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, or another relevant discipline. Strong quantitative coursework/training (e.g., statistics/econometrics) is desirable.

●      Relevant research experience in sustainable agriculture, policy, and food systems research is expected. Candidates who have developed relevant specialist skills will be given a strong preference.

●      Exposure to one or more of the following will be a strongly preferred:

o   Agriculture, food systems, crop diversification, nutrition, social protection, or institutional procurement (PDS/PM-POSHAN/ICDS, etc.)

o   State-level policy/programme contexts and engagement with departments/CSOs

o   Data-heavy research work (econometrics, time series, dashboards, spatial datasets)

●      Strong demonstrated quantitative orientation: experience working with datasets and applying statistical/econometric methods to generate insights.

●      Demonstrated ability to support end-to-end research tasks including secondary research, data analysis, and synthesis, and the ability to pick up qualitative research and analysis as required (e.g., supporting consultations/ interviews, extracting themes, and translating insights into clear outputs).

●      Quantitative analysis (core requirement): ability to clean, structure, analyse datasets and communicate findings through tables/charts (Excel required; Stata/R/Python strongly preferred).

●      Research and synthesis: strong desk research skills; ability to work with government documents and evidence bases, and convert them into clear, decision-relevant insights.

●      Qualitative research (ability to learn and apply): ability to support/undertake structured consultations and interviews, document findings rigorously, and conduct basic thematic analysis/synthesis when needed.

●      Communication: clear writing for internal notes, report sections, and slide decks; professional stakeholder communication.

●      Project coordination: ability to manage trackers, timelines, version control, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.

●      Curious, proactive, and comfortable learning new domains quickly.

●      Detail-oriented and reliable, with strong documentation and quality control habits.

●      Able to work across research and coordination tasks and manage multiple threads in parallel.

●      Collaborative in team settings; confident and respectful in stakeholder interactions.

●      Willingness to travel periodically for consultations, workshops, or field visits, as required

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organisations for similar roles.

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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We appreciate your interest.