Senior Programme Associate, Air Pollution and Waste Management
The International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST) is seeking an experienced and dynamic professional to support and lead the organisation’s research and policy engagement in the Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme.
A successful applicant must demonstrate a proven aptitude for analytical research and multi-stakeholder engagement, comprehensive knowledge of India’s air pollution policy and regulatory landscape, and excellent communication skills.
The candidate must also clearly understand and appreciate the role of think tanks in shaping public policy and supporting its implementation.
Location: Noida, India
Required Experience: 5 – 8 years
Education: Master’s Degree (Required)
Reporting to: Technical Lead, Air Pollution and Waste Management
About iFOREST
iFOREST is an independent, not-for-profit research and innovation organisation established in 2019 to identify, promote, and scale up solutions for pressing environment-development challenges in India and other developing countries in Asia and Africa.
Our work is rooted in regional priorities to accelerate environmental actions at the sub-national level while improving national policies and plans to support these efforts. Our mission is to address the unique needs of regions by leveraging our resources and expertise to scale up national action and make a global impact.
To achieve our goals, we conduct independent evidence-based research, develop innovative solutions, convene stakeholders to build consensus, and partner with think tanks, civil society, government agencies, philanthropies, and industry to scale up solutions
Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme
The Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme addresses the critical challenge of rising air pollution across India. Our goal is to improve policies and practices and drive innovative solutions through active collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.
We focus on producing high-quality data, conducting impactful research, and advocating for effective change. We also prioritize scaling up ground-level interventions by showcasing best practices, sharing knowledge, and building strong partnerships.
The Role
The Senior Programme Associate will be responsible for executing research and engagement outputs for the Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme. This includes conducting impactful research and supporting multi-stakeholder engagement to enable policymakers to make informed decisions to control air pollution levels
Specific tasks to be undertaken by the Senior Programme Associate would include:
Support and execute the research initiatives of the Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme.
- Assist in designing research projects by formulating strategies, methodologies, and detailed activity plans.
- Extract and interpret air pollution and climate change data from various sources, including satellite measurements and global emission inventories.
- Develop, manage, and maintain emission inventories to assess sources of air pollution.
- Develop, customize, and implement regional-scale chemical transport models (e.g., WRF-Chem, WRF-CAMx) for accurate simulations.
- Conduct policy gap analyses and identify key drivers of change through literature reviews and stakeholder consultations.
Support the outreach and communication initiatives of the Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme.
- Contribute to the design of the programme’s outreach strategy.
- Build policy-research partnerships with government, industry, and other stakeholders.
- Author articles and communication materials suitable for public and government audiences.
- Engaging with policymakers and fostering collaborative interactions with government stakeholders
- Organize and conduct roundtables, convenings, and report release meetings.
- Present research findings at forums, including discussions with senior policymakers.
Programme building.
- Contribute to shaping the overall strategy for the programme, aligned with institutional priorities.
- Identify new pathways, initiatives, and partnerships to further programme goals.
- Develop concept notes, proposals, and budgets to support projects aligned with institutional objectives.
Additional duties
Represent iFOREST on public platforms to enhance its brand and visibility.
Undertake related assignments to support the enhancement of the Air Pollution and Waste Management Programme.
Qualification & Work Experience
Master’s degree (minimum) from a recognized institution in a relevant field, including, atmospheric sciences, environmental sciences/engineering, etc.,
5 to 8 years of work experience in research, consulting or advisory-related fields, focusing on air pollution.
Required competencies
In line with the listed responsibilities for the successful candidate, she/he is expected to have the following competencies:
Comprehensive understanding of India’s Air Pollution sector.
- Deep knowledge of India’s National Clean Air programme, Air quality regulations and initiatives at the national and sub-national levels.
- Informed about ongoing discussions around air pollution at the international and national levels.
Proficiency in research and writing.
- Hands-on experience with WRF-Chem/WRF-CAMx, or similar CTMs.
- Ability to handle huge volume of datasets (NetCDF, HDF, ASCII, geo-referenced data).
- Proficient in Python or other programming language’s for data analysis and visualization
- Proficient in utilizing geospatial tools and programming libraries to create spatial distribution maps and visualizations for analyzing air pollution data, enabling data-driven insights into environmental impacts.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative methods of research, using software such as Excel, R and QGIS.
- Experience in managing research teams, including building research methodologies and organising structured data collection.
- Authored at least two research publications related to Air Pollution in the last five years.
Proficiency in structured multi-stakeholder engagement.
- Ability to lead presentations and convene discussions to present institutional perspectives and research findings
- Demonstrated ability to build connections and engage with a diverse group of people on research and policy issues on multiple platforms.
- A pre-existing network of stakeholders in the air pollution sector.
Flexibility to take up a supporting role.
- Confident, collegial, and passionate about improving air quality standards in India.
- Clear understanding and appreciation of the role of think tanks in shaping policies and programmes.
- Ability to manage time and priorities, and ensure the completion of research in keeping with tight policy windows.
- Motivated to build the programme’s profile, drawing on institutional priorities and emerging issues in the sector.
- Excellent organisation skills to manage multiple assignments.
- Willingness to travel as per requirement.
What we offer
At iFOREST, we offer an inclusive and amicable work environment. In addition, our institution strongly supports professional development through education, training and capacity building.
Remuneration
We offer highly competitive salaries in a think tank space, and reward performance through annual appraisals. The final designation of a successful candidate will be based on qualifications and experience.
Application instructions & deadline
We prefer that candidates submit online applications at https://iforest.global/careers/. In case of any difficulties, you may also send your application to careers@iforest.global.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Position open until filled.