All Things Urban

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) is a national education institution committed to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements. IIHS is India’s first prospective independently funded and managed National University for Research and Innovation that focuses on its ongoing urban and development transformation. It is a first-of-its-kind, practice and innovation-oriented knowledge institution that seeks to bridge the conventional excellence, scale and inclusion divide.

The IIHS Post-Doctoral Programme

IIHS seeks Post-Doctoral Fellows to join its vibrant intellectual environment within the Academics and Research programme. IIHS is increasingly recognised in India and internationally as a significant node in urban research and practice on the global South. Its promotion of inter-disciplinary pedagogy, on-the-ground learning, an excellent library on various aspects of the urban, and a convivial place for research make it an ideal location for scholarship.

About the Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) research project

ReSET is a research collaboration funded by the Volkswagen Foundation with academic partners from the Netherlands (Utrecht University), India (Indian Institute for Human Settlements), Germany (University of Freiburg) and South Africa (Stellenbosch University). ReSET aims to illuminate how the transition from fossil to renewable energy can be leveraged to address the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG7 (transition to renewables) and, while doing so, deliver on SDG5 & SDG10 (reducing inequalities) and SDG16 (inclusive and just institutions). This 4-year project also investigates how investments in the energy transition can improve social equity in the global north and south and illuminate key principles that can help achieve this.

ReSET’s guiding research question is: what processes of institutional work determine the Social Equity Outcomes (SEOs) of investments in the Energy Transition? We address this question by investigating in four countries the emergence of RE configurations that explicitly aimed (and sometimes succeeded) to improve SEOs by re-imagining, re-coding and re-configuring parts of the energy regime. We call these particular RE configurations ‘ReSET alternatives’.

For more details, see https://www.uu.nl/en/research/urban-futures-studio/initiatives/reconfiguring-energy-for-social-equity

Post-Doctoral fellowships at IIHS typically have one or two-year terms, and some may be extendable. While Fellows are hired institutionally at IIHS, each is hired into a specific and on-going research-based project, which will be the Fellow’s first home within IIHS.

This call is associated with the Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) research project.

Post-Doctoral Fellow in Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET)

IIHS is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow interested in working on issues related to energy transitions, particularly focused on ‘institutional work’ aspects of the energy transition landscape. It is expected that the ideal candidate be familiar with the contemporary national (India) and global debates, issues and challenges in the context of sustainable energy transitions (fossil to renewable), climate goals (Paris Agreement) and energy-linked development challenges.

The researcher will work closely with the Practice team at IIHS on a range of research activities. These will include but not be limited to:

• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in undertaking background secondary and primary research that enables a better understanding of the evolving dynamics of the Indian energy policy change(s) since the 1990’s. It is expected that this analysis would span multiple scales: national, regional, the city region and the firm;
• Leading the research (primary and secondary) work around potential ‘ReSET’ alternatives (cases) in the context of understanding the multiple ‘discursive contestations’ defining and mediating the transition and the specific policy rules that have emerged out of these;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in the analytical work that compares findings from each country case(s), leading to a synthesis of key lessons for critical stakeholders such as Development Finance Institutions (DFIs);
• Contributing to the co-production of background papers and various working papers as part of the project;
• Contributing to the co-production of academic publications, participating in educational seminars (outreach activities) and contributing to research dissemination through multiple forms and channels;
• Contributing to innovative learning products such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) throughout the project and participating in existing educational efforts within the institutional and project mandate;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in conceptualisation and delivery of PhD workshop(s);
• Providing support to stakeholder engagement and capacity building activities, including management of and being part of field visits; particularly interfacing with key stakeholders identified in the Indian context;
• Assisting the Project Lead(s) in the day to day management, reporting and administration of the project;
• Providing support to other IIHS activities including academics, research, training, practice, and operations;
• Participating in all activities of Institution-Building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as and when needed.

An ideal candidate will have a PhD (or submitted PhD dissertation), in a relevant discipline such as energy policy, energy systems or energy economics with demonstrable experience in research or practice, project management and field work as well as writing capabilities. Other disciplines such as political science, sociology, anthropology, public policy, public administration; with a dissertation focused on energy policy, energy systems, the politics of energy transitions, political economy of energy transitions will also be welcome.

Having at least 2-3 years of relevant work experience in the field of energy policy and energy systems would be an added advantage.

Applicants must have spoken and written proficiency in English and Hindi. Ideal applicants will be proficient in one other modern Indian language.

The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Structure and Reporting

The Post-Doctoral Fellow will report to the Senior Lead – Practice at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/organisations, and students.
Location

This position is based in Bengaluru and may entail travel to other locations in India. This is a one-year position, extendable.

Diversity Policy

IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.