Research Assistant, Conservation Social Sciences Programme

Location: Bangalore / Remote with fieldwork-based travel

About the Role
We are looking for a passionate Research Assistant to support ongoing research on climate vulnerability, resilience and adaptation across socio-ecological systems. People’s relationship with their environment influences their vulnerability to climate change and how they adapt to it. Their climate adaptations, in turn, reshape their relationship with their environment. We are interested in understanding these mutual relationships and the lessons they hold for building more resilient societies. 

The role entails detail-oriented fieldwork and close collaboration with interdisciplinary research teams to examine how communities perceive, experience and respond to climate variability, while co-developing contextually grounded adaptation strategies and contributing to policy-relevant insights. The work will engage critically with the interlinked themes of vulnerability, resilience and gender, situated within broader interdisciplinary and theoretical frameworks that inform place-based adaptation to climate change.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the planning and implementation of research projects

• Engage with local communities and key stakeholders

• Develop data collection tools (interview guides, survey instruments, participatory frameworks)

• Conduct field-work, co-design and facilitate related workshops 

• Stay up to date with relevant scientific literature 

• Support preparation of reports, policy briefs, and donor management requirements.

• Contribute to the process of dissemination of project results and lessons learned through publications, presentations and other communication channels 

Qualifications and Skills

• A Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, Area Studies, Anthropology, Sociology or any related social science discipline. 

• Strong research and writing skills; ability to engage with academic and policy literature.

• Familiarity with qualitative or mixed-method approaches; comfort with fieldwork in rural contexts and/or mountain/island landscapes

• A desire to work at the intersection of disciplines and themes is welcome 

Duration: 12 months (extendable based on performance and project needs)
Remuneration: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.

How to Apply
Please send your CV (2 pages), a short statement of interest (max 500 words), with the subject line: Application – Research Assistant (Conservation Social Sciences).

Deadline to apply: November 3, 2025

Send in your applications and any questions to: apply@ncf-india.org

Find more details about the programme on: https://www.ncf-india.org/conservation-social-sciences