Research Analyst

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

Research Analyst - Sustainable Food Systems 

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 Analyst – Sustainable Food Systems 

Reporting to:  Programme Associate

Location: New Delhi, India

Job Summary

India faces the complex challenge of ensuring universal nutritional security for an increasing, yet largely deprived, population amidst a rapidly changing climate. Addressing this requires action beyond merely producing more food—we must evolve what we eat and how we produce, process, and distribute it.

The private sector is a crucial stakeholder to engage as we navigate the next steps in India's food system transformation. Companies stand at the fulcrum of change; they possess the resources to influence how ingredients are produced upstream and to drive consumer demand for nutritious products downstream. In recent years, leading companies such as ITC, Nestle, Marico, Godrej Agrovet, and others have made significant progress in responsible sourcing practices. CEEW, alongside its partner, the Climate Group, is advancing this effort by building a coalition to raise the ambition and standards for the sector as a whole.

CEEW seeks to hire a suitable candidate for a research analyst position within the Sustainable Food Systems team to expand our capacity for conducting research and driving change. Specifically, this role requires a candidate with strong resilience, strategic stakeholder management skills, and the ability to thrive in high-pressure environments. This workstream offers the opportunity to develop negotiation skills, sharpen strategic and innovative thinking required to see beyond the obvious as well as opportunity to develop an understanding of India's FMCG sector. In summary, we are looking for a detail-oriented researcher with a hunger for impact and the ambition to help make our food systems sustainable.

We are operating on a tight timeline to launch the coalition by the first quarter of next year. Therefore, we require someone who can onboard quickly and begin contributing effectively right away. In return, we offer high visibility across various high-level meetings and platforms, such as London Climate Week 2026, New York Climate Week 2026, IDH SUTRA 2026, and numerous other large-scale conferences and workshops hosted and/or attended by CEEW.

The successful applicant will assist team members in undertaking robust quantitative and qualitative analysis. In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined below, the candidate should be prepared, as and when necessary, to take on additional responsibilities and respond adaptively to events and developments that cannot be easily anticipated.

Responsibilities and Duties

Independently manage allocated workstreams for qualitative and quantitative applied research on varied food system issues. These workstreams include, but are not limited to: (i) identifying optimal research questions, (ii) designing the research approach/framework, (iii) conducting systematic literature reviews, (iv) conducting stakeholder consultations, (v) performing relevant analyses using appropriate presentation (e.g., Google Slides, Canva) and/or quantitative tools (e.g., MS Excel, Stata, Open LCA/SimaPro, Vensim/STELLA etc), and (vi) presenting the analyses in a coherent narrative in different formats.

Specifically, this could look like:

• Developing pre-reads, presentation drafts, and meeting minutes for senior stakeholder engagements and consultations.
• Collecting evidence to support business case development and creating a repository of successful case studies on the transition to regenerative agriculture and portfolio diversification by leading FMCG companies.
• Building projection scenarios to compare different alternatives based on informed assumptions, and interpreting results to inform strategic decisions.
• Conducting secondary literature reviews to identify, compare, and analyse monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) frameworks to show credible progress by companies on adopted commitments.
• Travel to field sites, whenever necessary, to conduct fieldwork including focus group discussions, interviews, meetings, training or gather primary information.
• Conducting market analysis to understand different MRV players, technology solutions, and upcoming AI-based innovations to streamline reporting for FMCG companies.
• Regularly track policy measures taken by the government and its implementation status related to sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems in India and the Global South.
• Participate in relevant conferences, workshops, training programmes for a comprehensive understanding of developments relevant to sustainable agriculture and allied sector.
• Support the senior researchers in conceptualising new projects, development of high-impact research proposals, and applications for research and general donor funding.

Selection Criteria and Key skills

• Education: Master's degree in Business Administration, Resource Management, Environment Management, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Agriculture, or a related discipline pertaining to food system transformation, particularly engaging with private sector actors
• Domain knowledge: Familiarity with the food and agriculture sector, on issues pertaining to sourcing and nutrition, regulatory landscapes, and emerging consumer trends.
• Structured thinking and problem solving skills: Taking a structured approach to problem solving using frameworks such as Hypothesis-led approach, 80/20 rule, Situation-Complication-Resolution, Double Diamond Design Thinking Approach etc.
• Research & analysis: Strong analytical skills with a solid understanding of mixed-methods research (both qualitative and quantitative) relevant to impact evaluation.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, characterised by adaptive messaging, clarity, and active listening.
• Presentation skills: Proficiency in presentation and design platforms (e.g., Google Slides, Canva) to translate complex data into visually compelling and effective communications.
• Modern Tooling: Ability to critically evaluate and responsibly leverage AI-based tools to enhance productivity and deliver high-quality outputs.
• Collaboration: Working proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, etc.) to ensure seamless day-to-day team coordination.

Personality

• Willingness to learn new skills
• Ability to adapt to a new environment and deliver under tight deadlines in a professional environment
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output
• Ability to effectively work in a team while driving research with minimum assistance, when time demands independently.
• Ability to dig deeper into details, while also keeping a sense of the broader objectives and big picture
• Willingness to learn, grow and develop a personal and professional front, at a rapid pace with a steep learning curve
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment

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

Compensation

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of 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, ethnicity, religion, or caste. 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 contacted. We appreciate your interest.