Research Specialist - Action Research

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking a research professional specialized in Action Research to join its office in Anand, India, as a Research Specialist Action Research. The Research Specialist will primarily contribute to the ongoing initiative, Indo-German Cooperation on Agrivoltaics (IGCA). IGCA aims to accelerate and mainstream the adoption of agrivoltaics in India, generating benefits for the rural population without compromising food security. The role also contributes to relevant IWMI-India projects and partnerships including those with ICAR, Tata Trusts and other collaborators. The Research Specialist is responsible for planning, designing, overseeing, and monitoring action research activities, including protocol development, scientific process documentation, data collection, analysis, and interpretation to achieve research goals and objectives in agrivoltaics and action research. The role engages with stakeholders, assigns and mentors support staff, organizes capacity development sessions, and produces knowledge products to enhance collaboration, outreach, and stakeholder expertise. The Research Specialist ensures timely recording and analysis of data, maintains optimal data pipelines, and develops comprehensive reports and provides inputs to publications to disseminate findings and support evidence-based decision-making. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:Main Purpose of Job: Plan, design, oversee, and monitor research activities, including developing field action sites, protocols, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, based on a defined research plan to achieve project objectives and development outcomes.Gather and synthesize information and literature to design studies, experiments, surveys, related to action research ensuring alignment with the research outline provided.Design and implement monitoring system to assess the performance and impacts of agrivoltaics and action research projects. Collaborate, engage, communicate and coordinate with stakeholders on research activities to ensure project objectives and milestones are met including organizing meetings, dialogues, field visits and workshops.Design, conduct, and supervise the implementation of surveys or experiments related to action research , ensuring adherence to research protocols and objectives.The researcher will also take lead in scientific process documentation, data monitoring, field assessment and all other aspects related to action research sites where IWMI is involved as a partner, co-implementer, consultant or advisor.Main engagement, collaboration and communication responsibilities: Identify and assign appropriate support for research activities, providing clear task responsibilities, technical information, and logistical guidance to ensure smooth implementation of experiments or studies.Provide input to performance appraisals of team members, providing constructive feedback and identifying opportunities for professional development to enhance team performance.Engage with colleagues, implementation partners, consultants, farmers and other stakeholders exchange conceptual ideas and effectively gather feedback and research-related requirements for the research's advancement or to align the execution of research.Align and synchronize project activities with stakeholders to ensure consistency and mutual reinforcement of efforts.Develop training materials and organize tailored capacity development sessions to build expertise in area of work.Design and produce knowledge products, informational resources, and communication materials for to amplify the impact and outreach of project and organizational work.Identify and communicate key information to policymakers and non-scientific audiences to promote knowledge transfer and evidence-based decision-making.Main responsibilities in the delivery of timely and quality services: Lead the synthesis and analysis of data to support the development of publications and presentations.Develop reports, and presentations, including summarizing research findings, preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, and creating posters and papers for dissemination.Prepare and deliver detailed project reports and supporting documentation for developer-led and farmer-led agrivoltaics projects in line with agreed timelines and quality standards.Education, Certifications & Training: Masters Degree in economics, rural management, agriculture, renewable energy, natural resource management or in a closely related discipline; or bachelors degree with extensive relevant experience.Experience: Experience in planning, implementing and overseeing research tasks.Experience in data gathering and management.Exposure to research quality assurance of research processes.Experience in collaborating with partners on the implementation of research activities.Experience working in or with an international not-for-profit organization is an .