Call for Applications | Research Associate to work on the Just Transitions on Indian Streets project | 2 positions

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) invites applications for two full-time Research Associate positions to work on the Just Transitions on Indian Streets (JusTIS) project. The position is up to March 2027 and will be based in Bengaluru, with some time spent on fieldwork in Delhi and Kolkata.

The project is the recipient of The British Academy’s Knowledge Frontiers: International Interdisciplinary Research Projects Award for 2025-27 in collaboration with the University of Oxford. Research Associates will report to the project’s co-investigator, Dr. Anwesha Ghosh, who is a faculty member at NLSIU.

About the Project

Just Transitions on Indian Streets (JusTIS) is a collaborative research project that explores how Indian cities can respond to climate change in ways that are fair and inclusive for street-based workers. These workers—such as street vendors, platform workers, and informal transport operators—play a vital role in everyday urban life but are often excluded from decisions that shape the cities they help sustain. As India undertakes major urban and climate transitions, the project seeks to centre the voices, experiences, and knowledge of these workers in planning for more equitable and sustainable urban futures.

The project views the street not just as a space of mobility and commerce but as a key site where climate impacts are directly experienced, where everyday survival strategies are practiced, and where struggles for workers’ rights are played out. JusTIS develops a critical decolonial praxis of dignity and recognition, addressing the systemic invisibility and misrecognition faced by street-based workers in both climate and urban policies. By documenting workers’ knowledge, practices, and histories, the project aims to challenge top-down approaches to climate action and promote more grounded, inclusive alternatives.

With an aim to develop a deeper understanding of how cultures of misrecognition and systemic invisibility affect street-based workers, JusTIS takes a comparative approach to understanding the impacts of climate change on streets in major Indian cities. By examining the experiences of these workers in Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata, the project explores how social injustices and climate vulnerability intersect with each other. The research uses an interdisciplinary methodology, including surveys, oral histories, archival research, and workshops, to capture a comprehensive picture of these issues.

Role Description

The Research Associate will be responsible for:

• Working with the research team in conducting surveys and interviews with the project’s various stakeholders.
• Assisting in the organisation of participant workshops in research cities.
• Helping with archival research in research cities related to the project.
• Transcribing data from surveys, interviews, workshops, and other activities.
• Undertaking comprehensive literature reviews on relevant topics.
• Helping with hosting a 2-day in-person academic workshop at NLSIU.
• Attending meetings and reading groups organised by the PI and/or Co-Is.
• Maintain monthly progress reports on the activities and budget.
• Assist in any other tasks as required.

A. Qualifications

Essential

• Master’s degree in social sciences, law, public policy, or allied disciplines

Desirable

• Academic background in urban studies, geography, anthropology, mobilities research or cognate fields
• Working knowledge of NVivo or an equivalent software package to analyse qualitative data

B. Experience

Essential

• 2-3 years of research experience post-master’s degree or early career research scholars awaiting PhD defence in issues of livelihood, dignity, and justice.
• Proficiency in at least one of the following languages: Bengali, Hindi, Kannada.

Desirable

• Familiarity with academic debates on the topics of just transitions, decolonisation, and environmental justice.
• Prior experience of conducting fieldwork in research cities and engaging with relevant stakeholders.
• Experience of contributing to research publications.
• Experience in project coordination roles within a research team.
• Flexibility in working from Delhi or/and Kolkata as per project requirements.

C. Skills and Competencies

• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Strong execution rigour and operational skills.
• Strong presentation and time management skills.

How to apply?

Please use the Google form here, and include the following documents:

• An up-to-date CV
• A statement of purpose (not more than 500 words)
• Contact details and designation of one reference

We will request a sample of academic writing, up to a maximum of 8,000 words (including references), at the interview stage if the candidate is selected for the next round.

Compensation

Salary will be commensurate with qualification and experience and will be in the range of Rs. 60,000 – Rs 70,000 per month.

For any queries, please write to .

Deadline

The last date for submission of applications is August 4, 2025 (5 pm IST).