This position requires an experienced research associate to devote 50% of their full-time effort to the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition's Walmart Foundation project “FPO Led Small Farm Market Access Models for Future Food Systems in India”. This research associate will work closely with the principal investigators and key personnel and participate in the review the global experiences of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) failures and successes, to identify context, specific and generalizable lessons of FPO functioning, identify multidisciplinary approaches needed to understand the organizational, social, and economic aspects and how they relate to FPOs in India, and to formulate evaluation guidelines and frameworks that can access country-specific interventions and benchmark them to the global experience. Simultaneously, they will be responsible for an on the ground assessment, in Mexico and India, of FPO agribusiness and intermediary strengthening, FPO business integration, facilities access and market linkages.

The successful candidate will:

• Work with the investigators and key personnel to develop a project plan, research method, and research tools for conducting fieldwork in India and Mexico.
• Help coordinate and assemble relevant literature on agricultural markets, collective action, and economic development in India, Mexico, and other developing countries of relevance.
  
• Assist in designing the research project and make recommendations to the supervisor on data collection and methodology according to the research assignment.
  
• Use research design and development skills to backstop supervisor in the overall planning, preparation, and supervision of research (especially in Mexico) research papers, articles, and reports for publication.
  
• Identify case studies of aggregation models in India and Mexico and compile data from primary and secondary sources for analysis.
  
• Help coordinate the collection, preparation, verification, and analysis of moderately complex data in Mexico and India for both primary and secondary sources.
  
• Identify existing regional information on policies and support provided for FPO promotion in Mexico.
  
• Clean and analyze data from secondary sources regarding small farm aggregation models in Mexico and other developing countries.
  
• Use statistical software (such as STATA, R, etc.) to run regressions for statistical analysis.
  
• Create a database of quantitative and qualitative data for easy access, retrieval and analysis when required
  
• Write and assist in preparing research reports, papers and articles for publication.
  
• Aid in the preparation of presentation materials (including supporting background research and data analysis) for research dissemination. 

This is a 6-month appointment, from March 16, 2022 through September 15, 2022, with the possibility of extension, depending on the award of new funding.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in agricultural economics, economics, public policy or a related area.
• 3-5 years job-related research experience after completion of Ph.D. with competent quantitative research skills.
  
• Demonstrated experience and ability to manage multiple priorities, complete work on tight deadlines and implement critical projects. Must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced research and outreach setting.
• Strong oral communication, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in Spanish and in-depth knowledge of Mexican and other Latin American agricultural systems.
  
• Excellent computer skills (at a minimum: proficient in Stata, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel).
  
• Ability to travel internationally & conduct fieldwork, particularly in rural India and Mexico is essential.
  

Supervision Exercised:  This position will provide functional supervision as needed to associate researchers and data analyst working in the TCI office in Delhi who are involved in TCI’s Walmart Foundation project. 

To apply, please submit a letter of interest, a CV and publications list, and the name and contact information for three individuals who can be contacted to provide a reference.  Applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online at the following link:­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/20943, no later than February 6, 2022.