Fellowship

Climate Fellowship – Job Description

• Position: Climate Fellow
• Positions-10 (Socio-economic-3, Agriculture-3, Ecology-2, Water Policy and Governance-01, Hydro-geology-1)
• Organisation: Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)
• Location: Pune
• Duration: 10 Months
• Application Deadline: 31st August 2026
• Start Date: 15th September 2026

About WOTR

Established in 1993, WOTR is an internationally recognised non-profit and think tank working at the intersection of practice, knowledge, and policy. Its mission is to ensure water and food security, sustainable livelihoods, and resilience for vulnerable rural communities in India. WOTR tackles the key causes of rural poverty by taking a holistic approach to rejuvenate rural communities and the ecosystems in which they live. The focus is on mobilising rural people and building their capacities to efficiently manage the land, water, and forests that surround them. WOTR has been working with rural communities in India for 3 decades now. Together with its partners, it has touched the lives of over 6.93 million across 7124 villages in 10 states of India – Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Karnataka. It has included participants from 63 countries in training and exposure programmes.

About W-CReS:

Initiated in 2007 and set up as an autonomous unit in 2016, the WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS) conducts multi-stakeholder, applied research on ground-level challenges through a transdisciplinary approach. Its goal is to examine how drivers of change affect communities, uncover causal and behavioural dynamics, and identify strategies that foster socially beneficial change. W-CReS also builds capacities and informs policy and program design. It has formal collaborations with leading national and international institutions such as ICAR, IMD, and CRIDA, and works closely with civil society, companies, and governments at the federal and state levels.

About Climate Fellowship

India is highly vulnerable to climate risks affecting agriculture and rural livelihoods. With the 2026 El Niño, the situation is likely to worsen. Below-normal monsoon rainfall can intensify crop losses, water and livestock stress, irrigation costs, migration, and food and livelihood insecurity. In this context, Climate Fellows will help strengthen W-CReS's response by generating field-level evidence, supporting climate vulnerability assessments and community monitoring, and documenting adaptation practices across agriculture, water, ecosystems, and rural livelihoods. The Fellowship will build the knowledge, research, and field capacities of young professionals to bring on-the-ground impact.

What We Offer

• A well-structured fellowship programme that combines capacity building, administrative exposure, and hands-on participation in baseline, midline, and impact studies, providing young professionals with practical, on-the-ground experience and equipping them with the knowledge and skills required to become future climate leaders.
• Working with a multidisciplinary team
• An opportunity to engage with real-world climate research and communities.
• Mentorship from experienced climate and development professionals.
• A monthly stipend of ₹ 25000
• Experience Certificate

Key Responsibilities

Broadly, the Climate Fellows will contribute to

• Conduct field visits/telephonic interviews to collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data from farmers and local stakeholders
• Assist in conducting and documenting focus group discussions
• Assist in analysing socio-economics/agricultural/ climate data using basic statistical tools
• Compile and analyse secondary climate data (rainfall, temperature, agricultural impacts).
• Assist in documenting findings and report writing
• Collaborate with the field team and attend regular review meetings
• Engage with local communities to understand lived experiences of climate anomalies

Eligibility Criteria

• Graduate/ preferably postgraduate students from Social Sciences, Environmental Science, Hydrogeology, Water Policy, Governance, Agriculture, Climate and Sustainability Studies, and other relevant interdisciplinary fields.
• Basic understanding of data collection tools
• Candidates with one year of experience or freshers are eligible to apply
• Understanding of socio-economics, environmental, climatic and agricultural systems in semi-arid regions.
• Strong interest in climate change, sustainability, rural development, and agriculture
• Proficiency in MS Excel; knowledge of tools like R and SPSS will be an advantage.
• Good communication skills in Marathi, Hindi, and English
• Willingness to travel to field locations and work in semi-rural settings (if required)
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit:

1. An updated CV (maximum 2 pages).
2. A Statement of Purpose (300 words) outlining their interest in climate research and relevant skills.
3. Applications should be sent using a Google Form:

https://forms.gle/mjapQQ2P9vWGSssa9

1. Subject line: Application for Climate Fellowship