Field Researcher - BIPP

Job Summary

The Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business (ISB) seeks an experienced and highly organised Field Coordinator for its flagship research study, Aakanksha District as Fulcrum of Growth Plan Amritsar, Punjab. The Field Coordinator will play a pivotal role in the seamless execution of field activities, including data collection, stakeholder engagement, and coordination between the central research team, local authorities, and community participants.

Job Purpose

Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP) stands tall as one of India's eminent public policy think tanks, engaging with eminent policy makers and providing them with critical, data-driven evidence, research, and analysis on relevant and critical concerns. As ISB BIPP continues to broaden its public policy research, we seek a Field Coordinator to join our team to support the institute's research initiatives.

The Field Coordinator will:

• Support and oversee the implementation of fieldwork for the Amritsar district research study.
• Liaise with stakeholders including local government, community leaders, NGOs, and relevant sectoral actors across agriculture, livelihood, MSMEs, tourism, and education.
• Coordinate logistics and planning for data collection and field visits.
• Supervise and support field investigators and survey enumerators during primary data collection, interviews, and focus group discussions.
• Ensure the quality, accuracy, and timely completion of data collection in line with project timelines and methodologies.
• Provide regular field progress updates, preliminary observations, and support the drafting of field reports.
• Troubleshoot operational issues and facilitate solutions for smooth fieldwork execution.

Job Specifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, Rural Development, or related field (relevant field or research experience may substitute).
• Strong understanding of field-based research methods, survey implementation, and participatory rural appraisal techniques.

Specific Skills

• Proven project fieldwork management, preferably in large-scale research or development projects.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills (Punjabi language proficiency preferred).
• Familiarity with digital data collection tools and field logistics management.
• Strong skills in organizing focus group discussions, interviews, and community consultations.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum 3 years experience coordinating field operations in development, social science, or policy research projects in rural/urban India.
• Experience working with marginalized communities, local government, or sector experts in Punjab.
• Prior oversight of survey teams and multi-site operations is desirable.

Job Interface / Relationships

• Principal investigator and the Project Team
• Local Government Officials
• Community leaders and key informants
• NGOs, Sectoral Experts, and Partner Organisations

Key Responsibilities

• Fieldwork Planning
• Coordination
• Supervision
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Community Liaison
• Data Collection Oversight
• Quality Assurance
• Field Reporting
• Admin Support

Additional Notes and Project Fit

• The Field Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that the field component aligns with the project's Terms of Reference, including district profiling, data collection across all focus sectors (agriculture, MSMEs, tourism, and human capital), and facilitating timely reporting as per project milestones.
• The position is based in Amritsar with travel as required. Working knowledge of field realities and cultural context in Punjab will be an advantage.