Senior Research Assistant, Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy in India

The University of Winnipeg is seeking a Senior Research Assistant for a project on Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy in India. The role involves supporting research activities, conducting literature reviews, analyzing policies, and assisting with knowledge mobilization and grant development. The position requires collaboration with senior researchers and may involve overseeing other research assistants. This job is located in Winnipeg, MB, Canada, indicating it is not a remote position.
Senior Research Assistants are normally graduate students, or University of Winnipeg undergraduate students, employed to assist in the execution and evaluation of research projects in their area of study. The positions may oversee Research Assistants in areas such as the use of proper techniques, analysis, and documentation.

Senior Research Assistants work under the general supervision or direction of more senior researchers or faculty members, and are expected to exercise judgment in prioritizing, planning and organizing their own work within defined parameters.

Position Overview:

The core role of the Senior Research Assistant will be to support the Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy in India project, led by Drs. Kirit Patel and Alan Diduck of the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. The project involves analyzing the policy framework governing carbon credits and renewable energy in India and supporting opportunities for communities in Gujarat and Karnataka to help advance a green transition. The Senior Research Assistant will join a project team consisting of the Principal Investigators, Post-Doctoral Researchers, Masters students, and local field staff.

Duties:

Research Support (30%)
• Work in a collaborative team environment, under the general direction of Drs. Kirit Patel and Alan Diduck to achieve the project goals
• Conduct high-level academic literature reviews and associated writing tasks
• Assist with the analysis of policies, laws, project approvals, and license conditions related to carbon trading, renewable energy, and incentives for climate mitigation projects
• Assist with the analysis of interviews with stakeholders including policymakers, legal experts, and community members to gather further insights on the implementation and impact of these policies, laws, and incentives
• Assist with the analysis of community deliberations, engagement with project developers, and participation in decision-making spaces, including policy forums, public hearings, and compliance procedures
• Help prepare case studies of specific carbon credit projects and green energy initiatives in Karnataka and Gujarat to describe the projects and evaluate their effectiveness and impacts
• Contribute to academic and popular publications related to the research project

Knowledge Mobilization (20%)
• Assists with development of knowledge mobilization activities for the project
• Assists with development of written reports, manuscripts, and briefs
• Manages social media and website postings as required
• Develops and delivers knowledge mobilization and writing activities and materials as required

Grant Development (20%)
• Regularly scans for funding opportunities, reviews application instructions for eligibility, reviews application drafts for completeness, and provides strategic recommendations to leadership team
• Maintains a list of grant opportunities that includes focus, funder, funding amounts, timelines, logistics, partnerships and other requirements
• Liaises with UW Research Office and other offices, funding agencies, and partners
• Drafts and revises content and budgets for grant proposals with direction from faculty supervisor(s)

Administrative Duties (30%)
• Provides administrative support in the management of financial activities of the project, including budget planning and preparation; expense approval; financial tracking, and monitoring and administration
• Provides administrative support to the project to coordinate activities, policies, procedures, and/or best practices, including booking meetings, taking minutes and distributing support documents or items to committee members
• Serve as primary liaison between Namati as the grantor and UW Research Accounting Office, ensuring all requests for follow-up documentation and questions related to grant reporting are resolved
• Daily review, action, and follow up of emails and phone calls
• Liaises with supervisory team and UW to process payments, book travel, or order supplies
• Responds to requests for briefings, reports, literature reviews, and environmental or system scans from the supervisory team
• Provides support to the Post-Doctoral Researchers on managing logistics and administration for field work
• Maintains records, including financial for internal and external reporting purposes
• Arranges technical support for videoconferencing systems (infrastructure)
• Performs other duties as required or as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required (all of the following)
• Social science master’s degree in environmental studies, rural development, or a related field
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in project planning, coordination and management, preferably in a post-secondary environment
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to plan, prioritize competing demands, and work independently with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to be flexible and work as part of a team and within the university
• Demonstrated strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Well-developed conflict management skills, with the ability to exhibit tact and confidentiality
• Evidence of being a self-starter who can work productively under minimum supervision
• Demonstrated computer skills (Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, web content management systems, etc.)
• Initiative to identify areas for improvement and possible solutions

Desired (two or more of the following)
• Experience in policy analysis and community development
• Experience in community-based research engagement and collaboration preferred
• Knowledge of the principles of research design and grant application procedures, as well as knowledge mobilization processes
• Experience in research grant writing
• Experience in organizing and managing post-secondary events required

Interested candidates should apply with: 1) a cover letter; 2) a current curriculum vitae; and 3) the names and contact information of two references. The selection committee will begin reviewing applications on May 23, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.

Condition(s) of Employment:
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

The period of work will be from June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026, and the hours of work will be 25-35 hours per week.

Note: This position is represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada - Research Capacity Unit.

Note: The work described in this posting will be conducted in-person.

The University of Winnipeg is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff and faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research environments, and is essential to academic and institutional excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage women, racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons to confidentially self-identify at time of application.

The University of Winnipeg is committed to ensuring employment opportunities are accessible for all applicants. If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact human_resources@uwinnipeg.ca.

The personal information of applicants is collected under the authority of the University of Winnipeg Act and 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. All personal information collected via the recruitment process is used to assess the applicant’s suitability, eligibility, and qualifications for employment, and to otherwise support recruitment activities. This information will be provided to participating members of the recruitment process. Questions regarding the collection of your personal information may be directed to the Director, HR Services, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9 or human_resources@uwinnipeg.ca.