Project Associate- Transportation Planner/Urban Planner/ Urban Designer, Pune

Who we are and what we do?

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. 

We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 150 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. 

Program Overview for Sustainable Cities and Transport

At WRI India Ross Center we focus on 10 integrated solutions to urban challenges. Through applied research, tools, hands-on advice, and by tapping our network of global experts, we accelerate transformative urban initiatives that have the power to change Indian cities into thriving, equitable and low-carbon places that are good for people and the planet.

Working at WRI India Ross Center offers you the unique opportunity to learn and grow as you collaborate with a diverse set of change agents across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. As India’s biggest urban focused think and do tank, we seek thoughtful, enterprise-minded and sensitive individuals who can help us support this transformation and make a positive difference to citizens’ everyday lives.

About your role: 

WRI India is looking for a bright & hardworking project associate with transportation planning and design expertise, and passionate about bringing a “human” aspect into the mobility policy planning, to join our Integrated Urban Transport team in Pune. The successful candidate will primarily provide support to retrofit Infant, Toddler, and Caregivers specific lens in the mobility plans and policies through routine engagement with the Pune city specific government agencies and stakeholders. The project associate will be a key member of WRI India’s Ross Centre for Sustainable Cities, Integrated Urban Transport team and will work on providing a variety of data driven policy recommendations. The project associate will also support the team in ongoing projects by co-designing tasks & preparing implementation plans.

How your day will unfold: 

Research, Analysis & technical support

• Undertake own research towards new understandings and identify sustainable solutions focusing early childhood development.
• Undertake policy reviews, regulatory and institutional frameworks in City Governments to ensure institutionalization of the solutions.
• Conduct and coordinate primary surveys; focused group discussions to collect qualitative data to make evidence-based decisions.
• Collect secondary early childhood specific city-level mobility data.
• Carry out site analysis and activity mapping.

Capacity building and outreach

• Prepare reports & presentations for various convenings, workshops, and capacity-building sessions for the state and city level Governement officials.
• Prepare infographics, illustrations to communicate mobility plans and policies effectively.
• Identify best practices, promote them through external communication in public domain, including peer-reviewed articles, WRI working papers, and blog posts
• Create knowledge products, toolkits to achieve scaling mobility solutions with infants, toddlers, and caregivers’ lens.

Technical Support

• Develop data-oriented and evidence-based policy recommendations to retrofit infants, toddlers and caregivers’ lens in the existing state level mobility policies and services.
• Conduct mapping and documentation, coordination for primary & secondary surveys.
• Coordinate and prepare technical documents for the projects including data collection, conduct or coordinate surveys, compilation, analysis, design drawings, 3D visualizations, reports, presentations, general graphics and info graphics, etc.
• Develop interactive web-maps, storyboards that help in communicating policy recommendations into captivating visual outputs.
• Prepare professional visualizations to be leveraged in presentations, publications, and online platforms.

Co-ordination of project work

• Take leadership in ensuring overall objectives of the project. Responsible for engagements with multiple City Governments, partners and stakeholders to coordinate towards achieving the project objectives.
• Develop material and conduct capacity building for Government officials, NGOs, local champions and other stakeholders in the cities.
• Support WRI India in any other research or projects related to Integrated Transport areas.

Project documentation

• Keep close track of progress of the projects and attend bi-weekly and monthly project review meetings with internal team and partners.
• Takes minutes of meeting.
• Support donor and grants management by developing a database and keeping this up to date.
• Keep timely and accurate information related to donors, partners and key stakeholders
• Support proposal documentation packaging for review and/or final distribution.

Qualifications and requirements we seek: 

• Prior experience in Built environment, Urban Design, Streets and Non-motorised transit planning, Urban Traffic and Transportation Engineering/ Planning projects
• Familiar with design of roads, intersections, construction, data collection, research & analysis, urban traffic safety viz., pedestrian and vehicular safety, etc. 
• Strong organizational and verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent academic performance and strong analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly both orally and in writing, with excellent demonstrated skills in English
• Highly organized and detail-oriented; experience managing complex processes or projects.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced working environment and to juggle multiple assignments with little supervision
• 1 to 3 years of experience working on urban transport projects mobility plans, street design initiatives,
• Experience in writing policy briefs, policy frameworks, and guidelines.
• Experience in working on research publications.
• Experience in conducting capacity building and knowledge-sharing workshops for government officials.
• Must have strong spatial and land-use comprehension as well as excellent visual communication abilities
• Experience of working in the public sector- City or state level, OR non-profit research sector.

Skills:

• Working knowledge of AutoCAD, GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup is required.
• Basic proficiency in Hindi and Marathi will be an advantage

 Educational Qualification:

• Masters’ Degree in Transportation Planning/ design from a recognized university/institution.
• Bachelor’s degree in architecture from a recognized university/institution.

Salary and Benefits:  6,50,000 INR to 7,50,000 INR CTC Per annum

Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Location: Pune (Maharashtra, India) 

Duration: 1 year as term hire (extendable based on performance and project requirements) 

Start date: As soon as possible

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover letter explaining how your academic background and skills meet the requirements of this position.
• Curriculum vitae of no more than 2 A4-sized pages detailing academic and relevant professional experience.
• A portfolio of relevant works/ Project reports of relevant works

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact.  It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the centre of everything we do – from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.

Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:

Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs

Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member

Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance

Digital healthcare service: Online doctor consultations for your primary healthcare needs

Flexible work schedule:  Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job

Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities

Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.

Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.

Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability.