Research Associate - Smart Metering Evaluation

Almost a billion people in developing countries are not connected to the electricity grid. Those with power are still subject to unreliable supply and frequent outages. One cause is a widespread inability of utilities to collect on payments, forcing them to ration supply. This project will evaluate the use of new technology of smart meters to break this cycle of low-payments and low-quality that in turn causes consumers to feel justified in making incomplete payments. Smart metering and pre-payment specifically have several beneficial features, such as lowering transactions and monitoring costs and perhaps reducing liquidity constraints. There is also a growing literature on the consumer response to real-time pricing, which smart metering enables. However, there are no credible evaluations on the crucial pointcan a technological intervention change norm, incentives, and payment, and thereby improve reliability and access, even in a high-theft environment

While there have been great strides in smart metering, it is not clear that metering alone can reduce theft if the fundamental problem is collusion between collection agents and utility customers, at the expense of power suppliers. Our study (PIs: Prof. Michael Greenstone, Prof. Robin Burgess, Prof. Nicholas Ryan and Prof. Anant Sudarshan) would conduct a large-scale neighbourhood level randomized-control trial to answer this question in a critical developing country setting, working jointly on implementation with state distribution utility of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited.

Research Associate Roles and Responsibilities:

The RA will work closely with academic researchers and other field staff to perform a variety tasks including, but not limited to:

Overseeing implementation of the evaluation in accordance to the research design, in association with our partner organization APDCL.

Designing survey questionnaires, conducting qualitative research, conducting quantitative analysis of real time incoming consumer billing data and refining surveying instruments.

Managing field teams: Recruit, train, and supervise both field-based and data operations teams consisting of project assistants, field managers, field-based surveyors, data entry operators and other field and office staff.

Supervising data collection and ensuring data quality and productivity.

Maintaining relationships with partner organizations at both headquarters and field levels

Assisting with data cleaning, preliminary data analysis, and preparation of documents and presentations for dissemination.

Reporting to PIs on all of the above mentioned activities.

Desired Qualifications and Experience

Required:

A Bachelors degree in Economics (or related field) or Engineering

At least 1 year of work experience is necessary

Prior experience working with government partners is desired but not necessary

Prior experience with field data collection is desired but not necessary

Familiarity with impact evaluations and randomized controlled trials is required

Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills

Fluency in English and strong communication skills are required. Spoken fluency in Assamese is desirable.

Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player

Willingness to live in Assam and travel extensively within the region

Intermediate knowledge of STATA or other data analysis tools

Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations

Desired:

Masters degree in economics, engineering or related disciplines is preferred

Experience living in a developing country and/or liaising with government officials is a strongly desired but not necessary

Proficiency in STATA (or other tools such as R, SPSS etc.) is desired

one year

Note on Work Authorizations

Candidates must have work authorization to work in India. This covers citizens of India, Nepal or Bhutan, Persons of Indian origin (PIO), and an Overseas Citizens of India (OCI).