Data Fellow - Accelerator Program

Start Date (Earliest): April 15, 2026

Language Requirement: English/Hindi

Length of Commitment: 8 months with possibility of extension

Joining Location: Remote/ Onsite

Name of the Project: Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN)

Sector: Health/Climate/Environment

About the Organization:

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of over 750 affiliated researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

J-PAL was launched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003 and has 7 regional offices around the world. J-PAL South Asia, hosted by the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), Chennai, and has built partnerships for the generation of new research and advancement of evidence-informed policymaking with 20 Indian state and central government ministries, as well as training partnerships with the governments of Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

For more information, visit povertyactionlab.org/south-asia

About the Project:

The India Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator is a collaboration between J-PAL South Asia and data.org. The Accelerator aims to create a sustainable and scalable model to strengthen the data capacity of the social sector in India by providing social impact professionals and governments with the tools they need to catalyze the application of data to address systemic challenges. Trained data professionals will be placed on carefully selected data projects across a variety of social impact organizations addressing priority policy issues at the intersection of climate and health.

Position Overview:

The Fellow’s role in the India Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator offers an immersive opportunity for aspiring data professionals to drive transformative change. As a Fellow, you will be part of a pioneering initiative that empowers individuals to create meaningful impact in climate change and health through carefully curated data projects. This program is ideal for those who are passionate about harnessing technology and data for positive change and wish to contribute to the growth of innovative nonprofit organizations. Your role will be pivotal in advancing the organization's mission and addressing pressing environmental and public health challenges through data-driven solutions. Throughout the program, you'll receive personalized guidance from experienced mentors, fostering your growth as a data professional and equipping you to tackle real-world challenges with confidence. We encourage candidates with a strong commitment to social impact and a drive to make a positive difference in the community to seize this opportunity and join us on our journey towards data-driven impact.

Key Responsibilities:
The Fellow will perform a variety tasks including, but not limited to:

1. Project Collaboration:

○ Collaborate with a social impact organization or government to understand their climate and/or health data needs and project goals.

○ Work closely with the organization's team to identify data sources, collect relevant data, and develop strategies for data analysis and interpretation.

○ Apply your expertise in data scraping, data analysis, data visualization, and statistical methods to uncover meaningful insights from the collected data.

○ Assist in developing data-driven recommendations and solutions to the leadership that address climate and health challenges that India faces today.

2. Data Management and Analysis:

○ Collect, clean, and organize climate and health data from various sources, ensuring data quality and accuracy.

○ Ensure data security and privacy, and adherence to organizational / central data standards and policies.

○ Utilize statistical software and data analysis tools to conduct rigorous analysis and modeling of climate and health datasets.

○ Apply data visualization techniques to present findings in a clear and compelling manner, facilitating data-driven decision-making.

3. Project Management and Reporting:

○ Develop and maintain project timelines, deliverables, and milestones, ensuring progress towards project goals.

○ Prepare regular reports, presentations, and documentation to communicate project progress, findings, and recommendations to the organization and program stakeholders.

○ Effectively communicate complex data concepts and findings to non-technical stakeholders in a clear and understandable manner.

4. Research and Innovation:

○ Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in climate and health data, including emerging datasets, research studies, and analytical techniques.

○ Contribute to the identification of innovative data-driven approaches and methodologies to enhance the organization's impact.

○ Collaborate with fellow team members and stakeholders to explore new ideas, conduct literature reviews, and contribute to research publications.

○ Explore potential opening for evaluations including use of RCT to answer policy relevant questions, wherever possible

Qualifications:

● Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field. Data science degree/ computer science engineering is a strong requirement; experience in environmental science, public health, epidemiology, or related disciplines is an added bonus

● Minimum 1-2 years of relevant work experience

● Strong background in data analysis, statistics, and data visualization

● Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or similar

● Experience with data scraping, manipulation, cleaning, and preprocessing techniques

● Familiarity with climate and health datasets, environmental monitoring systems, and public health data sources

● Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment

● Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex ideas to diverse audiences

● Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively

● Passion for addressing climate and health challenges and a commitment to social impact

Note: This is a fellowship program, and fellows will be matched with specific purpose-driven data projects hosted by leading social impact organizations and governments based on their skills, interests, and the project's requirements. The Fellow’s base location will depend on the organization they are matched with.

To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter highlighting your relevant experience and interest in climate and health data projects.

We embrace diversity and inclusion and strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.