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Based in Bangkok, SEI Asia has a diverse team of multinational experts who integrate scientific research with participatory approaches to co-develop and share knowledge, build partnerships, and influence policy for resilient development. SEI Asia’s work focuses on gender and social equity, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water insecurity and integrated water resources management, transitional agriculture, renewable energy and urbanization.

SEI Asia is an affiliate of Chulalongkorn University (CU), Thailand. SEI and CU have an agreement to foster innovative scientific research combined with effective policy engagement on development and environmental challenges in Asia. The key areas of collaboration are intellectual engagement for joint research applications and fund mobilization, lectures and seminars for CU students, post-graduate supervision and examination, and CU–SEI employee links.

About the role

The Research Associate in the Gender, Environment and Justice Cluster (GenJust) will help develop and implement rigorous research at the intersection of gender equality, social equity, justice, environment and development. The position involves undertaking high-quality applied research from design phase to policy influence, as well as helping to effectively integrate intersectional gender and human rights into a range of SEI research projects. The position also offers the opportunity to conceptualize and secure funding for future research projects.

The position involves capacity building with project partners, civil society, government and/or private sector actors, and opportunities to generate and communicate interdisciplinary research insights for different audiences, including in high-quality peer-review publications, policy briefs, blog posts or podcasts.

The Research Associate will join the GenJust Cluster in SEI Asia. The centre has a strong focus on bridging science and policy in relation to gender equality, social equity, justice, human rights and associated transitions to a sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for all. The Research Associate will work across disciplines, collaborating with colleagues from other SEI teams, including those working on water, urbanization, climate change and disaster risk.

The position is based at SEI Asia in Bangkok, Thailand. The Research Associate will report to the Research Fellow in the GenJust Cluster, under the overall supervision of the cluster lead and SEI Asia’s Centre Director.

Main responsibilities 

Research and informing policy and practice

• Conceptualize, design and implement gender, environment and development-focused applied research projects, with guidance from supervising colleagues.
• Support the integration of cutting-edge, intersectional gender issues in SEI research in collaboration with the different clusters in SEI Asia, including those working on climate change, urbanization, disasters and development, and climate finance, with guidance from supervising colleagues.
• Carry out high-quality literature reviews from grey and academic literature.
• Carry out rigorous analysis of primary data, including cleaning coding and visualization of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Co-author high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles based on GenJust research, as well as communications for policy and public audiences (such as reports, briefs and blogs) at national, regional or global scales.
• Collaborate to shift agendas and improve policy and decision-making, and share research insights and recommendations in to the right audiences from local to national, regional and global levels.
• Help to develop capacity, particularly around integrating intersectional gender, justice, and human rights issues, among policy, private sector, research, and civil society actors.

Broader SEI responsibilities

• Collaborate with SEI’s communications team to support internal and external communications and outreach activities, including presentations, dialogues and media articles.
• Contribute to mobilizing funds for GenJust and other SEI Asia projects aligned to SEI mandates and priorities.
• Promote the aims and objectives of SEI as set out in its mission and aligned to its 2025-2029 Strategy. This includes participating in and contributing to the development of the SEI Asia Centre and GenJust research theme.
• Be a proactive, inclusive and constructive team member who supports colleagues in the GenJust Cluster and collaborates with other groups and diverse colleagues within the centre.
• Promote the positive exchange of ideas and research findings with relevant institutes, scientists and experts, including other SEI centres.

Who you are

We are looking for a dynamic early career professional with a strong interest and experience in designing and implementing high-quality applied research for development. Gender, social equity and justice are key areas of your expertise. You are a great team player and enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. You also have very good research and writing skills and are able to communicate with a variety of actors. You have a strong motivation for and commitment to excellence and results, as well as enthusiasm for doing scientific research to strengthen policy and practice in the field of sustainable development. SEI strongly encourages applicants from all genders, nationalities and social backgrounds.

Priority professional qualifications and knowledge

• Master’s degree with a minimum of two years of experience in the fields of gender, social equity, justice, environment and development or related fields.
• Knowledge of current and cutting-edge intersectional gender theory and approaches, including gender-transformative approaches.
• Understanding of fundamental concepts and issues in environment and development, with capacity to conduct a gender analysis of environmental and natural resource management contexts, such as agriculture, forests, urban development, land, water, climate change, disasters or energy.
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative, or mixed methods, research approaches, including rigorous design, collection and data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to carry out high-quality literature reviews from grey and academic literature.
• Demonstrated ability to carry out rigorous analysis of primary data, including cleaning and coding, of qualitative
• Successful contributions to projects related to development and the environment, in terms of policy engagement or capacity development.
• Growing track record of scientific publication, as well as skills in writing for general or practitioner audiences.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, including reviewing documents for clarity.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.

Desirable professional qualifications and competencies

• Competence in one or more data analysis software tools (e.g. NVivo, Delve, STATA, SPSS).
• Experience in communicating scientific information to a range of different audiences.
• Experience in contributing to proposal writing and fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a range of partners (government, civil society, private sector, local communities).
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity development activities (learning and training) to diverse partners and colleagues within SEI.
• Experience in managing and facilitating communities of practice or working groups, including coordinating activities, fostering collaboration, and ensuring effective knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning.
• Experience working in Asia.

Personal skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Positive influence on attitudes of individuals and teams.
• Demonstrated experience working inclusively with people from diverse backgrounds, valuing different perspectives, and creating an environment where all team members can contribute effectively.
• A proactive, inclusive and constructive team member, cooperating with and supporting colleagues in the GenJust Cluster and collaborating with other groups and diverse colleagues within the Centre.
• Able to reflect the core values of SEI in everyday work, including high-calibre work, respect and trust.
• Capable of providing and receiving feedback in a constructive and respectful manner.

SEI welcomes global applicants for all posts, and provides an internationally competitive NGO salary and benefits package. All employee contracts fall under Thai labour laws. For this post we expect candidates of entry level to apply.

SEI is an equal opportunity employer and we consider all applicants on the basis of qualifications and competencies regardless but not limited to race, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and marital status. We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organization and applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Questions?

Inquiries about the position can be directed to asiarecruitment@sei.org.