Program Research Analyst- Food Loss and Waste

About us

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. 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.

Know more: https://wri-india.org/

Program Overview for Food, Land and Water

WRI India's Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India's transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.

With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate.

Job Highlight:

The Food, Land and Water Program at WRI India is seeking a Research Analyst to lead a comprehensive assessment of technologies and solution packages that address post-harvest loss (PHL) and food waste across the food supply chain in India. A key focus is assessing viability and investment opportunity, including mapping private finance relevant to PHL and food waste solutions (e.g., corporate investment, venture capital, private equity, debt providers, blended structures led by private actors, and CSR/ESG capital where applicable). The work will combine primary (interviews, site visits, and structured observations) and secondary research (peer-reviewed scientific literature and authoritative standards/reports).

What will you do:

I. Research (80%)

Develop evidence-based research on post-harvest loss (PHL) and food waste technology solutions in India. This will include building analytical frameworks, mapping technologies, and generating decision-ready insights on what works where and why, covering PHL technologies supply-chain-wise (farmgate to retail) and food waste solutions aligned to the food waste hierarchy.

Lead desk-based synthesis of scientific literature and authenticated reports/standards to assess technology performance, operational requirements, environmental implications, and maturity in India; complement this with structured primary research (interviews, site visits, observations) to validate its feasibility and implementation constraints.

Develop viability and investment analysis for shortlisted solutions, including unit economics, business models, utilization/supply reliability risks, and replication pathways; identify key evidence/MRV requirements that improve bankability.

Produce high-quality knowledge products (reports, briefs, toolkits, scoring frameworks) that translate findings into actionable recommendations for cities, businesses, investors, and implementation partners.

II. Partnerships, engagement and communication (20%)

Engage and coordinate with relevant stakeholders across the food supply chain and waste ecosystem to inform and validate the assessment and support pilot design readiness.

Take active part in program related events and support implementation activities such as convenings, roundtables, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.

Support development of communication and outreach materials (presentations, briefs), and support in timely progress reporting.

What will you need:

Master's degree or equivalent experience in engineering, environmental science, waste management, food systems, circular economy, or related fields.

2-4 years of experience in one or more of: post-harvest systems, food waste management, circular economy technologies, and/or sustainability assessment.

Strong research and writing skills; ability to create clear decision tools (scoring matrices, shortlists, checklists).

Strong stakeholder engagement and interviewing skills.

Preferred Skills

Working understanding of market realities across food supply chains in the Indian context.

Experience evaluating and implementation of post-harvest and/or waste management infrastructure.

Potential Salary and Benefits: INR 9,50,000 to INR 12,50,000 Per Annum

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

Location: Delhi, India

Duration: 6 Months_(Extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Start date: As soon as possible

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.

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 center 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

Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle

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 orientation, parental status, or disability.