Postdoctoral Researcher

About CERP

The Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan, or CERP, is a leading independent nonpartisan policy institution focused on improving decision-making in Pakistan through evidence-informed research, engaging with policy counterparts with real policy challenges, and designing and advising on high-impact reforms based on data. At CERP, we also deploy cutting-edge pedagogy tailored for Pakistan and provide data insights to the private sector on product and process design.

About Project

CERP Research Development develops and supports CERP’s portfolio of research projects through collaboration with academia, funders, research partners, and government departments. It assists CERP’s Research Fellows (faculty and experts based in international and Pakistani universities and multilateral organizations) in starting and managing new research studies hosted at CERP. The Research Development team also conducts research and scoping studies in partnership with CERP Research Fellows. It is involved in organizing international and local academic conferences and dissemination initiatives to share the learnings from CERP-affiliated studies and researchers with policymakers and the public at large.

CERP Research Development is partnering with Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment to develop a new research initiative, Pakistan Energy Sustainability Pathways Project (Net-Zero Pakistan). This rigorous research will be accompanied by consistent coordination with policymakers and stakeholders in Pakistan’s energy and economic space, aiming to provide them with a transparent, rigorous, and holistic analysis to explore economy-wide pathways to net-zero greenhouse gases for Pakistan. The project will analyze such pathways’ impacts on the country's resources, infrastructure, and socio-economic aspects, all the while ensuring that Pakistan achieves its economic growth and development objectives. It will provide spatial and temporal granularity to understand the infrastructure build-out, land use changes, investment required, employment dynamics, and socio-economic outcomes at the industry/sector and community level.

The project’s Principal Investigators are Chris Greig (Senior Research Scientist, Andlinger Center, Princeton University), Maroof Ali Syed (CEO, CERP), and Syed Uzair Junaid (Director, Research Development).

The project is planned to continue till December 2028, with its scoping phase completing by December 31, 2026.

Role Overview

The Postdoctoral Researcher will manage and serve as the in-country technical lead for CERP’s Net-Zero Pakistan Project, which will build on Princeton University’s impactful Net-Zero America (NZA) study that developed granular spatial, temporal, sectoral, technological, and socio-economic analyses to describe different energy-system transition pathways for Pakistan to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to inform the country’s energy, decarbonization, and economic policymaking for the coming decades.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will report to and work closely with the Principal Investigators mentioned above, ensuring that the study plans are executed in a timely and effective manner. He/She will be the technical lead for the in-country team and manage the overall research operations of the project. He/She will liaise with partners, funders, and stakeholders, and supervise other team members on the project.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will initially be hired for the project’s scoping phase (from April 1 to December 31, 2026) with a strong possibility of extension until the project’s completion (December 2028), subject to funding availability and performance.

Job Responsibilities

1. Strategic Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the PIs, Steering Committee, and the Advisory Committee in developing and executing the study plans.
• Assist the PIs in fundraising efforts for the Net-Zero Pakistan study, including grant writing, outreach to potential funders, and manage contracting activities.
• Assist CERP Management and CERP Research Development in developing new projects and initiatives (e.g. grant writing, fundraising, etc.) and in conducting studies beyond the Net-Zero Pakistan project.

2 . Project & Stakeholder Management

• Manage the overall research operations of the Net-Zero Pakistan Project. Ensure the project’s milestones are achieved as per plan and schedule.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with research partners, government departments, policymakers, external stakeholders, and teams within the project partner institutes (CERP, Princeton University).
• Coordinate approvals, documentation, and MoUs with partner departments, especially those related to data sharing. Organize meetings, negotiations, and engagements with stakeholders.
• Work with CERP teams to organize project events, such as dissemination and feedback sessions / workshops with stakeholders to share results and gather feedback.
• Provide periodic progress updates to the PIs, Steering Committee, and the Advisory Committee.
• Supervise the activities of, and mentor the project team members (Research and Policy Associates).
• Oversee the project’s grant and budget management along with CERP Finance.

3. Technical & Operational Expertise

• Complete the scoping phase of the project which entails an academic literature review of prior relevant studies of Pakistan and identifying, gaining access to, and compiling datasets needed for subsequent modelling.
• Develop a deep understanding of the model/s used for Net-Zero America and current Net-Zero projects through the modelling trainings provided by the Andlinger Center team.
• Develop the project’s 'Methods, Assumptions, Scenarios and Sensitivities (MASS) Report' which provides a complete summary of input assumptions and methods for the study.
• Adapt the Net-Zero America’s model to the context of the Net-Zero Pakistan study, in collaboration with the Andlinger Center team.
• Run and iterate the models related to all main components of the study: demand projection, demand-side technology, supply-side cost minimization, and downscaling analysis.
• Oversee the collection, coding, cleaning, and compilation of various data resources in preparation for modeling and analyses.
• Develop the study’s deliverables and knowledge products, along with the PIs.
• Travel within Pakistan for stakeholder meetings, consultations, and interviews.
• Oversee the maintenance of comprehensive documentation of research processes, protocols, and methodologies.
• Perform additional tasks as assigned by the Principal Investigators, CERP Research Development, or CERP Management.

Other Duties: This is NOT an exhaustive list of tasks that you will be performing as a Postdoctoral Researcher. You may be assigned additional tasks on other CERP initiatives and projects as deemed necessary by your reporting points, Program or CERP management, or the CERP Board.

Entry Requirements

1. Qualifications & Experience

• Doctoral (PhD) degree in economics, applied mathematics, engineering, public policy, or another relevant field.
• 0-5 years of postgraduate experience in a relevant field. Preference will be given to experienced candidates.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience of conducting rigorous research that involves modelling.
• Strong programming skills (using common languages, such as Python, Julia, etc.) for modelling, data cleaning, analysis, and visualization.
• Experience with managing, processing and analyzing large datasets.
• Strong scientific writing and presentation skills, and interest in and experience of publishing in leading academic journals.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in as many of the following areas as possible:
• Energy-system transition modeling
• Linear and mixed integer optimization programming,
• Energy-related techno-economic assessment
• Integration of country-specific data for economy-wide energy system decarbonization models
• Geospatial modeling methods and tools
• Domain knowledge in energy systems analysis, power systems, renewable energy grid integration, and energy-using technologies and processes in transport, buildings, and industry sectors.
• Experience of working on projects that involve collaboration with multiple stakeholders and partners
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively manage research teams