Research Head

About Civic Studios

Civic Studios is a media production start-up based in Mumbai, India and was incubated at the MIT Media Lab, USA. We create fiction & non-fiction content that entertains and In spires an action-oriented civic culture. Recently, we launched Pocket Change, a Hindi YouTube channel for Indian youth which creates relatable, short form, comedy content with democracy at its core. Our formats range from fiction & presentational sketches, news parodies, mockumentaries and more.

Position Overview

Title: Research Head, Civic Studios
Location: Civic Studios office (Lower Parel, Mumbai, India)
Start-date: Immediate
Commitment type: Full time
Pay: Compensation commensurate with experience

Role Description

We are looking for a full time Research Head to lead research for Civic Studios and our Youtube channel, Pocket Change. Your work will involve designing research for a range of short and long form fiction media projects across a variety of social, civic, and democratic issues. You will also be responsible for leading impact evaluations of the content and creating impact campaigns. You’ll manage the research team and work in close collaboration with the creative team. The Research Head will also contribute to building and maintaining external relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. Specific responsibilities associated with the role are detailed below:

Key Responsibilities

• Content Research & Development: Head the design and end-to-end implementation of primary and secondary research on various social and civic issues for content creation. Research activities include but are not limited to desk research, literature reviews, qualitative and/or quantitative research with relevant stakeholders such as target audiences, civil society organizations, academics, activists, public institutions and other experts. The research will be followed by analysis and output compilation in the form of research briefs which outline a clear key message and impact goals. As Research Head, you’re responsible for working closely with the creative team and aid the process of message design and script-writing.
• Knowledge Creation: Lead projects for our Research Hub through which we intend to further understanding on a variety of themes, such as, media impact, civic participation, public institutions, and citizen engagement in India. Outputs from these projects are compiled in a variety of formats including interactive tools, blogs, articles, videos, and visually accessible reports. You’ll be responsible for leveraging this
  research for in-house capacity building and manage dissemination with external stakeholders from various fields as well as with citizens at large.
• Impact Campaigns & Impact Assessment: Contribute to the creation of impact campaigns around Civic Studios content. This involves working with the content team and the strategy lead to design effective calls to action (CTA), create strategies for expanding the reach and impact of the content, and lead content dissemination with the development sector. The Research Head is in-charge of impact evaluations for short-form and long-form content at Civic Studios. This is an opportunity to experiment with different research methodologies and uniquely capture content impact.
• People Management & Community Engagement: The role of the Research Head involves various aspects of relationship building and management. You’ll manage recruitment, work-flow and budgets for the research department. You’ll also be responsible for on-boarding all news members of Civic Studios and helping them under stand civics and governance in India. The role requires you to maintain and expand our existing network of development sector organizations, researchers, activists, public institution workers, media houses and academics.
• Proposal & Grant Management: Maintain a database of relevant grants, lead proposal writing, manage grants and liaison with funding organizations. Actively build networks with funders and philanthropists across the globe.
• Company Strategy & Editorial Involvement: Participation in the overall company and content development strategy, keeping in mind best practices and strategies to maximize media impact.

Role Requirement

We are looking for someone who has/is:

7+ years of working in research

A thorough understanding of research methods and their implementation

Ability to design and execute audience research and impact evaluations

Familiarity with data analysis methods and data visualization

Strong oral and written communication skills

Prior experience with team and stakeholder management

Passionate about chasing tough questions and doing what it takes to figure-out their answers

Prior work experience in the legal field or media is preferred but not mandatory

Keen to be part of a fast-paced work environment with a birds-eye’ view to the process of content creation

Fluent in spoken English and Hindi

Interests

• A curiosity to understand our public institutions like police, judiciary and parliament, and figure out how our democratic processes really work on ground
• Being up to date with mainstream and independent pop culture, social media trends, and memes

We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds irrespective of gender, sexuality, caste, class, ideology, and ability, and aim to provide a nourishing workspace for all.

All roles at Civic Studios require an interest in civic engagement and participative democracy.

How to apply

Please send the following details and documents in an email to [namrata@civicstudios.com & nishkal.vaidya@civicstudios.com] with the subject line: Applying for Research Head.

• Your resume
• A short cover note/email about why you’re interested in this position
• Expected remuneration (pre-tax)