Programme Associate Vehicles and Fuels (Sustainable Mobility)

CEEW seeks a technically grounded and policy-oriented Programme Associate with strong training in automotive engineering and the energy transition portfolio. This role bridges vehicle-level engineering analysis, vehicle fuels, vehicle materials, specifications and supply chain with macro-level policy and cost modelling.

The selected candidate will support research and advisory work spanning vehicle design, powertrain technologies (ICE, Hybrid, EV, Hydrogen), alternative fuels, supply-chain decarbonisation, circular economy, and life-cycle emissions and costs modelling. The role demands an understanding of automotive systems engineering alongside techno-economic and regulatory analysis to inform India's low-carbon mobility transition.

The position requires contributions to national level policy support, evaluating next-generation vehicle technologies, assessing material and component-level cost structures, and translating technical findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and multilateral institutions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Project-specific

Vehicle & Powertrain Engineering

• Conduct techno-economic assessments of various powertrains (ICE, Flex-fuel, Hybrid, BEV, FCEV, Hydrogen-ICE) across segments (2W, 3W, 4W, MHDVs, buses).
• Evaluate vehicle design evolution trends, lightweighting strategies, aerodynamics, thermal management, and drivetrain efficiency improvements.
• Analyse emerging technologies including solid-state batteries, megawatt charging systems (MCS), battery swapping architectures, and hydrogen storage systems.

Emissions & Energy Modelling

• Conduct Well-to-Tank (WtT), Tank-to-Wheel (TtW), and Well-to-Wheel (WtW) emission analysis aligned with India's net-zero pathway.
• Perform Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of vehicles, batteries, and fuel systems, including material extraction and end-of-life scenarios.
• Extract inputs from national fuel and transport models to conduct sensitivity analysis on energy demand, fleet electrification scenarios, and grid impacts.
• Assess vehicle-level efficiency improvements and their impact on national oil import dependence and energy security.

Materials, Components & Supply Chain

• Undertake materials and components-based costing analysis for EVs and ICE vehicles (battery packs, motors, controllers, fuel systems, exhaust after-treatment).
• Analyse the automotive supply chain transition under PLI schemes and localisation mandates.
• Study critical mineral dependency (lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths) and strategic diversification pathways.
• Evaluate battery recycling ecosystems, scrappage policy impacts, steel and aluminium recovery pathways, and circular economy interventions.

Circular Automotive Systems

• Assess vehicle scrappage frameworks and material recovery efficiencies.
• Study second-life applications and recycling value chains for the study battery.
• Quantify embodied carbon in manufacturing processes and propose decarbonisation strategies for OEM production facilities

Programmatic

• Jointly author/Co-author high-impact research reports, policy briefs, journal papers, and opinion pieces, translating complex automotive engineering, fuel transition, and life-cycle findings into actionable policy insights.
• Lead and support multi-state studies on vehicle electrification, hydrogen mobility, alternative fuels, and supply-chain decarbonisation-managing timelines, stakeholders, and research workflows.
• Develop techno-economic models, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) frameworks, and scenario analyses to evaluate powertrains (ICE, Hybrid, EV, Hydrogen) across vehicle segments.
• Conduct Well-to-Wheel (WtW) emissions modelling, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and materials-based costing to assess vehicle technologies, battery chemistries, hydrogen systems, and manufacturing transitions.
• Track and analyse national and state mobility policies (e.g., FAME/PM E-DRIVE, PLI schemes, CAFÉ norms, Hydrogen Mission), and draft evidence-based regulatory recommendations.
• Provide technical advisory support to government stakeholders and industry partners on vehicle standards, charging and hydrogen infrastructure, circular economy frameworks, and industrial localisation pathways.
• Build and manage structured datasets integrating vehicle performance, component costs, supply-chain emissions, and fuel pathways.
• Engage with OEMs, battery manufacturers, ministries, and research institutions to ensure industry-grounded and policy-relevant outputs.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to stakeholder consultations, expert roundtables, and outreach initiatives.
• Generate compelling data visualisations and concise insights for public dissemination and thought leadership.

Selection Criteria

Education and experience

• Master's degree in Automotive/Mechanical Engineering (with EV / vehicle systems focus), Energy Systems, Public Policy (with strong technical exposure).
• A strong research background in vehicle engineering, fuels, and emissions analysis is required.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience in the Automotive industry (OEM, Tier-1 supplier, EV startup), or Energy transition research, or Policy consulting in transport and fuels.
• Experience working with public and private institutions is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and managing complex surveys (cross-sectional and longitudinal).
• Strong proficiency in statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, Python) and multivariate analysis techniques.
• Published peer-reviewed publications or high-impact policy reports.

Key Skills

• Proficiency in Python, R, or STATA for modelling
• Advanced Excel for techno-economic assessments
• Familiarity with GIS tools
• Understanding of vehicle simulation tools (preferred)
• Experience with LCA frameworks and emissions accounting methodologies
• Excellent writing skills (English; Hindi preferred)
• Ability to synthesise complex engineering concepts into policy insights
• Comfort handling tight deadlines
• Strong stakeholder engagement capabilities
• Alignment with CEEW culture: curious, responsible, and impact-driven

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment, and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks.