Job Description:
About ITRI
India's Translational Research Initiative (ITRI) is a Section 8 company dedicated to accelerating the translation of research into technologies, products and societal impact. ITRI works with leading academic institutions, industry and the innovation ecosystem to establish and strengthen Translational Research Centres (TRCs) that bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world applications.
ITRI supports the design, operationalisation and growth of TRCs by building governance frameworks, operational capabilities, industry partnerships and sustainable operating models that enable research institutions to translate scientific excellence into meaningful outcomes.
About the Role
The Research & Strategy Specialist will provide technical and scientific expertise across ITRI's priority technology areas and initiatives. The role will focus on understanding technology applications, identifying opportunities to translate research into practical solutions, and assessing their relevance to Indian industry and ecosystem needs.
The individual will track global technology developments, best practices, and trends across priority areas, evaluating potential applications, pathways to deployment, and opportunities for industry adoption.
The role will involve ongoing engagement with ITRI's leadership, Program Managers, academic institutions, external partners, and domain experts. Combining scientific depth with analytical thinking, the individual will provide technical insights to inform decision-making and strengthen the translation of research into real-world impact.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technical & Application Mapping
- Conduct sector- and technology-specific deep-dives to develop a technical understanding of TRCs, including their research capabilities, technology focus areas, scientific expertise, and ongoing research activities
- Map potential applications of technologies by assessing national needs, global research developments, existing technology landscapes, relevant industries, end-use applications, and real-world problems that research could address.
- Analyse the global research and technology landscape, including emerging technologies, comparable research centres, and relevant scientific literature, to identify opportunities for translational research and assess their relevance to Indian industry and ecosystem needs.
- Identify opportunities for technology translation, further development, and industry collaboration, considering relevant industry actors, ecosystem stakeholders, and key government policies.
2. Technical Assessment & Milestone Definition
- Conduct technical literature reviews, technology landscape assessments and technical due diligence to evaluate technology readiness, research capabilities, technical feasibility, industry relevance and market potential across identified technology domains.
- Assess the existing research infrastructure, scientific expertise, technical capabilities and resource requirements of institutions to identify capacity gaps and inform the design and development of TRCs.
- Work with Program Managers, Principal Investigators, researchers and TRC leadership to define technical milestones, technology development pathways and capability-building priorities aligned with intended outcomes.
- Evaluate proposed research plans, technical approaches and development pathways to identify feasibility concerns, technical dependencies, risks and opportunities for further development.
- Translate technical assessments, market insights and institutional capacity evaluations into actionable recommendations for ITRI leadership, contributing to the development of TRC blueprints and informing TRC design, technology selection and investment priorities.
3. Technical Support to Programme Operations
- Provide technical inputs to help Program Managers assess progress against technical milestones, interpret challenges raised by TRC teams, and identify appropriate next steps.
- Conduct targeted research and provide analytical insights to inform programme reviews, operational decisions, and capability-building initiatives.
- Participate in technical discussions and programme reviews with TRCs alongside Program Managers, providing specialist inputs where required.
- Participate in industry discussions facilitated by Program Managers to explain relevant technologies, validate potential applications, and explore collaboration opportunities.
- Co-create whitepapers and other knowledge resources on relevant sectors and technologies, translating research and landscape analysis into accessible public goods that inform ITRI's work and benefit the wider ecosystem.
- Identify and engage relevant scientific, technical, industry, and policy experts to validate findings, strengthen technical assessments, and explore opportunities for collaboration.
- Evaluate and benchmark technical public goods developed by TRCs against existing global resources to assess their quality, relevance, and accessibility to the wider ecosystem.
Educational Background & Technical Expertise
Strong academic background in Mechanical/ Electrical/ Biomedical or Chemical Engineering/Materials Science/ Chemistry/ Biotechnology or Agricultural Sciences, with a focus on research and technology development.
Who We Are Looking For
- Recent PhD graduates or candidates with a Master's degree and 3–4 years of relevant experience.
- Must have a strong techno-commercial orientation and a broad understanding of technology domains, with the ability to assess emerging technologies, identify their commercial potential, and connect scientific developments to industry needs and practical applications.
- Strong understanding of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), techno-economic assessment, industry validation, and intellectual property (IP) management.
- Curious, adaptable and proactive individuals who are willing to step outside their areas of expertise, explore unfamiliar domains, and continuously learn and build new knowledge.
- Must have strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to explain technical concepts in clear, accessible language.
- The ability to engage confidently with researchers, academic institutions and industry stakeholders.
Location
Mumbai, with travel to partner institutions and TRCs across the country as required.