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Stockholm Environment Institute, a world-leading research institute bridging science, policy and practice on environment and sustainable development (headquartered in Sweden), is seeking a Research Associate to join our SEI Asia centre team.

About SEI Asia

SEI Asia, a centre of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) based in Bangkok, has a diverse team of multinational experts who integrate scientific research with participatory approaches to co-develop and share knowledge, build partnerships and influence policy for resilient development. SEI Asia’s work focuses on gender and social equity, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water insecurity and integrated water resources management, transitional agriculture, renewable energy and urbanization. 

SEI Asia is an affiliate of Chulalongkorn University (CU), Thailand. SEI and CU have an agreement to foster innovative scientific research combined with effective policy engagement on development and environmental challenges in Asia. The key areas of collaboration are intellectual engagement for joint research applications and fund mobilization, lectures and seminars for CU students, post-graduate supervision and examination, and CU–SEI employee links. 

The role

We are looking for a highly motivated early-career professional to join our team. The Research Associate will support the operationalization of the Regional Investment Facility (RAIF), part of the Inclusive Finance for Sustainable Development Programme (ICCAP), through research and technical work.

The position provides research and analytical support during the operational phase of RAIF. RAIF is a EUR 250 million blended finance facility designed to mobilize public and private capital for climate adaptation investments that benefit vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos and Nepal. The Research Associate will support investment pipeline development, financial instrument design, investor engagement and collaboration with financial service providers and government partners. Responsibilities include preparing analytical briefs, conducting market research, producing background analysis and developing technical materials for engagement with investors and financial partners.

In addition to research activities, the role provides technical and administrative support to the ICCAP project component responsible for catalysing investment in climate adaptation. This component focuses on mobilizing public and private capital for adaptation solutions through partnerships with financial institutions, investors and government stakeholders. The Research Associate will support coordination and communication among partners, assist in organizing meetings, workshops and investor engagement events, and contribute to project documentation, reporting and knowledge management.

The role requires strong analytical and research skills, as well as the ability to communicate complex financial and policy concepts clearly. The Research Associate will work independently and as part of a small multidisciplinary team, collaborate with colleagues across the ICCAP program and contribute to research and stakeholder engagement activities that support the scaling of climate adaptation finance in the Asia-Pacific region.

Main responsibilities: 

• Support the operationalization of RAIF by conducting research and analysis that inform investment pipeline development, financial instrument structuring and collaboration with financial service providers, institutional investors and government partners.
• Support investor engagement by conducting background research, maintaining an investor database, preparing briefing materials and contributing to portfolio development and outreach activities, including engagement events and country missions.
• Support the design of catalytic finance instruments, including first-loss guarantees, foreign exchange hedging mechanisms and green bonds, through analytical briefs and systematic literature reviews.
• Conduct quantitative analysis related to climate finance markets, investor mapping and financial instruments, including dataset development and database analysis.
• Support project monitoring, research and knowledge outputs by assisting project leadership in tracking implementation of RAIF against program targets and safeguards requirements, including environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) principles and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards.

Reporting line

The Research Associate is a member of the Finance for Sustainable Development Cluster at SEI Asia and reports to the Cluster Lead. Day-to-day supervision is provided by the project lead responsible for the climate finance investment component of the ICCAP program.

The role also works closely with the ICCAP Project Director and collaborates with colleagues across different components of the program. The Research Associate contributes to the timely delivery of project activities, effective stakeholder engagement and adherence to program safeguards and operational requirements.

Areas of accountability

• Ensure assigned tasks are completed within agreed budgets and timeframes.
• Keep the supervisor and line manager informed in a timely manner of issues related to the role and assigned tasks. 

Who you are  

You are a motivated professional with a strong interest in climate finance and sustainable development. You are passionate about strengthening financial systems to support environmental sustainability and vulnerable communities.

You combine analytical rigour with practical problem-solving and work effectively in multi-stakeholder environments. You are comfortable working across cultures and time zones and can communicate complex financial concepts to diverse audiences.

Formal qualifications, skills and experience

Required: 

• Master’s degree in finance, economics, development studies, environmental management or a related field.
• At least two years of experience in climate finance or a related field.
• Knowledge of ESG frameworks, compliance standards and IFC safeguard frameworks.
• Understanding of sustainable finance, development finance and climate action.
• Experience conducting systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses, including the use of digital or AI-assisted research tools.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including experience working with datasets and evidence-based analysis.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

Desirable:

• Experience working on climate adaptation or climate finance projects in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Knowledge of climate adaptation finance, including barriers and enabling conditions for scaling adaptation investment.
• Familiarity with IFC Performance Standards and Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) requirements.
• Experience contributing research or analytical content to donor-funded program proposals.
• Familiarity with blended finance instruments and investment structuring.
• Experience working with financial service providers or institutional investors.

Personal skills:

• Strong analytical and research skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Cross-cultural competence and stakeholder management.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in diverse teams.
• Attention to detail combined with strategic thinking.
• Strong organizational skills.

Additional information

With a team comprising over 21 nationalities, SEI welcomes global applicants for all posts and provides an internationally competitive NGO salary and benefits package, with all employee contracts under Thai labour laws. For this post, we expect entry-level candidates to apply.

SEI is an equal opportunity employer and we consider all applicants on the basis of qualifications and competencies regardless of race, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and marital status. We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organization and applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Questions?

Inquiries about the position can be directed to asiarecruitment@sei.org. 

About SEI

Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles environment and sustainable development challenges.

We empower partners to meet these challenges through cutting-edge research, knowledge, tools and capacity building. Scientific quality and integrity are foundations of our work. Partnership is at the heart of our approach, leading to change that lasts.

Our work connects science to policy and practice, aiming to drive tangible impacts. It spans climate change, natural resources, water, air, and health, and addresses questions of governance, innovation, finance, poverty, gender equality and social equity.

We are committed to transparency and full disclosure of our funding. The Government of Sweden is our largest funder, and we also receive funds from a range of public research funders, philanthropic foundations, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, governments, NGOs and other partners.

Through SEI’s HQ and seven centres around the world, we engage with policy, practice and development action for a sustainable, prosperous future for all.