Senior Research Associate, Juvenile Justice Clinic at NLSIU Bengaluru (1 Vacancy, Full-time Contractual)

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, invites applications for one (01) full-time contractual position of Senior Research Associate at its Juvenile Justice Clinic. The post is based at the NLSIU campus in Bengaluru.

The appointment is for a period of one year, with the possibility of extension based on performance and project requirements. The notice was published on 10 September 2026.

The Juvenile Justice Clinic works to strengthen the juvenile justice system in Karnataka. It runs a Helpdesk at the Government Observation Home in Madiwala, Bengaluru, which provides legal aid and psychosocial support to Children in Conflict with the Law (CiCLs).

The Clinic also works with government departments and the judiciary on capacity-building programmes, and undertakes empirical research and strategic advocacy for systemic reforms that promote the protection, rehabilitation and reintegration of CiCLs.

The Senior Research Associate will lead the Clinic's research strategy and ensure timely completion of planned research outputs, reporting to the Clinic Co-Directors and/or the Director of Clinics.

• Plan and execute the Clinic's research agenda and outputs, in consultation with the Co-Directors
• Analyse critical issues in the juvenile justice system and produce policy positions, research reports, policy briefs and other scholarly outputs
• Plan, organise and participate in consultations, roundtables, workshops and conferences at the state and national levels
• Engage in child rights advocacy with government departments, judicial institutions and civil society organisations
• Travel to Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and other stakeholder locations across Karnataka and other research sites, as required
• Publish academic articles, policy briefs, blogs and opinion pieces
• Develop capacity-building resources and training materials
• Maintain research databases and documentation
• Oversee the drafting of legal opinions and review national and state policies on juvenile justice

Essential qualifications

• Master's degree in law or an allied discipline from a recognised university
• Demonstrated proficiency in Google Workspace (G-Suite), MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Strong time-management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and in a team

Essential experience

• 5-7 years of research experience, including demonstrated expertise in designing and conceptualising research projects in human rights, child rights or allied areas
• Experience supervising or mentoring research assistants

Desirable

• Ability to speak and read Kannada
• Experience working on human rights and child protection systems in India

• Excellent writing, analytical and communication skills
• Strong command of legal research databases, and proficiency in data collection, management and analysis
• Ability to work with and analyse large datasets
• Proven ability to maintain research trackers and monitor documentation for ongoing research and project activities

Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications, relevant experience and University norms. NLSIU has not stated a figure in the notice.

Apply through the official Google Form linked in the NLSIU notice. The form may ask you to sign in with a Google account. Include the following:

• An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A Statement of Purpose (maximum 500 words) setting out your vision for the Juvenile Justice Clinic and your suitability for the position
• Contact details of two professional referees

The last date for submission is 1 October 2026, 5 PM (IST). Queries about the position may be sent to recruitment@nls.ac.in.