Research Fellow

APRI's "Just Green Technology Transition" Programme is recruiting a Research Fellow with advanced training in political economy, economics, or energy/industrial policy to lead research and stakeholder engagement on energy transition, green industrialisation,  and multilateral cooperation partnerships.

The Fellow will anchor analysis of African industrial and energy strategies, assess how external financing and technology partnership instruments align with African productive sector priorities, and support the co-design of policy frameworks that advance African green industrialisation on African terms. The role combines rigorous policy research with high-level stakeholder engagement and policy-facing writing, and sits within a broader multi-partner, multi-region research collaboration.

Important: Please complete the Google Form at the end of this document and upload your documents as a single PDF file.
 

• Lead research of national industrial and energy strategies, policy instruments, and cooperation frameworks across key African economies, with a focus on green technology and productive use of energy.

• Analyse how international partnership instruments and financing mechanisms engage with African industrial priorities across macro (policy), meso (programme), and micro (firm) levels.

• Contribute to the design and implementation of a multi-tier analytical framework that connects policy ambition to programme realities to firm-level evidence.

• Develop targeted case studies of African firms, OEMs, and startups involved in green industrialisation and productive-use technologies, grounding policy recommendations in market realities.

• Lead the design and facilitation of strategic roundtables and high-level dialogues that bring together African, European, and Asian stakeholders to co-design actionable policy solutions.

• Draft publications with near-term, actionable recommendations for APRI’s target audience.

• Build and maintain a cross-regional expert network to sustain policy dialogue on green industrialisation beyond the project period.

• Coordinate with international research partners to align analytical approaches, share data and stakeholder insights, and co-own synthesis, publication, and dissemination.

• Contribute to project monitoring, donor reporting, and documentation of activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.

• An advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in political economy, economics, or energy/industrial policy is required. Candidates with a strong, demonstrable specialisation in industrial and energy transitions in Africa 

• At least 4–6 years of relevant professional experience in policy research, think tank work, or related roles, with a clear focus on African economic development, energy transition, or green industrialisation.

• Demonstrated research experience on African industrialisation, energy transition, green technology, or related economic development themes.

• Strong understanding of African–European energy transition policy debates and institutions; familiarity with EU–Africa relations on energy, trade, or industrial policy.

• Proven ability to conduct high-quality qualitative research: policy analysis, document review, semi-structured interviews, and case study work.

• Excellent writing skills, with a track record of producing policy reports, briefs, or op-eds for policymaker and practitioner audiences.

• Experience engaging government officials, diplomats, private sector actors, or industry associations in Africa.

• Fluency in English

Desirable

• Knowledge of international green industrial and energy partnership initiatives and their strategic relevance for African industrial development.

• Experience working in or with think tanks, policy research institutes, or international organisations.

• Existing networks among ministries, firms, or industry bodies in East or Southern Africa.

• Strong analytical and conceptual skills; ability to connect macro-level policy frameworks to programme design and firm-level realities.

• Comfortable working in a cross-regional, multi-partner environment spanning Africa and Europe.

• Confident facilitator with the ability to design and manage structured interviews, roundtables, and workshops with senior stakeholders.

• Commitment to APRI's mission of centring African perspectives and agency in global policy debates on energy, industrial policy, trade, and geopolitics.

Thank you for your interest in APRI! This is a 12-month engagement that includes travel requirements, competitive remuneration, and eligibility for 30 vacation days. 

APRI - Africa Policy Research Institute is an independent, nonpartisan institute researching key policy issues affecting the African continent. Its goals are to provide input to the German and EU policy-making processes on Africa and options on key policy issues to African stakeholders.

To achieve this, APRI taps into the expertise of African intellectuals, scholars, and networks, collaborating with a wide range of organizations at home and abroad to conduct policy research that looks beyond prevailing narratives and transcends disciplinary hegemonies to center Africa. Its outputs include reports, policy briefs, and short analyses, with the goal of expanding to other innovative ways of disseminating its work.