Principal Researcher – Infrastructure & Systems in San Jose, California at Straits Meridian Capital Office

Principal Researcher – Infrastructure & Systems

Remote · Freelance · Competitive Retainer

About SMCO

Straits Meridian Capital Office (SMCO) is a research-driven capital platform. We operate at the intersection of capital, systems, and long-horizon structural change. We do not follow market narratives. We read the structures beneath them.

What that means in practice: We are not a trading desk. We do not chase short-term volatility. Our decisions are informed by deep, structural research across urban networks, energy systems, logistics infrastructure, and the transition to resilient, scalable systems. Your analysis will directly inform investment decisions — not sit on a shelf.

We are a lean team. No bureaucracy. No revenue targets driving your work. Just research, rigour, and conviction.

The Role

We are seeking an infrastructure and systems analyst to support our research on urban networks, energy infrastructure, logistics systems, and the transition to resilient, scalable systems — with primary coverage across East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.

This is a remote, freelance engagement with a competitive monthly retainer and long-term potential. You will work directly with our research team, producing analysis that shapes capital allocation decisions across infrastructure sectors.

What You'll Do — Day to Day

Your typical week might include:

• Urban infrastructure research: Analysing trends in transport, energy, water, and digital networks across your coverage regions — including investment pipelines, policy frameworks, and emerging technologies
• Policy & regulatory analysis: Assessing policy and regulatory frameworks affecting infrastructure investment — from concession agreements to environmental permitting to tariff structures
• Project viability assessment: Evaluating infrastructure project fundamentals — counterparty creditworthiness, revenue models, construction risk, and system-level resilience
• Sector monitoring: Tracking developments in energy transition, grid modernisation, logistics automation, and digital infrastructure deployment
• Report writing: Producing structured, decision-grade analytical reports — typically 2–4 per month — that translate complex infrastructure data into clear investment implications

The work is independent but not isolated. You will have access to our research team for discussion, review, and debate. You will be expected to bring your own hypotheses, defend them with evidence, and revise them when the facts change.

Who You Are — Core Competencies

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Deep understanding of infrastructure economics, project finance, or urban systems — you understand how infrastructure assets are financed, built, operated, and valued
• Sector expertise in one or more of: energy (renewables, grid, storage), transport (ports, rail, airports), digital infrastructure (data centres, fibre), or urban systems (water, waste, public transport)
• Ability to interpret policy documents, regulatory frameworks, concession agreements, and infrastructure project data
• Strong written communication and analytical synthesis skills — you can distil complex technical and financial information into clear, decision-ready prose
• Regional familiarity with Southeast Asian infrastructure landscapes is a strong plus

Experience required: 2+ years in a relevant analytical or research role. Exceptions may be made for exceptional candidates with strong institutional backgrounds.

Preferred Backgrounds

We are particularly interested in candidates whose professional experience has been shaped by one or more of the following environments:

• Infrastructure advisory, project finance, or development finance institutions
• Government infrastructure, transport, or urban planning agencies
• Research roles in energy policy, urban systems, or logistics
• Engineering, economics, or public policy backgrounds with an infrastructure focus
• Investment research covering infrastructure sectors

Institutional affinity: We are especially interested in candidates whose work has been shaped by settings such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GIC, Temasek, BlackRock Infrastructure, Macquarie, or equivalent infrastructure or financial institutions.

Why SMCO

Here is what you can expect from working with us:

• Your work directly informs capital deployment — infrastructure decisions are long-term, capital-intensive, and consequential. Your analysis will help shape them
• Research-driven, not sales-driven — no revenue targets, no business development expectations, no client management
• Fully remote, flexible arrangement — work from wherever you are most productive
• Competitive monthly retainer with long-term engagement potential for the right candidate
• No micromanagement — we trust you to deliver, and we evaluate you on output, not hours

How You'll Be Evaluated

We measure performance on three criteria:

1. Analytical rigour — are your arguments well-supported? Do you consider counterarguments? Can you distinguish signal from noise?
2. Writing quality — is your analysis clear, structured, and decision-ready? Can a busy reader grasp your core argument in 30 seconds?
3. Timeliness — do you deliver on schedule? When deadlines are tight, do you prioritise effectively?

How to Apply

Please submit your CV. While not required, we welcome examples of past analytical work — reports, briefings, or assessments — if you have them. Relevant professional insights can also be discussed during the interview process.

We will only consider candidates who meet the core competency requirements. If you are unsure whether you qualify, please read the requirements carefully before applying.