Syukri joined The SMERU Research Institute in 2009. Currently, Syukri is a senior researcher with a focus on governance, decentralization, community empowerment, and participatory development. Syukri has been heavily involved in studies related to community empowerment, such as various evaluation studies of the National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM) and village governance under the Village Law. In addition to research, Syukri was also involved in the development of central government development program designs, such as the Sustainable Livelihood Development (P2B), Improving Family Welfare through Community Empowerment (PKKPM), and Economic Infrastructure Development (PIE) programs.

Before joining SMERU, Syukri worked as a book editor at Penerbit Kalam, Yogyakarta; a junior researcher at Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Center for Asia and Pacific Studies (CAPS); and a guest lecturer at Paramadina University and Al-Azhar University of Indonesia, Jakarta.