Research Assistant, South Asia Program

Deadline to Apply: January 2, 2023

Research Assistant, South Asia Program

Description

The Henry L. Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy research center, seeks a highly motivated individual to join the team as a part-time Research Assistant for the South Asia Program starting January 2023. This is a temporary position until September 2023, but may be extended subject to funding availability. The successful candidate will have prior educational and/or professional experience in quantitative research and data analysis, including R, and strong writing and communications skills.

The South Asia program produces policy analysis and academic research on strategic trends and geopolitical dynamics in Southern Asia order to inform policy debates and scholarly work. We believe this dispassionate, reasoned approach is vital to generating high-quality strategic thinking that will advance regional and global stability. The program also focuses its efforts on partnering with the next generation of South Asian analysts and policymakers to build better tools for regional stewardship and enduring relationships for deliberative engagement. We seek to foster space for respectful dialogue and debate for all those who seek it, be they rising scholars, contemporary experts, or government officials from New Delhi, Islamabad, Washington DC, and Beijing.

The Research Assistant will primarily contribute to the day-to-day coordination and execution of the South Asia Program's quantitative and mixed-methods political science research work. The Research Assistant will also help advance programmatic objectives by providing administrative, editorial, and research support to the South Asia Program team.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Conduct quantitative and mixed-methods data analysis, with a special emphasis on text-as-data methods and structural topic modeling.
• Liaise with and support the work of internal and external researchers using these methods, to include conducting background research, managing communication and administrative coordination, and drafting analysis, among other related duties.
• Provide project and research support to the South Asia Program, contributing to original analysis, programmatic activities, and other initiatives as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Academic and/or professional experience in political science quantitative and mixed-methods research using R.
• B.A. in Political Science, International Relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated analytical, research, and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate with peers in a team environment.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• A record of academic excellence.
• Submission of cover letter and resume in a single PDF file.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with text-as-data approaches using R, including text clustering, structural topic modeling, and sentiment analysis.
• Prior educational and/or professional experience in South Asia security, politics, and/or the nuclear field.
• Experience in research project management involving multiple members and stakeholders, and event coordination and support.
• Strong communications skills, cultural sensitivity, and ability to communicate diplomatically and professionally with external audiences.

Requirements for Selected Interviewees:

• Applicants selected for interviews may be required to complete one or more short quantitative method analysis assignments.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are among the Stimson Center's core values. They inform both the work that we do and how we do it. As an employer, we strive to maximize gender, racial, ethnic, and all other forms of workforce diversity to attract the best talent available and to further our own understanding of society and our role in it.