Research Assistant, CUSE

Overview

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.

 

We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy.

 

With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors.

 

The Foreign Policy program at Brookings is the leading center of high-quality, policy-relevant scholarship advancing actionable solutions to the major challenges to international peace and security. Brookings Foreign Policy scholars and staff draw on their deep expertise to engage in in-depth, nonpartisan research and analysis aimed at informing policymakers and the public debate and developing concrete policy recommendations to address the world’s toughest problems. 

 

Position Location:This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of at least two days of remote work each week.

 

Please Note: This position is included in the staff bargaining unit, Brookings United, affiliated with the IFPTE Local 70 union, and is covered under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

 

Responsibilities

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The Research Assistant provides professional, directed research support for scholars in the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE), as well as administrative support and coordination for CUSE operations and events. Current CUSE research topics include relations between the United States and key European states (particularly France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom) as well as the European Union, European security challenges, and transnational developments. In addition to this research support, the Research Assistant also serves as point of contact for travel and media-appearance scheduling for certain scholars and works as a team member to provide general programmatic support across the Center.

 

Research Assistance (60%)

• Supports assigned scholars in all aspects of policy research.
• Collects data for scholar research projects from a range of sources, including government sources, public opinion surveys, books, journal articles, newspapers, and personal contacts; assembles unclassified government data, documents, and reports.
• Reads primary and secondary sources for relevance to research themes; prepares notes on meetings and conferences; creates and maintains spreadsheets and databases.
• May write summary reports, briefing memos, bibliographies, and chronologies for internal use, as well as draft narrative reports to funders.
• Provides fact-checking, citation support, copy-editing, and proofreading of publications.
• May assist scholars in drafting publications and presentations, including the development and formatting of PowerPoint slides.
• Maintains and updates scholar pages on the Brookings website, and routinely updates impact tracker.
• Coordinates closely with Foreign Policy and Brookings central Communications staff to ensure compliance with FP and Brookings standards and practices for all publications and outreach efforts.

Administrative Support (40%)

• Works with CUSE and Communications staff to support events, including room reservations, catering, arrangements for virtual meetings, and general logistics.
• Coordinates development of event invitations, announcements, and guest lists; liaises with event speakers and their staffs.
• Proactively monitors event-day implementation of plans and resolves problems.
• Updates and compiles information for CUSE staff meeting agendas.
• Manages CUSE intern(s) and intern selection process in cooperation with other CUSE staff.
• Assists assigned scholars with travel arrangements as needed, including reservations, expense tracking, and facilitating travel expense reports.
• Provides administrative, communications, and logistical support to assigned scholars; schedules appointments and makes travel arrangements; prep