Research Fellow

Job description / Role

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is the world’s leading independent authority on global security issues, providing information and analysis on a wide range of international security and political risk questions. The Institute conducts research on the problems of conflict, however caused, that may have a significant military dimension, and also analyses international trends, including financial and economic developments, which may have strategic implications. The Institute convenes high-level conferences that bring together government officials, business leaders and opinion-formers at the most senior level, in order to enhance diplomatic exchanges and to enable the crafting of more effective public policy on strategic matters.

The IISS, headquartered in London with regional offices in Singapore, Bahrain and Washington DC, is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow in Middle East Policy who is regionally focused; politically aware with a well-grounded knowledge of international relations and security. The position will be based at the IISS office in Bahrain.

Reporting to the Executive Director IISS – Middle East and the Senior Fellow for Middle East Security, the Research Fellow will conduct research in regional security dynamics; defence transformation; defence procurement; national defence capabilities and alliance relations. While it is expected that this research will have a strong Middle East regional focus, the Institute intends that the Research Fellow will work closely and cooperatively with colleagues in the other IISS offices who are concerned with the Middle East.

Requirements

The Research Fellow will be an analyst of high calibre and strong in people management to enable the mentoring and coaching of junior researchers.

Candidates should have a proven publishing record; a postgraduate degree relating to Middle East studies, or an equivalent professional background in related fields; and a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience. The candidate must be able to write well in English and conduct research in Arabic.

About the Company

The International Institute for Strategic Studies helps the world understand and address global security challenges.

Our experts give accurate, objective, strategic insight into the biggest issues – from terrorism and shifting East–West relations to cyberwarfare and nuclear non-proliferation. For more than 50 years our timely facts and analysis have helped politicians, diplomats, analysts, business leaders, academics, journalists and the public navigate a changing world.

We share our unique knowledge and perspectives through publications, research projects and events around the globe. These include conferences where leading defence and foreign ministers, security experts and others discuss and shape international security policy.