Research Assistant 50 %, Director's Office

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is a leading research institute, respected worldwide for authoritative data, fair-minded analysis and cutting edge thinking. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public. SIPRI provides excellent opportunities for scientific and personal development.

The Institute Director represents the Institute in a variety of ways and settings, including with articles, book chapters, lectures, speeches, media interviews, and briefings for governments and inter-governmental organisations. In this role, the Director is called upon to speak on the full range of subjects that SIPRI covers and, from time to time, on further issues besides. It is important that at all times, the Director writes and speaks with authority and confidence in the facts and analysis to hand. It is the purpose of the part-time Research Assistant (RA) position to ensure that that is possible.

 

The Research Assistant position
The primary responsibility of the RA is to ensure the Director is adequately informed about the issues the Director needs to address at any time. Briefing the Director will be both in writing and orally according to need and time available. Briefing will normally happen in direct response to a query from the Director, which can come in a precise and specified form or in very general terms. The Director may sometimes advise the RA on where to find the requisite information and analysis; sometimes the RA will have to identify likely sources independently. Some of these sources will be within SIPRI and some outside it. To the extent possible, the RA is also expected to take part in the collective life at SIPRI and contribute to a pleasant and intellectually stimulating work environment at the Institute.  

 
Tasks and responsibilities
In light of these responsibilities, the main tasks of the Director’s Research Assistant are:


• Responding to the Director’s requests for support with information and analysis in a timely and accurate manner;
• Becoming acquainted with the most reliable sources for the information and analysis the Director requests;
• Staying abreast of developments in the fields in which the Director is most active;
• Being ready to share with other staff at the Institute the information, analysis and sources that have been gathered for the Director, if they request it
• Taking part in the collective life of the Institute

 

Requirements

The candidate should at a minimum meet the following requirements:


• A university degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. peace and conflict studies, political science, social sciences, natural sciences, environmental studies, geography) is a requirement.
• The Director’s Research Assistant will have an inquiring mind, an eye for detail and a focus on accuracy along with a capacity to work quickly, interpret requests and instructions creatively and productively, and to communicate results economically and coherently.
• All SIPRI staff are expected to have a commitment to SIPRI’s values and mission.

Experience:


• Previous work experience is not a requirement but the RA should have some experience that indicates aptitude for the tasks entailed in this position. Ease of working in both oral and written English is essential.

 

Contract period
Starting as soon as possible and no later than 10 August 2020, the contract period will initially last for 9 months, with the option for an extension. The post is part-time, 50%. The salary package will be negotiated individually.

Given the short contract period, the successful candidate must currently reside and be registered in Sweden.

Despite the situation in light of COVID-19, this recruitment is intended to be carried out as planned. At the same time, it is acknowledged that the situation can change and based on how it develops, we will assess how to proceed with the recruitment process in practice.

 

How to apply

Having reviewed the advertisement, candidates should submit:


• A letter of intent specifying why you are applying for this position (1 page);
• A curriculum vitae including degrees, work experience, publications, language skills and contact details for two referees;
• Copies of diplomas for university degree(s); and
• Two writing samples (in English and at least one single-authored sample).

In order to be considered in the recruitment process, the application must be made via the form in the vacancies section of SIPRI’s website and not through any other external job sites. 

Please observe that you must apply via our electronic application system. Please access the form via the ‘apply’ button at the end of this page.

 

The closing date for applications is 13 May 2020 (Swedish time zone). Interviews are expected to be held virtually in May.

 

For enquiries regarding the position, please contact: Dan Smith, Institute Director, dan.smith@sipri.org.

 

SIPRI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

 

The trade union contact persons at SIPRI are Frank Esparraga for ST (frank.esparraga@sipri.org) and Jiayi Zhou for Saco-S (zhou@sipri.org)