Research Assistant with the Middle East and N. Africa prg.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is seeking a Research Assistant to support the work of the Middle East and North Africa Programme. Although we are interested in the entire region, expertise on Iraq and the Gulf countries is particularly welcomed.

 
Context 

SIPRI’s MENA programme provides in-depth analyses of the political, social, economic and environmental drivers of conflict and pathways to peace in the region with the purpose of informing policymakers, peacebuilders, and those involved in, or planning, peacebuilding interventions. The Programme’s focus includes both regional and country level analyses, as well as in-depth local analysis.

The purpose of the post of Research Assistant on MENA is to support the team in producing high quality, policy-relevant knowledge on drivers of conflict and pathways to peace in the region, particularly related to state-society relations and more localised dynamics of peace and conflict.



Main tasks

The Research Assistant will work on projects related to political, social, economic and environmental drivers of conflict and pathways to peace in the region. This will include - but is not be limited to:


• Contributing to high-quality research;
• Helping communicate research findings through research papers, policy briefs, and other outlets where appropriate;
• Supporting the Line Manager and Programme Director;
• Liaising with partner organizations in the MENA region for coordinating activities with the programme’s overall agenda;
• Assisting in all aspects of the Programme’s events (organising, note taking, reporting, networking, coordination efforts);
• Contributing to the collective life of the Institute.

Requirements

The successful candidate must have:


• A university degree or degrees, in disciplines and topics relevant to this post, at Master level (peace and conflict studies, political science, international relations) with a regional specialisation on MENA.
• A broad knowledge of regional political developments in the MENA region;
• Good knowledge of peace and conflict literature, including conflict analysis and conflict resolution in general;
• Solid research skills and attention to detail;
• Experience in organizing workshops;
• Ease of writing in English;
• Fluency in Arabic.



Contract period

Starting in the beginning of March 2022, or as soon as possible, the contract period will initially last for 2 years, with the option for an extension depending on the candidate’s profile and available funding. The post is full-time. Subject to any restrictions on travel related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the post requires that the candidate becomes a resident in Stockholm, Sweden when employment starts. The salary package will be negotiated individually.
 

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
• One writing sample (in English).

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 initial closing date for applications is 4:th of January 2022. Interviews are expected to be held virtually towards the end of January.

For enquiries regarding the position, please contact: Dr Dylan O’Driscoll, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme (dylan.odriscoll@sipri.org).

The trade union contact persons at SIPRI are Shannen Young for ST (shannen.young@sipri.org) and Frederic Daudon for SACO (frederic.daudon@sipri.org).