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Harvard Kennedy School · 3 days ago

Assistant Director for Research, Middle East Initiative

Cambridge, MA

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

7+ years exp

Harvard Kennedy School is dedicated to improving public policy and leadership. They are seeking an Assistant Director for Research to lead the development and implementation of the Middle East Initiative’s research portfolio and to expand collaborative projects.

Education

Comp. & Benefits

No H1B

Responsibilities

Play a leading role in developing and managing MEI’s in-house research portfolio, including peer-reviewed research, policy briefs, and case studies to be used in teaching at Harvard and beyond

Design high quality systems for research management and ensure effective implementation. Key areas include IRB approval, secure data management, ethical use of human subjects in large field-based research studies, coding protocols, etc

Identify, assess and develop opportunities for new research engagements

Directly contribute to the analytical and content-driven activities of MEI’s research work through collaboratively-authored background papers, policy briefs, case studies, and peer-reviewed research publications

Help build and expand partnerships with policy and research institutions and universities, contribute to building and maintaining productive relationships with current and potential funders, and effectively represent MEI and faculty researchers at relevant conferences and in meetings with senior policy partners

Recruit, supervise, and mentor research assistants

Play a key role in designing and implementing MEI research workshops and conferences

Travel to the region as needed to manage field-based research activities

Participate in selection processes for various MEI research programs, including fellowships and research awards

Qualification

PhD in political scienceResearch project leadershipStatistical programming RStatistical programming StataExperience in MENAResearch methodologiesWriting research proposalsCollaborative relationshipsInterpersonal skillsOrganizational skillsTime-management skillsConfidentialityCommunication skills

Required

PhD in political science, economics, or sociology required

Minimum seven years professional work experience in conducting original research; a combination of doctoral-level education and experience may be considered

Experience leading research projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) required

Ability to manage large research teams

Experience with statistical programming in either R or Stata

Experience conducting original research using the following methodologies: Elite interviews, Commissioning and analyzing population surveys, Conducting survey and field experiments, Quantitative analysis of observational data, including popular social science datasets such as V-dem, the World Bank Governance Indicators, etc

Experience writing research and grant proposals

Experience shepherding research projects through Institutional Review Board and Peer Review

Fluency (reading and writing) in a regional language (Arabic, Persian, Turkish, or Hebrew) a strong plus

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral

Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail

Strong work ethic with the ability to take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and work independently

Excellent time-management skills

Ability to treat sensitive and confidential information with discretion

Ability to forge strong collaborative working relationships with diverse constituencies and colleagues

Benefits

Generous paid time off including parental leave

Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one

Retirement plans with university contributions

Wellbeing and mental health resources

Support for families and caregivers

Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement

Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Company

Harvard Kennedy School

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school. It is a sub-organization of Harvard University.

Founded in 1936

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

201-500 employees