Research Assistant, Overseas Safety and Security – RESEA002005-00001

DESCRIPTION/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Who We Are

Peace is our commitment. The United States Institute of Peace represents the American people’s shared values and commitment to peace worldwide. We know that Peace is Security – it advances both U.S. and international security by preventing, managing, and mitigating violent conflict.

We are an independent, non-partisan institution and are actively engaged with peacebuilding efforts around the world. Together we tackle the most challenging problems and hold fast to the possibility of a more peaceful world. To learn more about USIP programs and job openings, go to https://www.usip.org/about/careers.

If you have a passion for making the world a better place and want to have a front-row seat on the world stage, USIP is the place for you.

JOB BRIEF

The United States Institute of Peace seeks a Research Assistant to provide research and analysis support to the Overseas Safety and Security (OSS) team. The OSS section of USIP oversees the travel of USIP staff based at headquarters and overseas who travel for business. Among many other things, OSS holds safety and security training, assists teams in conducting risk assessments, supports and enables peacebuilding projects, and monitors the ever-changing global security landscape.

Applicants must be organized, analytical, attentive to detail, excellent communicators, and able to work effectively in a highly collaborative environment.

Pay: Starting at $16.10 – $17.00 per hour

Work Schedule: An average of 20 hours per week; up to 40 hours when school is not in session.

Work Location: This position is based at USIP’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.

Expected Project Dates: November 2022 – April 2023

RESPONSIBILITIES

* Design and implement an automated equipment check-in/check-out process for USIP staff to use pre and post travel.

* Organize and complete an audit of OSS training supplies.

* Create and analyze a report on USIP travel trends to analyse travel throughout fiscal years.

* Gather data on trip planning compliance throughout the Institute.

* Create, distribute, and analyze a survey about how the Institute views the OSS

* Conduct an analysis project on best practices for monitoring changes and news related to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Global Fragility Act countries of interest, and relevant safety and security related alerts.

* Support and conduct research and writing, and develop documents or best practices related to the OSS portfolio.

QUALIFICATIONS

* Current Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. student studying risk management, security policy, computer science, political science, homeland security, or a related field.

* Familiarity with international NGOs and security issues.

* Strong writing, editing, and research skills.

* Strong preference for database management skills. Preference to those who are familiar with database management tools, including but not limited to QuickBase, Excel, Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, and RSS Feeds, but not required.

* Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Strong interpersonal skills.

* Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

* *If your qualifications are not a 100%, we encourage you to apply. We are looking for someone who is adaptable and with relevant skills and experience and understand that a perfect match is not always possible. We want to assist in your professional growth and in return, we gain from having a wide range of perspectives and insights.

Any full-time university student is eligible for these openings.

All USIP contract and employee positions are contingent upon the favorable completion of a suitability background investigation.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, please submit a complete application package consisting of:

1. Cover letter

2. Resume

For questions about this position please email [email protected]. Do not send resumes or attachments to this email address.

Only those applicants that are selected for further discussions will be contacted.

No Phone Calls. Interviews will be scheduled by appointment only.

USIP is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of USIP to offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, political affiliations or belief, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.