Research Assistant

Position description

The Institute of National Security is seeking a highly motivated Research Assistant to join the Institute team. This position also collaborates with staff, faculty, researchers, and external partners in the Institute to advance research in national security, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and international affairs.

The Research Assistant will support research, writing, and editing for the Institute. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional writing skills, strong research capabilities, and time management abilities. This position is perfect for a recent undergraduate with a background in national security, public policy, and/or foreign affairs.

The Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security is an academic proving ground for future national security leaders and a hub for innovation. The Institute offers the national security community access to top student talent and fresh thinking from a university rooted in open debate, radical collaboration, and real-world impact. The Institute also provides a trusted space to convene leaders, experts, and students for conversations about the pressing challenges facing our nation and the world.

The Institute’s research initiatives, containing the nationally-recognized Wicked Problems Lab, bring cutting-edge research together with real-world expertise to develop pragmatic solutions to tackle national security challenges—bridging the gap between policy and implementation. The Institute’s research focuses on high-impact issues at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and national security. Work from the Institute has been featured in the New York Times, Foreign Affairs, and U.S. congressional testimony.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct thorough research on assigned topics
• Provide research, writing, copyediting, and fact-checking support for Institute publications
• Develop high-quality presentations or research briefs that effectively communicate research findings and Institute priorities
• Write clear, concise, and well-structured reports and summaries
• Assist in the preparation of documents and materials

• Collaborate with team members to support various research projects

Supervisory Relationships: This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Director of Operations.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required. (e.g., Political Science, International Relations, Foreign Languages, National Security, Cybersecurity)

• Familiarity with contemporary and emerging issues in national security is strongly preferred, particularly in the domains of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and international affairs

• Eligibility for a U.S. security clearance is strongly preferred

• Exceptional writing and editing skills

• Proficiency in creating visually appealing presentations using software such as PowerPoint

• Proven research capabilities, including data collection, analysis, and the ability to retrieve articles to find references or verify facts

• Ability to work under tight timelines

• Excellent organizational and time management skills

Application instructions

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