Senior Fellow – Human Rights Initiative

JOB SUMMARY:

At CSIS we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy organization established in 1962 to provide strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers concerned with global security and prosperity. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the largest organizations of its kind, with a staff of over 200 employees working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe. Building on the results of CSIS’s 2020 strategic review, the Center as a whole works to execute a vision of the future of national security in the 21st century that is not limited to a focus on military strength and hard power, but requires a greater, sustained focus on economics, technology, development, and human rights issues.

As Washington’s preeminent national security think tank, the Center and the HRI leverage expertise across more than 50 program areas to deliver a comprehensive approach to the most challenging problems. A strictly bipartisan institution, CSIS maintains relationships and credibility across the political divide that significantly broadens the reach and impact of its work. 

The HRI works to make the case that the promotion of human rights and related values are critical components of effective U.S foreign policy and national security decision-making—and that such efforts reinforce, rather than undermine, other key priorities. The HRI deploys its unique convening power to bring in voices from governments as well as the private sector, international organizations, and civil society to present diverse perspectives and help build holistic solutions to the most persistent global challenges.

The CSIS Human Rights Initiative (HRI) is seeking an energetic and innovative Senior Fellow to serve as the program’s primary researcher and writer on substantive projects. This individual will play a central role in advancing the research agenda and programmatic activities for the program, the only one of its kind in the DC think tank landscape today. Research and writing will include a diverse range of human rights topics, including, inter alia, human rights and national security, human rights and labor rights in global supply chains, global regulation of business conduct with respect to human rights, the role of human rights and democracy in U.S. foreign policy, and accountability for and prevention of human rights abuses and mass atrocities.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate excellent research and writing skills and experience writing for external audiences. They should be familiar with U.S. foreign policy mechanics and priorities and have a strong interest in one or more of the HRI’s focus areas. As a member of a small team, the Senior Fellow must be a self-starter and initiative-taker. They should be able to identify emerging issues of relevance and opportunities for policy engagement, be eager to engage in self-directed research and writing. They must be a team player, willing to take on logistical and organizational tasks when necessary. This individual should possess an understanding of U.S. foreign policy processes and come with ideas on how to best use a think tank platform to address the most challenging human rights and democracy issues around the world. 

The minimum annual salary for this position is $85,000.

Essential duties and responsibilities       

Senior Fellow: The Senior Fellow will write in-depth and influential papers, publications, and testimonies related to the human rights topics specified above. They will design and conduct research in their areas of expertise for independent and collaborative projects.

I.               Research Work

·       Leads complex research projects on a range of topics.

·       Applies in-depth knowledge of subject material in the field of research, and strong knowledge of principles and practices of related disciplines.

·       Plans and conducts research requiring substantial adaption and modification of standard techniques, procedures, and criteria.

·       Writes and presents findings through article publications, presentations, and conferences.

·       With support from CSIS’s Ideas Lab, coordinates the design and distribution of a variety of program publications (traditional written products, infographics, social media content, audio-visual products, etc.). Includes editing and fact-checking program materials with a critical perspective and strong attention to detail.

II.             Initiative

·       Develops and/or evaluates innovative solutions to complex problems and issues.

·       Leads tasks, including planning, execution, staff oversight and status reporting for significant initiatives within the area of research and/or department.

·       Brings industry-level expertise to a department and recommends change to remain up-to-date or competitive.

III.           Communication skills

·       Represents the program in a wide variety of settings including print, television, and social media.

·       Assists the Director in identifying donors/funding opportunities and developing research proposals.

IV.           Partnering/Networking

·       Interacts with wide variety of individuals internally and builds relationships with external organizations.

·       Helps prepare the Program Director for public appearances, briefings, and events.

Knowledge, education, and experience

·       Master’s degree or PhD and 8 or more years of experience in international or public policy development and research.

·       Demonstrated expertise in a subject area.

Additional Qualifications 

·       Superior writing, editing, and analytical skills. Previous published work (in any format) highly preferred.

·       Detailed knowledge of international human rights norms, familiarity with current global human rights issues, and strong interest in one or more of HRI’s focus areas.

·       Experience working in or closely with the U.S. government, both executive branch and U.S. Congress, highly preferred.

·       Highly organized and detail-oriented; effective time manager able to juggle multiple tasks with minimal supervision.

·       Knowledge of the human rights and foreign policy funding landscape strongly preferred.

·       Strong communication skills, including the ability to effectively present information in multiple formats (in person, via email, etc.).

·       Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated success working in a highly collaborative team environment.

·       Ability to interact with a range of individuals with diverse interests, backgrounds, and dispositions with a wide spectrum of views on foreign policy and national security issues.

·       Entrepreneurial spirit, sound judgment, and impeccable integrity.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee working in an office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants should submit:

·       A 1-2 page cover letter followed by a 1-2 page resume in a single PDF document. Please title the document “[Your name] cover letter and resume”.

·       A writing sample (up to 5 pages; may be an excerpt from a longer piece) on a human rights-related topic. Please title the document “[Your name] writing sample”  

Applications should be submitted via careers.csis.org. Please do not submit additional materials (references, transcripts) etc. These will be requested if needed during the interview process.

To submit an application for this position, click the “Apply” button below, and you will be redirected to our secure recruitment portal.