Research Associate - Middle East Program

Center for Strategic and International Studies
$63,000-$72,000
medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, flexible benefit account, vacation time, paid holidays, sick time, tuition assistance, 403(b)
United States, D.C., Washington
1616 Rhode Island Avenue Northwest (Show on map)
Jul 07, 2026
JOB SUMMARY 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 some 275 employees, including more than 120 analysts working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe. The CSIS Middle East program is currently seeking candidates for afull-time,paidresearch associate.The CSIS Middle East Programseeksa creative, intellectually curious, and highly motivated individual to support the Program's research agenda in a fast-paced and collaborative environment.The successful candidate will be a strong writer, critical thinker, and team player withdemonstratedskills in research, dataanalyticsandvisualization;andinterest in Middle East affairs. The position reports directly to theDirectorof the Middle East Program. The successful candidate willpossessa strong academic foundation in Middle East studies, international relations, political science, or a related field, as well as excellent analytical and research skills. She/he will be comfortable working independently and collaboratively tosupporttheproduction ofhigh-quality, data-drivenwritten productsandpolicy-relevant research. The ideal candidate will be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple research projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment. CSISstaffmostly work downtown at our office in DC.All candidates must be legally eligible to work in the United States. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Research and Analysis Conduct independent research, data collection, and analysis to support programmatic and policy objectives, especially in support of our bi-weekly chart series, Charting the Middle East Develop high-quality data visualizations with accompanying analysis, briefing materials, and analytical products with minimal supervision Monitor developments and emerging trends within assigned areas of focus and provide timely analysis Contribute to the development of evidence-based policy solutions and strategic insights Draft, review, and edit research reports, policy recommendations, commentaries, articles, and other written products 2. Communications, Program Management, and Administration Prepare presentations, briefing materials, and talking points for internal and external audiences Effectively communicate research findings through written and verbal presentations Support fundraising and business development efforts, including grant proposal preparation, donor reporting, and related administrative processes Perform additional administrative and programmatic duties as assigned to support the successful execution of program objectives KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE Completion of aMaster's degree in Middle East studies, international affairs, political science, or a related field Minimum of a3.7GPA on a U.S. scale or equivalent Ability to work independently, in a team, and closely with a range of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures Strong organization and time management skills Strong communicationskills including the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from partners, constituency groups, media, government entities, and thegeneral public Familiarity with data analytics and visualization tools such as Excel, R, Stata, Python, SQL or PowerBI/Tableau Strong demonstrated knowledge of the Middle East and policy-related research ProficiencyinArabic, Hebrew and/orPersian strongly preferred In addition to the above, candidates withdemonstratedskills in dataanalysis andvisualization,knowledge ofAI,andexperience workingonthe Gulfare highly encouraged to apply. OUR BENEFITS Medical insurance Dental insurance Vision insurance Life insurance Short-term and long-term disability 403(b) for retirement planning Tuition Assistance Flexible Spending Account Health Savings Account 12 Paid Holidays Sick Leave Vacation leave APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Interested applicants shouldsubmit a 1-2 pageresume,1-pagecover letter,awriting sampleof up to five double-spaced pages, andallavailabletranscripts no later than July20,2026. Documents should besubmittedin a single pdf with the title "(Full name) MEP RA application". CSIS reserves the right to close the application early if a high volume of applications is received. Writing samples shoulddemonstratethe ability to research and write policy-relevant work on the region.If candidates advance in thehiringprocess, we will ask foradditionalreferences at a later stage. Salary Range $63,000 — $72,000 USD 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. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 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. Equal Opportunity Employer.