Research Assistant: Foreign and Defense Policy; Congress, Budgets, and National Defense Planning
The American Enterprise Institute seeks a full-time, in-person research assistant to work on issues related to the US defense budget, the role of Congress in national defense, military modernization, Pentagon reform, and changes to force planning or strategic guidance.
When preparing your application, please include a resume; cover letter; a general writing sample; transcript (for undergraduate and graduate work, if applicable); and a research sample, to consist of either:
- A link to an Excel sheet you produced, including a graphic/data visualization based on the underlying data; or
- A link to a PowerPoint presentation you produced, including a graphic/data visualization based on the underlying data.
If you have trouble submitting a research sample, please email Olivia.Shaw@aei.org with your research sample.
Responsibilities
- Core responsibilities
- Analyze the qualitative policy and quantitative budgetary provisions of annual executive and legislative branch documents pertaining to planned and enacted national defense policy and spending.
- Research effective concepts using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint to visualize data and coordinate with AEI’s Design team to create professional-quality graphics.
- Distill numerical data quickly and accurately into digestible talking points for use by AEI scholars and fellows in media interviews, publications, and events.
- Draft, edit, and research op-eds and long-form reports pertaining to strategic and budgetary questions facing the Department of Defense and the congressional committees of jurisdiction.
- Manage long-term scholarly projects by drafting proposals, mapping timelines, and preparing regular progress reports for AEI management.
- Manage logistics and administrative tasks of designated scholars, including: coordinating with other AEI departments, assisting with publishing and promoting new products, tracking expenses and organizing travel, and planning and staffing public-facing and private meetings (including with foreign nationals).
- Select and supervise assigned intern(s).
- Additional Responsibilities
- Organize and coordinate public and private events with high-level interlocutors and conducting outreach at the direction of scholars to create lasting coalitions.
- Physical requirements
- Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics, history, international relations, political science, public policy, or a related field is required.
- A background in quantitative analysis and significant experience with Microsoft Excel and other data analysis software are preferred.
- STATA is not required, but statistics coursework, experience with large datasets, and R are a plus.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment is required.
- Excellent editing, organizational, research, and writing skills are required.
- Outstanding interpersonal communication skills are required.
- Knowledge of foreign militaries, regional dynamics, or language skills are subordinate to effective writing, quantitative analysis, a knack for data collection and organization, and experience visualizing complicated systems or datasets.