Research Analyst, Democracy and Security Network in Washington, District of Columbia at The German Marshall Fund of the United States

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a nonpartisan organization that advances the transatlantic partnership to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

With headquarters in Washington, DC; offices in Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Warsaw, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Ankara; representations in London and Madrid; and more than 140 experts and fellows worldwide, GMF is a hub for policy innovation, convening, and leadership development.

GMF's work focuses on three priorities: strengthening transatlantic security, advancing economic and technological competitiveness, and adapting to a shifting global landscape.

Pillar Summary:

The Transatlantic Security Pillar leverages GMF's analytical expertise and convening power to improve European and transatlantic resilience, security, and deterrence and defense. The pillar identifies emerging risks, delivers actionable policy recommendations, and forecasts future developments while providing a confidential space for key stakeholders to exchange ideas.

The pillar's program priorities include defending Europe, building Europe's security order, securing allied interests in the Arctic, and positioning allies to counter hybrid threats. Within this broader security framework, the Democracy and Security Network focuses specifically on how healthy civil military relations support good governance and effective security policy in the US and Europe.

The pillar executes its work consistent with GMF's vision and goals and in collaboration with colleagues throughout GMF.

Program and Initiative Summary:

Within the Transatlantic Security pillar, the Democracy and Security Network focuses on the role of the military in facilitating democratic backsliding in the United States and Europe. It specifically identifies how illiberal leaders politicize the military and abuse power to erode democratic checks and balances and outlines the implications of that politicization for transatlantic security. DSN uses rigorous non-partisan research and analysis to inform and influence leaders across critical communities, including government, media, legal, civil society, and military. DSN aims to prevent and/or mitigate the politicization of the military and abuse of power over the military in transatlantic countries at risk of democratic backsliding, with a particular emphasis on the United States.

Job Summary:

DSN is seeking a research analyst to conduct research and analysis at the intersection of democratic backsliding and the military.

This position is responsible for analyzing how would-be authoritarian leaders use the military to facilitate democratic backsliding, with a particular emphasis on developments in the transatlantic relationship. The position is further responsible for providing timely research on civil-military relations in the context of democratic backsliding. The position requires strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, including the ability to work with survey/public opinion data, complex data sets, text scraping and other data derived from LLMs, and to parse and analyze large amounts of information quickly. The analyst should have extensive knowledge of civil-military relations theory and be familiar with military practices and culture. The position requires the analyst to work both independently and across a team in pursuit of a research agenda that the analyst will develop in coordination with DSN’s Senior Fellow. The analyst will have excellent writing, communication, and organizational skills, and the flexibility and willingness to prioritize competing demands while producing high quality work on tight deadlines. The goal will be to make the Democracy and Security Network a go-to resource for timely and quality research and analysis on civil-military relations and democratic backsliding within and outside governments across the Atlantic.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Work with DSN’s Senior Fellow to develop and run programming around key events in the United States and Europe.
• Draft research papers, op-eds, blog posts, and other products based on original research aimed at understanding and publicizing the role of the military in facilitating or limiting democratic backsliding.
• Develop and implement programming aimed at analyzing and countering threats to major U.S. political processes that come from military-adjacent and veteran communities.
• Organize roundtables, briefings, and other events on relevant research and policy topics
• Work with the GMF communications team to liaise with journalists to promote the organization’s work and to provide context and analysis in interviews for print, radio, and TV reporting
• Track incidents of politicization of the military, domestic uses of the military, and other civil military events of relevance in the United States and Europe.
• Contribute to reports on civil-military relations and democratic backsliding
• Manage interns and help coordinate their work, including taking full responsibility as their supervisor over the quality of their internship experience
• Contribute to cross-cutting analysis with other regional and functional experts on the Transatlantic Security team.

Internal/External Contacts:

This individual will communicate internally with other GMF staff and with external partners, including donors and government officials.

Autonomy and Responsibility:

This individual is expected to work in close consultation with fellows and other staff, but be capable of owning an event or project from start to finish, asking questions as needed. They also must be able to:

• Recommend and lead new areas for research and analysis
• Identify and develop potential partnerships with other organizations and researchers

Knowledge and Skills Needed:

• A demonstrable interest or background in national security, civil-military relations, democracy, as well as knowledge of and experience on autocratic efforts to undermine democracy
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research and analytical capabilities on foreign policy/international affairs
• Minimum 3+ years of experience in a related field
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, growing, and team-based environment
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and deadlines, and to operate with minimal guidance
• Track record of publications preferred

Education:

• Bachelor’s required. Master’s degree in international relations, foreign policy, national and international security, or related field preferred.

Salary:

• $58,600 - $73,300

GMF is an equal opportunity employer.