Position Announcement:
Project Manager/Researcher
(University Rank: Faculty Research Assistant) The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is now hiring a researcher to work at START's headquarters at the University of Maryland, College Park. This is a full-time position, with an initial term of 12 months (starting in March 2013).
Responsibilities: Special Projects consists of a number of relatively short-term and intensive research projects on various aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism. The Project Manager/Researcher will be responsible for performing a variety of basic research tasks, including identifying and summarizing sources, coding data and implementing data quality control processes, analysis, preparing reports (performing qualitative and/or quantitative analysis, writing, proof-reading, formatting), and preparing and delivering presentations. The Project Manager/Researcher will be responsible for supervising small teams of project staff (1-5) and interns (1-5) for some of these tasks.
The project focuses on:
- Evaluating current domestic capabilities in the field of radiological/nuclear detection
- Analyzing risk factors and vulnerabilities in transportation pathways and urban populations
- Creating a geospatial methodological framework to identify data sources and integration processes for a geospatial tool
- Implementing and integrating various mapping tools
Special Projects uses a multi-method analytical approach, including:
- Qualitative case study methods, especially process tracing
- Quantitative data collection and analysis, including both basic and advanced statistics
- Geospatial analysis
- Elicitations and surveys
- Red teaming
- Formal modeling
- Agent-based modeling
Required Qualifications:
- Graduate degree in relevant discipline or 2+ years of relevant research experience
- At least one year of prior terrorism-related research
- Training and/or experience with one or more research methodologies
- Familiarity with non-proliferation and a basic understanding of radiological and nuclear (RN) detection technologies and operations
- Ability to effectively supervise project staff, including full-time researchers, research assistants and interns
- Ability to handle pressure and meet deliverable deadlines
- Flexibility to switch topic areas and tasking as projects require
Preferred Qualifications
- Substantive expertise within at least one of the Special Projects research areas above
- Experience with data quality control procedures or producing qualitative case studies
- Superior writing and presentation abilities
- Ability to perform research in at least two languages
Additional Considerations
- Substantive knowledge or expertise within terrorism-related research areas other than those listed above
The annual salary for this position will be in the range of $40,000 to $45,000 (depending on education and experience), plus full University of Maryland benefits (as explained here). The person selected for this position will work on site at START's headquarters on campus at the University of Maryland, College Park, and will report directly to START's Special Projects Program Manager.
Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Candidates are encouraged to apply by March 20, 2013 for best consideration.
Please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, 2 page writing sample and three references to jsawyer@start.umd.edu with "SPD Project Manager/Researcher Application" as the subject line.
The University of Maryland, College Park, actively subscribes to a policy of equal employment opportunity, and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, age, gender, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, national origin, or political affiliation. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.