The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is now hiring an Assistant Research Scientist to work on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) and related projects at START’s headquarters at the University of Maryland, College Park. This is a full-time position, with an initial maximum term of 12 months (starting in June 2021). Upon completion of this initial term, candidates may have an opportunity to renew the appointment, contingent on funding.
Responsibilities:
The GTD consists of unclassified data on more than 200,000 terrorist attacks that occurred worldwide since 1970. It supports a wide range of users, including government, academia, media, and the public. Assistant Research Scientists apply social scientific methods to the advancement of knowledge as part of their regular tasking. The responsibilities for the position will include assisting with tasks related to the ongoing maintenance and advancement of the Global Terrorism Database and related research initiatives, including:
- Serving as Co-Principal Investigator or Principal Investigator
- Conducting data collection and authoring deliverables and scientific reports (in whole or in part)
- Participating in research design for proposed projects
- Leading proposal writing for research development
- Mentoring junior colleagues in research methodology and areas of substantive expertise
- Representing research projects at meetings
- Serving as intellectual leadership of research teams
- Managing administrative responsibilities associated with research projects
Required Qualifications
- PhD in a discipline related to terrorism and political violence
- Training in research methods and 6+ years of experience researching terrorism and political violence
- 6+ years systematic data collection and/or coding experience
- Demonstrated ability to manage tasks and personnel, and meet strict deadlines
- Demonstrated ability to analyze a large number of documents in a fast-paced environment
- Proficiency with MS Excel, including the use of PivotTables, formulas, and data sorting/filtering
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced knowledge of coding practices for the Global Terrorism Database and related research
- Experience with statistical software, such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, or R
- Experience with research design and research proposal development/writing
The annual salary for this position will be in the range of $80,000-$85,000, plus full University of Maryland benefits (explained at https://ter.ps/UMDBenefits). The person selected will work at START headquarters at the University of Maryland, College Park, and report to the GTD Program Manager.
Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, résumé, and one page writing sample via email (with subject line “Assistant Research Scientist”) to gtd@start.umd.edu. Applicants should also provide contact information for three professional references. Applications submitted through Handshake will not be considered.
Applications are due by April 23, 2021. Due to the June start date, preference will be given to candidates currently authorized to work in the United States who are employees or students at the University of Maryland. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.