Research Analyst

About the Role

CNA is hiring for Research Analysts to join their Regional, Strategy and Policy Analysis (RSP) Division. RSP provides senior national security decision-makers with regional and global analysis that links strategy, policy, and operations.

RSP is hiring for Research Analysts to join their research programs:

• Ally and Partner Security Affairs program (APA)

• APA strengthens US warfighting readiness and advances mutual security objectives through analyses of foreign government strategies, operations, and capabilities.

• Integrates language-capable regional specialists, expertise on foreign military systems, and functional assessments on issues such as security cooperation.

• Core lines of work include analyses on:

• coalition warfare

• alliance management

• security assistance

• overseas posture

• global commons

• Areas of expertise include: allied navies and joint forces, strategic laydown, dispersal, and posture, and regional expertise on NATO and the Indian Ocean region.

• Countering Threats and Challenges Program (CTC)

• CTC advances the Department of War’s ability to anticipate, design, and adapt to the evolving character of conflict.

• Integrates expertise in future conflict, force design, asymmetric warfare, and adversary dynamics.

• Analytic support on key issues, including:

• force design

• net assessment and comparative military analysis

• asymmetric warfare

• Russia studies

• future operating environment and technological adaptation

• Candidates passionate about shaping the future of military operations are welcome.

• Strategy and Policy Analysis Program (SPA)

• SPA helps U.S. government leaders understand national security and defense strategy challenges and analyze their options.

• Analytic support on key issues, including:

• strategic and nuclear deterrence

• national and regional defense strategy, plans, policies, and posture

• emerging technology integration into military strategy

• Joint Force and naval campaigning in regions such as the Indian Ocean, Arctic, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

• Areas of expertise include: US military strategy, military campaign planning and analysis, nuclear deterrence, missile defense, emerging military technologies, and Iranian military strategy and capabilities.

CNA fosters an inclusive culture valuing diverse backgrounds and perspectives, encouraging iterative and creative collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Meet CNA’s quality standards on well-structured project pieces with minimal or no guidance.
• Develop sound analytic frameworks and associated analytic methodologies/ techniques for addressing both structured and unstructured problems.
• Clearly define, structure, and execute project components to meet quality standards under direction and supervision.
• Demonstrate analytic creativity and curiosity.
• Develop and maintain broad, general institutional knowledge of primary clients/sponsors, their culture, organization, and issues.
• Contribute productively and harmoniously to the work of others; treat everyone respectfully, professionally, and fairly.
• Keep others informed and proactively identify and seek out others working on similar topics.
• Identify opportunities for collaborations within the team, division, and operating unit.
• Support business development efforts and/or marketing activities by maintaining strong client relationships through high-quality work and increasing the visibility of work.
• Interact with sponsors/clients under supervision of an experienced colleague, and with study POCs independently.
• Make significant contributions to research publications and analytic products for individual projects.
• Communicate results of work in a clear and concise fashion.
• Effectively communicate one-on-one and in groups.
• Document work efficiently and accurately.
• Effectively present work to colleagues, sponsors, and small audiences familiar with the content.
• Work with minimal or no guidance on focused, well-structured project pieces.
• Work under closer supervision on more complex, less-structured tasks.
• Serve as task lead for project components by managing own activities.
• May lead small projects under the supervision of an RTL/CMD.
• Exhibit a positive attitude in interactions with colleagues and clients/sponsors.
• Provide clear guidance to colleagues on tasks.
• Take responsibility for own actions and outcomes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Education: Minimum Master’s degree in International Relations, International Affairs, Public Policy, Political Science, Security Studies or a relevant field. PhD preferred.
• Experience: Typical minimum requirements Ph.D. & 0+ years or Master’s & 2+ years of experience in research and analysis.
• Skills:
• Ability to make significant contributions to projects/analyses.
• Strong analytic curiosity/creativity.
• Ability to operate independently in the execution of assignments.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Strong critical thinking skills.
• Knowledge of research techniques.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to interact positively and somewhat independently with clients.
• Other:
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Active Secret Security Clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required for positions requiring access to classified information.