Ohio State Lead / Sr. Research Specialist

Accountabilities The Ohio State Lead / Senior Research Specialist will lead state-based research and monitoring activities, develop strategic partnerships, and deliver timely analysis that supports early warning and violence mitigation efforts.

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Conduct research and monitor incidents of political violence across Ohio, identifying relevant actors, emerging risks, and connections to broader state-level trends.

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Analyze the social, political, economic, and other impacts of conflicts, using qualitative and quantitative methods where appropriate.

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Produce regular state-based Situation Reports (SitReps), issue briefs, policy-focused memos, and other research and monitoring deliverables.

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Use longitudinal data and relevant indicators to contextualize developments, identify emerging patterns, and support early warning analysis.

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Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across election protection, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, faith-based organizations, government, and other sectors.

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Develop partnerships with organizations supporting communities particularly vulnerable to political violence and related harm.

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Participate actively in state-level coalitions and coordination groups, providing research, monitoring, and analytical support.

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Deliver customized public and private briefings on state-level risks, trends, and emerging developments to partners and relevant audiences.

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Maintain and expand the distribution network for state-level SitReps and ensure research findings reach relevant stakeholders.

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Collaborate with monitoring partners and incorporate their data and insights into reliable, actionable research products.

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Coordinate with the broader national team to connect Ohio-based initiatives with wider political violence monitoring and mitigation efforts.

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Track key deliverables, including regular reporting, meaningful stakeholder relationships, partner briefings, and additional research products as assigned.

Requirements

The ideal candidate combines strong research and analytical capabilities with deep knowledge of Ohio's political and community landscape. They should be comfortable working with diverse stakeholders, interpreting complex information, and translating findings into clear recommendations for policy and practitioner audiences.

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Must reside in Ohio or an adjacent state.

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Significant state-specific knowledge, professional networks, and experience within Ohio are required.

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Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field.

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At least 5–7 years of experience in research, policy, community engagement, or a related area.

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Research experience focused on political violence in the United States, particularly identifying relevant early warning indicators.

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Strong interest in and commitment to supporting civil society efforts to address political violence, including collaboration with organizations across different political affiliations, geographies, and sectors.

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Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, identify emerging trends and research gaps, and develop alternative analytical approaches.

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Excellent writing skills, including experience preparing policy memos, recommendations, research reports, or similar publications.

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Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and partners from diverse backgrounds.

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Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, remote environment, demonstrating initiative and adaptability when responding to potential early warning indicators.

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Familiarity with multiple social media platforms and the ability to assess the credibility and reliability of online sources.

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Sustained U.S. work authorization is required. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Preferred Qualifications

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Master's degree in a relevant discipline.

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Experience conducting Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) monitoring to track conflict actors, particularly through social media and alternative online platforms.

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Familiarity with ACLED data or other quantitative sources tracking political violence in the United States.

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Ability to translate research findings into actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners.

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Experience working in a remote team environment and using collaboration tools such as Slack, Zoom, and Asana.

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Familiarity with research tools such as NexusUni, ProQuest, and Google News Alerts.

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Experience with spatial analysis, including demographic and point-data aggregation, geographic visualization, and cartography.

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Experience developing and maintaining datasets from multiple sources, documenting methodologies and tools, and ensuring data integrity.

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Familiarity with HTML/CSS, Python, or other programming languages, or a strong interest in developing these skills.

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Experience working with time-series and event data, including developing forecasting models, indices, and multiple linear regression analyses.

Benefits

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Annual salary range of $80,000–$90,000.

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Full-time position with a standard working week of 36.25 hours.

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Fully remote work arrangement within the United States.

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Comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, including healthcare and other employee benefits.

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One-year term appointment with the possibility of extension.

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Opportunity to contribute to meaningful research and community-based initiatives focused on reducing political violence and strengthening democratic resilience.

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Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team and a broad network of national and state-level partners.

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