The Social and Economic Survey Research Institute ( at Qatar University invites applications for a full-time Research Assistant/Associate position in its Research Department which is located at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar. The Research Assistant/Associate is responsible for developing and implementing research projects and capacity both within their area(s) of substantive expertise and also in additional research priority areas at SESRI.
The position is open to applicants from all fields of social science or related disciplines, but there's a special interest in persons with knowledge and experience in one or more of the following priority research areas: marriage and family, gender studies, social demography, immigration, and migration. Priority will be given to candidates who are bilingual (Arabic and English) and who have experience with collecting and using survey data as part of their own research as well as substantive interests in the cultures, societies, and public affairs of the Arabian Gulf.
The Research Assistant/Associate position is responsible for the management and oversight of their research projects, with particular attention to concerns of measurement, validity, reliability, precision and also cost efficiency. Towards this end the Research Associate will maintain familiarity with relevant statistical and other data analysis methods and monitor the development of methodological innovations. Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to: designing questionnaires, providing technical direction and conducting quality control during data collection, oversight of and participation in data processing and cleaning, conducting analyses, developing executive summary reports, presenting at local and international conferences and workshops, and authoring papers intended for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Successful applicants will have a PhD with a concentration in a relevant social science discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, as well as: broad knowledge of the survey research process and survey methods; expertise in the use of statistical packages such as R, SAS, SPSS, or STATA; strong familiarity with statistical analysis techniques; excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic; strong organizational, planning, and systems skills; excellent attention to detail and an orientation to results; strong team orientation; and the ability to work well with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
This full-time position carries an initial three-year term, with a start date that is negotiable, and the possibility of a renewal upon mutual agreement.
Applications will be reviewed beginning on January 15, 2018. The position will remain open until filled.
Compensation includes a competitive salary, which is tax-free in Qatar (but persons will still be responsible for any applicable taxes from their country of origin), along with a generous fringe benefits package that includes health insurance. Furnished housing is also provided at no additional cost outside of expenses such as utilities, cable, and Internet access. Applicants will have their flight and moving expenses paid for at the beginning and end of their appointment, as well as one round-trip flight home annually. Educational allowances for up to three accompanying children are also available.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, recent curriculum vita, concise statement of research interests, writing sample or representative publication, confidential letter of reference from someone familiar with the candidate’s work, and the names and contact information of two additional referees to pdsearch@qu.edu.qa.
About SESRI
SESRI is an academic survey research institute established in 2008 at Qatar University in close association with the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. It undertakes original and groundbreaking surveys of citizens and residents of Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council states via telephone and face-to-face interviews, amassing a diverse collection of data unparalleled in the region. Previous areas of study include, among others, education, gender, labor, politics, regional integration, and survey methodology. SESRI has partnered with the World Values Survey, the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey, and other international survey efforts, and since 2010 has secured more than $5.3 million in external project funding through the Qatar National Research Fund. Increasingly recognized for their quality and variety, SESRI data have appeared in such forums as Foreign Policy, Middle East Policy, and the Middle East Research and Information Project.