Fellow and Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asia Studies, CEAP (Job ID: 2023-3187)

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Foreign Policy at Brookings

The Foreign Policy program at Brookings is the leading center of high-quality, policy-relevant scholarship advancing actionable solutions to the major challenges to international peace and security. Brookings Foreign Policy scholars and staff draw on their deep expertise to engage in in-depth, nonpartisan research and analysis aimed at informing policymakers and the public debate and developing concrete policy recommendations to address the world’s toughest problems. Established in 1998, the Center for East Asia Policy Studies (CEAP) enhances policy development and understanding of the pressing political, security, and economic issues facing East Asia and the United States in the region.

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Position Location:This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of at least two days of remote work each week.

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Individuals that (i) have a qualifying medical condition that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, or (ii) who object to being vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious belief, may request a reasonable accommodation.  Brookings policies on masks and other pandemic mitigation measures will continue to be informed by DC and CDC guidelines.

Ready to contribute to Brookings success?

The Foreign Policy program is accepting applications for a Fellow / Senior Fellow position in the Center for East Asia Policy Studies; the Fellow / Senior Fellow will also hold the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asia Studies. The Fellow / Senior Fellow’s primary responsibilities will be to conduct original research, analysis, and publishing and to lead Foreign Policy’s activities on Southeast Asia-related policy issues. The specific research agenda will depend on the scholar's interests and expertise.

Based on that expertise, the Fellow / Senior Fellow will be expected to produce a substantial body of peer-reviewed policy research and publications, with an emphasis on monographs and articles, that contributes to setting the policy agenda and informing the public policy debate. The individual will also produce commentaries, policy briefs, and other short publications, will interact with national and international media through interviews and other engagements, and will organize and participate in public and private events, conferences, workshops, and other activities.

Collaboration with other Brookings experts on research, publication, and events is encouraged. The Fellow / Senior Fellow will also engage with current and prospective supporters of Brookings and the Foreign Policy program and will have some responsibility for fundraising for CEAP’s Southeast Asia studies program.

Since its establishment in 2013, the Lee Kuan Yew Chair has been held by leading policy experts on a rotational basis, and this Fellow / Senior Fellow position will be filled on a term appointment. Brookings anticipates an initial appointment of two years; an extension of the initial appointment will be considered after the first year. It is an in-person position, with residency at Brookings’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Ready to make an impact? In this role, you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity and community, and bring the following qualifications: 

The position will be filled at either the Fellow or Senior Fellow level, as determined by the expertise and accomplishments of the candidate and the needs of the Foreign Policy program. Applicants' expertise and research interests should include a broad range of issues relevant to Southeast Asia, U.S.-Southeast Asia relations, and ASEAN’s regional and global presence. They should include, but not be limited to, more than one of the following: foreign policy and security dynamics, regional development and the economic architecture, governance and domestic politics; technology, climate, and other transnational challenges.  

All applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree; a PhD in either international relations, government, history, regional studies, or a related discipline is strongly preferred. 

Candidates at the Fellow level, in addition to the other qualifications described here, typically will have at least two of the following qualifications: 1) a PhD or other terminal degree; 2) a minimum five years of professional, policy, or academic work experience related to Southeast Asia; and 3) a record of publication that demonstrates strong empirical research skills and the ability to produce policy-relevant research and analysis on Southeast Asia.

Candidates at the Senior Fellow level, in addition to all other qualifications described here, typically will have at least two of the following qualifications: 1) a PhD or other terminal degree; 2) significant experience over a multi-year period at senior policy-making levels, in this case related to Southeast Asia; and 3) a record of publication in peer-reviewed academic or policy journals over a multi-year period and publication of at least one sole-authored book. Senior Fellow candidates will be capable of providing breakthrough thinking in relevant policy areas and of influencing the intellectual discourse, and will be recognized as an authority within their area of scholarship or policymaking.

All candidates must possess demonstrated knowledge with the politics, economics, international relations, and policy-making processes of Southeast Asia; this knowledge may be gained through formal academic training, professional experience in government or the private sector, or both. All candidates must articulate a clear and compelling research agenda and must have a proven ability to conduct in-depth, high quality policy research and translate research findings into insightful, innovative, and practical policy recommendations. The Fellow / Senior Fellow must be able to design and undertake issue-focused engagement and outreach strategies with high-profile audiences, in collaboration with communications staff across the organization. A proven ability to build and develop financial support for the work is preferred. 

Outstanding written and oral communication skills, along with professional fluency in English, are required of all candidates. The successful candidate must be motivated yet flexible, diplomatic, creative, trustworthy, a good team player who seeks to participate in FP’s community of scholars and staff, and able to thrive in a fast-paced yet collegial environment.

Salary will be commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience, and guided by Brookings’s compensation program.

Additional Information:

What can we offer you? Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings.

Applicants must apply via the Brookings website, submitting a full curriculum vitae (CV) complete with a list of publications, and a cover letter including a clear explanation of the applicant’s research interests and priorities for this position. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications for the position will be considered.

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. Please note: if you have applied to more than one Brookings job opening you should add a position-specific cover letter as a separate attachment.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings.

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.