"Research Scientist/Program Officer, Advocacy"

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 600 higher education institutions in more than 42 countries. SAR’s mission is to promote academic freedom and defend the human rights of scholars and their communities worldwide. SAR meets this mission through three primary activity areas: (1) protection services for threatened scholars and other at-risk individuals; (2) advocacy and related research, reporting, and campaigning for scholars or other victims of attacks on higher education; and (3) research and training on academic freedom and its constituent elements. In furtherance of all of these activities, SAR organizes multiple events, trainings, courses, and publications, including a biennial SAR Global Congress—an international gathering for SAR’s global movement and prospective new partners to share experience, discuss critical issues, and shape SAR’s research and advocacy strategies for the coming years. SAR’s staff is organized into teams for each of these programming areas, along with a membership team to research and develop services and activities for network member institutions, faculty and students, and related development and administration roles. Information at www.scholarsatrisk.org.

POSITION SUMMARY: Scholars at Risk (SAR) seeks a detail-oriented, research-focused individual with excellent analytical and writing skills to join SAR’s advocacy team as a Program Officer to lead the research, drafting, and publication of SAR’s annual Free to Think report; to contribute research and writing to SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project and related reports; and to manage a fellowship program. Through the Monitoring Project, SAR conducts research and reporting on attacks on higher education communities worldwide; the data is summarized and analyzed in SAR’s annual Free to Think report and in other topical reports. SAR organizes regular cohorts of academics to further research on academic freedom as SAR/Mellon Fellows. SAR seeks a Program Officer to contribute to these projects. The position requires excellent research, analysis, writing, and project management skills, as well as a practiced attention to detail and judgment. It is ideal for a proactive, thoughtful individual who takes initiative, enjoys the research process, has excellent writing skills, and likes to work on a small team. The position requires timely and professional communication, including with partners, SAR and NYU staff, academia, and the public. The role is based in New York City and reports to SAR’s Senior Program Officer, Advocacy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Research, analyze, write incident reports for SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project, which identifies and registers attacks on the higher education sector worldwide (50%):

• Using SAR’s research methodology, conduct research on attacks on the higher education community, as reported in open sources; and draft, edit, verify, and publish summary reports.
• Collaborate on efforts to assess project efficiency and propose and implement improvements, including assessing the project’s database, use of partner data, and AI.
• Ensure appropriate and timely distribution of the project’s incidents and key findings, including over social media, in newsletters, and in submissions to stakeholders.
• Regularly share key incidents and trends with SAR staff and make recommendations as to appropriate responses.

Research, analyze, write, and produce reports that highlight trends in attacks on higher education, and develop response tools (30%):

• Lead the research and writing process for SAR’s annual Free to Think report, drawing on Monitoring Project data.
• Lead the production and distribution of Free to Think, liaising with communications staff.
• Support research, writing, and production of other topical reports produced by SAR.
• Support development of training modules based on reports’ recommendations, and of similar advocacy responses to the problem of attacks on higher education.
• Present report data and recommendations to academic and general audiences; and lead or co-lead related trainings.

Organize SAR/Mellon Fellowship program (20%):

• Coordinate research cohorts of SAR/Mellon Fellows, including organizing regular fellows’ meetings, commenting on research, and encouraging research on underfunded/understudied topics.
• Administer the annual call for proposals, including text in SAR’s communications, responding to inquiries, conducting an initial review of proposals, and coordinating logistics for the review committee.
• Organize in-person fellows’ meetings.
• Ensure timely payments to fellows.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree and 3-5 years’ experience, or similar, relevant experience.
• Excellent research, writing, and editorial skills; demonstrated ability to synthesize and distill complex information for general audiences.
• Exceptional communication skills and proven proficiency in delivering impactful presentations.
• Exceptional attention to detail, initiative, time-management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience in report writing, production, distribution, and strategy preferred.
• Experience in data-driven decision making.
• Experience in project management, especially in managing competing priorities.
• Commitment to human rights, academic freedom, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to manage complex political and cultural factors, difficult information, including human rights abuses, and tensions between long- and short-term goals.
• Proficiency in wordprocessing and spreadsheet software (e.g., Word/Google Docs, Excel/Sheets) and website content management systems (e.g., WordPress).

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: This is a full-time, at-will position on an open-ended term, subject to program priorities, exemplary performance, and availability of funds. The position offers a salary range of $55,000 - 70,000, comparable to similar positions at peer organizations in the human rights/NGO field. Scholars at Risk is an independent not-for-profit corporation hosted at New York University (NYU). SAR staff are NYU employees seconded to SAR and are eligible for NYU employee benefits, including generous vacation leave and holidays; medical, dental, vision and life insurance options; and retirement benefits (all subject to terms established by NYU as described at https://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefit/full-time/professional-research-staff.html).

Apply online at https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/category/career-opportunities/ by uploading the requested materials in one combined PDF: (1) a letter of interest, (2) resume, (3) list of references or letters of reference, and (4) a brief, unedited writing sample.

DEADLINE FOR INITIAL APPLICATION REVIEW IS October 12, 2025. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis, until the position is filled.