The NATO Parliamentary Assembly employs ten research assistants every year. The majority of these positions are given to candidates from NATO member countries. However, the International Secretariat also accepts candidates from non-NATO members as part of the Loïc Bouvard Scholarship, which was created in tribute to Loïc Bouvard (France) who was President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (1992-1994) and played a vital role in establishing partnerships with non-NATO member countries.
Among the ten research assistants who work each year at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s International Secretariat, five start in late January and finish in early June. The other five start in August and finish in late November/early December.
Applications are assessed objectively and various factors are taken into account. The NATO PA looks at educational background as well as professional experience, including internships and other projects. Due to the changing nature of topics that the Assembly covers, the Assembly often looks for candidates that have specific experience in areas that compliment current research being conducted at the NATO PA. We also look for candidates that exhibit flexibility and are interested in conducting research on a wide range of topics. In addition, there is a need to reach a regional balance among candidates. It is, therefore, rare that two candidates of the same nationality are chosen for the same programme period.
Qualifications
Candidates must have a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Political Sciences, International Relations or a related field. Experience in government or policy research institutions is a further asset.
Preference is given to candidates who have recently completed their Master’s degree.
Applicants with PhDs or current PhD candidates will not be considered for this position.
Candidates must be fluent in oral and written English and/or French. If neither is a mother tongue, applicants should be prepared to demonstrate certified evidence of language skills upon request. Knowledge of another language(s) is a further asset.
Tasks
The research assistant’s main task is to contribute, at the request of Committee Directors or Senior Management, to the research necessary for the drafting of Assembly reports and other documents such as background information documents and drafts of speeches. Research assistants attend the parliamentary Sessions of the Assembly and are asked to assist in note taking and summary writing. As part of the larger NATO PA team, research assistants are occasionally asked to complete basic administrative tasks.
Conditions
Research assistants are hired for a 3.5 to 5-month period, depending on the Assembly’s yearly calendar. The programme begins in either January or August, with a one month probation period. Research assistants receive a monthly stipend of 750€ and are also provided with spacious, shared accommodation in a recently renovated, five-bedroom house in the European quarter of Brussels. The programme includes a basic health insurance policy for the duration of the programme. Reimbursement for travel to and from Brussels is considered on a case-by-case basis and must comply with the financial procedures of the Assembly.
More details about the conditions for the programme will be provided to selected candidates upon receipt of an official offer from the Director of the Research Assistant Programme.
Application Period
We are now accepting applications for the 2016 programme period that will start in January 2016. Recruitment for the start date in June 2016 will take place in the spring, please check back for more details.
Application Deadline for the January 2016 start: 23 October 2015
To be considered for the next programme period, your application must be received by 23 October 2015. Applications sent after the deadline will not be considered for the position. If you are sending your application materials by post, please allow enough time for your application to be sent and received by this date.
If you have applied for the position in the past, please note that we do not retain previously submitted applications. If you were not chosen for the position in the past, you are welcome to re-apply. However, you must re-submit your application materials prior to the application deadline.
Applications
Applications should include:
- A cover letter, indicating areas of interest and competence, nationality, languages spoken and availability
- A curriculum vitae
- A writing sample of no more than five pages on a topic relevant to the position (i.e. foreign policy, international relations, defence and security, etc.)
- Two letters of recommendation (academic or professional)
All applications must be submitted in either English or French. Applications may be sent electronically or by standard post.
If sending electronically, all application materials must be gathered and sent together as one single PDF document. If sending by post, all materials must be included in one envelop.
Applications must contain all the above required documents to be considered for the research assistant programme. Incomplete applications will automatically be discarded.
After submitting an application, you will receive an automated response that indicates that your application has been received and will be processed.
Due to the large amount of applicants, only successful candidates will be contacted. Once the Assembly has completed the selection process, the names of the selected candidates will be announced on the Assembly’s Research Assistant Programme webpage.
Contact Details
Email address
ra-programme@nato-pa.int
Postal address
Director of Research Assistant Programme
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
3 place du Petit Sablon
B – 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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