Senior Fellow - India Strategic Technology

JOB SUMMARY:

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy organization established in 1962 to provide strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers concerned with global security and prosperity. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the largest organizations of its kind, with a staff of some 250 employees, including more than 120 analysts working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe.

The Chair in India and Emerging Asia Economics (India Chair) serves as CSIS's focal point for policy-relevant work on India, with a longstanding emphasis on strengthening U.S.-India economic engagement, supporting Indian economic reform, and advancing cooperation with India at the national and subnational levels. The Chair's work is highly action-oriented, emphasizing stakeholder engagement, policy-relevant convening, and practical solutions over purely academic research.

As part of its next phase of growth, the India Chair seeks to build a dedicated strategic technology workstream focused on emerging technologies that are central to economic competitiveness, national security, and resilient global supply chains.

CSIS seeks a senior, part-time leader to design, launch, and lead an India-focused strategic technology policy workstream, bridging our team's depth on India policy at the national and state level and the accumulated expertise of our "Strategic Technologies Department" at CSIS. This role is ideal for an individual with approximately 10 or more years of relevant experience spanning technology policy, national security, economic statecraft, or global supply chains. This is a temporary role, with the potential for extension contingent on performance, particularly the successful development of a sustainable fundraising pipeline. The Senior Fellow will be expected to play a leading role in securing financial support for the workstream, including cultivating donor relationships and generating project funding.

The successful candidate will bring a strong grasp of the policy underpinnings of emerging technologies-including but not limited to artificial intelligence, semiconductors, 6G and future telecommunications, undersea cables, and quantum technologies-and an understanding of how trusted partners such as India can contribute to secure, diversified, and resilient global technology supply chains.

Some India experience is important; more critical is the ability to translate technical domains into policy-relevant insights and to structure engagement among governments, industry, and international partners.

This role involves agenda-setting, partnership development, and external engagement, with limited administrative or research support available.

This role will be supported by a dedicated Program Coordinator/ Research Assistant on our full-time staff. This PC-RA will support a second "Senior Fellow" building out a separate workstream (urban planning policy). The Senior Fellow will be expected to be in the office two days per week.

This is a part-time term appointment, and the hired candidate will be paid an hourly rate of $83.33-85.00 commensurate with experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Essential functions include but are not limited to the following:

Workstream Development and Leadership

* Design and lead a new India strategic technology policy workstream aligned with CSIS priorities and U.S.-India cooperation objectives.

* Identify priority themes within emerging technology domains (e.g., AI governance, trusted semiconductor ecosystems, secure digital infrastructure, standards-setting, and supply chain resilience).

* Translate complex technical issues into clear policy frameworks relevant to policymakers, industry leaders, and international partners.

Lead Visible/ Impactful Public Policy Work

* Produce and guide policy-relevant outputs (commentaries, briefs, memos, convening readouts), emphasizing actionable recommendations rather than academic research.

* Engage senior stakeholders across U.S., Indian, and partner-country governments, as well as the private sector and civil society.

* Organize events (in-person, virtual) to elevate key policy issues.

* Represent CSIS and the India Chair in high-level meetings, workshops, and private-roundtable discussions on strategic technology issues.

Building Ongoing Work

* Identify and cultivate partnerships with key potential donors- foundations, high net worth individuals, companies, and others.

* Establish a pipeline of funded projects to sustain and grow the technology workstream over time. Successful efforts will lead to an extension and shifting to full-time status.

* Prepare one or more proposals that comply with CSIS project standards and "arms length standards" with donors and pitch to potential donors.

Convening and Program Growth

* Help conceptualize and participate in targeted convenings, including private dialogues and public events, focused on strategic technology cooperation with India.

* Provide strategic guidance on study visits, delegations, or bilateral dialogues where technology policy is a core component.

KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE:

* Approximately 10 or more years of professional experience in technology policy, national security, international economic policy, supply chains, or related fields.

* Demonstrated understanding of the policy dimensions of emerging technologies, particularly where technology intersects with geopolitics and economic security.

* Ability to operate at a strategic level, including agenda-setting, external engagement, and stakeholder management.

* Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to engage senior officials and executives confidently.

* Comfort working independently with minimal supervision in a part-time role.

* Proven network in India with policymakers, foundations, and companies working on Indian technology policy and planning

* Ability to work at CSIS HQ for 14 hours per week

Preferred Skills

* Professional experience engaging with India or Indo-Pacific partners.

* Direct experience with successful fundraising for a nonprofit highly preferable

* Familiarity with U.S.-India technology cooperation, allied coordination, or multilateral technology initiatives.

* Experience working with or alongside the private sector, particularly in technology or infrastructure-related domains.

* Prior experience in a think tank, government, international organization, or policy-facing role.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee working in an office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

* Occasional travel (domestic and international, including to India) may be required.

* CSIS operates on a hybrid work model, with in-office collaboration expected during the workweek.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter at https://careers.csis.org/.