Research Fellowship: Americas Research Director

The Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security at the Fletcher School, Tufts University seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to serve as the Americas Research Director of a two-year project entitled "Securization without Security: How Migration is Shaping the Global Order." Funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the project examines whether and how the securitization of migration by the United States and Europe is making the world less safe by: (1) fueling a loss of state authority to non-state actors embedded in illicit political economies along migratory routes; and (2) enabling transit states to extract concessions by weaponizing migrants and refugees. Please see the overview linked here for more information.

Competitive candidates will have a proven track record in independent research, strong written and oral communication skills in both English and Spanish, and fieldwork experience, ideally in Latin America. They will also have good organizational skills, the ability to manage a team, and comfort interacting with high-level policymakers and practitioners. Their areas of expertise should include some combination of the following with a focus on the Americas:

* Irregular migration and displacement

* Immigration and asylum policy

* Borders and border policy

* Migration governance and diplomacy

* Illicit political economy

We also encourage candidates with the following skills or experience:

* Other languages, especially Haitian Creole

* GIS and/or other mapping or visualization tools

* Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications

* Website development

The Leir Postdoctoral Fellow will be under the direct supervision of Professor Katrina Burgess, Leir Director and Project Investigator. The postdoc will collaborate regularly with other members of the Leir team, including faculty, staff, and student research assistants, as well as the Glasgow-based Project Investigator, Professor Gerasimos Tsourapas, and his team. Their specific responsibilities will include the following:

* Supervising and contributing to desk research

* Assisting with the design, supervision, and implementation of summer field work, including the IRB application

* Conducting data analysis (mostly qualitative but ideally also GIS mapping)

* Preparing policy briefs, blog posts, and academic papers

* Planning and participating in workshops in Mexico City and Medford (Tufts)

* Interacting with high-level policymakers, practitioners, journalists, and academics

* Arranging and participating in briefings with policymakers in the United States, Latin America, and/or Europe

* Assisting with the project's website and social media outreach

Applications from political science, sociology, anthropology, international relations, and interdisciplinary backgrounds are welcome.

Salary is $62,000. Postdocs are also eligible for paid time off, health and dental insurance, and other benefits. The fellowship is for two years with a starting date of January/ February 2025 with the option to work remotely while relocating to the Boston area.

• PhD in related field (dissertation defense completed) within the last five years
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and writing)
• Proficiency in English and Spanish
• Experienced in conducting fieldwork, ideally with vulnerable populations in challenging environments
• Experienced in working with multicultural and multidisciplinary research teams
• Capacity to work independently as well as in team environments

Interested individuals should submit the following no later than December 1, 2024:

• Cover letter demonstrating interest and research profile
• Current curriculum vitae
• Two academic letters of recommendation
• Writing sample: a research paper of 5,000-8,000 words

Applicants are welcome but not required to submit a third letter of recommendation from a non-academic reference who can speak to their professional skills.

Early applications are strongly encouraged.

An employee in this position must complete all appropriate background checks at the time of hire, promotion, or transfer.

For questions about this position, please contact Marcela Millan, Associate Director of the Leir Institute, at marcela.millan@tufts.edu.