Programme: Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS)
Institutional Host: Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies
Reporting Line: Director, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies
Duration: One year, renewable subject to performance and funding
Location: Doha, State of Qatar
Application Status: Open until filled
1. Overview of the Position
The Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS), a research programme of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha, invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Mediation and Peace Processes. The post is intended for an early-career scholar of demonstrable promise whose work engages substantively with the theory and practice of mediation, the conduct of peace negotiations, and the political and normative frameworks that shape negotiated settlements to armed conflict, with particular attention to the Arab region and its wider strategic environment.
The Fellow will contribute to a growing institutional research agenda on mediation as a discipline and a craft: its actors, its methods, and the evolving architecture of international, regional, and local peacemaking. The position is conceived as a bridge between scholarly enquiry and policy practice. The Fellow will be expected to produce research of the standard required for publication in leading peer-reviewed journals while also generating timely, decision-relevant analysis for policy, diplomatic, and practitioner audiences engaged in active and prospective peace processes.
This is a competitive, full-time research appointment. It carries no formal teaching obligations, although the Fellow will be encouraged to participate in seminars, doctoral training initiatives, and convenings organised by the Programme and its academic partners.
2. Institutional Context
The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies is an independent research institution dedicated to the social sciences, the humanities, and the analysis of strategic and policy questions of relevance to the Arab world. The Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies is one of its established research programmes, advancing rigorous, policy-engaged scholarship on the dynamics of conflict, the conduct of peacemaking, and the politics of humanitarian action. Within CHS, the Research Programme provides the immediate academic home for this Fellowship. The Centre maintains a research environment that values methodological pluralism, engagement with primary sources, and sustained dialogue between academic scholarship and the worlds of policy and practice.
3. Principal Duties and Responsibilities
The Fellow will undertake the following responsibilities under the supervision of the Director of CHS.
3.1 Original Research and Scholarly Publication
Conduct original research on mediation and peace negotiation, with the aim of producing peer-reviewed scholarly outputs of international standing. The Fellow will be expected to publish in leading journals in international relations, conflict resolution, peace studies, or cognate disciplines, and to contribute monograph chapters, working papers, and edited-volume contributions where appropriate. The research agenda is to be developed in consultation with the Director of CHS and aligned with the thematic priorities of the Centre.
3.2 Analysis of Mediation and Peace Processes
Provide sustained, analytically rigorous coverage of contemporary mediation efforts and peace processes relevant to the Arab region. This will include the strategic and political behaviour of state and non-state mediators; the design, sequencing, and modalities of negotiation tracks; the interplay between Track I, Track I.5, and Track II processes; the role of regional organisations, special envoys, and external powers as mediators or guarantors; the use of ceasefires, confidence-building measures, and interim arrangements; and the relationship between formal peace agreements and the broader political settlements that sustain or undermine them.
3.3 Policy-Oriented Analytical Products
Produce concise, well-evidenced analytical outputs in response to the priorities of CHS and the requests of its institutional stakeholders. These will include situation assessments, briefing notes on active mediation files, scenario analyses of negotiation pathways, and strategic memoranda intended for governmental, diplomatic, and multilateral audiences. The Fellow will be expected to translate complex empirical findings into clear, decision-relevant analysis without sacrificing analytical depth.
3.4 Contribution to the Programme's Research Agenda
Contribute to the conception, design, and delivery of collaborative research projects, expert workshops, and high-level convenings hosted by CHS and the Conflict and Peace Programme. The Fellow may be invited to coordinate specific research strands, supervise research assistants, and mentor junior colleagues, in proportion to seniority and experience.
3.5 Public Engagement and Academic Representation
Disseminate research findings through scholarly conferences, public lectures, policy roundtables, and considered media engagement. Represent CHS in relevant academic, policy, and diplomatic forums in the region and internationally, and contribute to the cultivation of partnerships with peer institutions.
4. Reporting and Accountability
The Fellow will report directly to the Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. Performance will be reviewed periodically against an agreed set of research, publication, and engagement objectives, which will form the basis for any decision regarding renewal.
5. Person Specification
5.1 Essential
Doctoral qualification: A doctorate (PhD or equivalent) in international relations, political science, conflict studies, peace studies, law, or a closely related discipline, awarded at the time of application or with the dissertation submitted and defended prior to the commencement of the post.
Substantive expertise: Demonstrated expertise in the study of mediation, peace processes, or international negotiation, evidenced through publications, doctoral research, or comparable scholarly work.
Publication record: A record of publication in peer-reviewed journals commensurate with career stage, together with evidence of an emerging international scholarly profile.
Methodological proficiency: Capacity to design and execute qualitative research, including elite interviewing, archival work, and case-based comparative analysis. Familiarity with mixed-methods approaches is welcome.
Languages: Full professional fluency in English and Arabic, both written and spoken. Translation between the two languages should pose no barrier to scholarly work.
Regional knowledge: Substantive knowledge of the political and security dynamics of the Arab region and its wider strategic environment.
Communication: Proven ability to address scholarly, policy, and diplomatic audiences with appropriate register and clarity.
Professional conduct: Evidence of intellectual independence, sound judgement, and the capacity to manage concurrent research and writing commitments to demanding deadlines.
5.2 Desirable
Prior professional or advisory engagement with mediation practitioners, foreign ministries, special envoys, mediation support units, or multilateral organisations involved in peace processes.
Direct experience contributing to Track I.5 or Track II dialogue initiatives in a research, rapporteur, or analytical capacity.
Familiarity with comparative and historical approaches to mediation, including non-Western and indigenous mediation traditions of the wider Islamic world.
Working knowledge of the law and norms governing peace agreements, ceasefire arrangements, and transitional justice.
Established networks within Arab region research, policy, and diplomatic communities.
A working command of a third language relevant to the region's conflicts (e.g., French, Turkish, Persian, or Hebrew).
6. Conditions of Appointment
The position is offered on a one-year fixed-term contract, renewable once subject to satisfactory performance. The successful candidate will be expected to take up residence in Doha for the duration of the appointment.
7. Application Procedure
Applications should comprise: (i) a curriculum vitae; (ii) a covering letter of no more than two pages setting out the candidate's research interests and motivation for the post; (iii) a research proposal of three to five pages outlining a programme of work to be undertaken during the fellowship; (iv) two writing samples, at least one of which should be sole-authored and peer-reviewed; and (v) the names and contact details of three academic referees. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, which may be conducted in person or by video conference.
The Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies is committed to the principle of appointment on merit and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates without regard to nationality, gender, religion, or background.