Come Work at Lawfare!

I’m excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for a new Associate Editor at Lawfare. If you have ever thought to yourself, “I want to be Quinta Jurecic when I grow up,” this is your chance.

No, Quinta’s not going anywhere. We’re expanding. Over the last few months, Lawfare has seen an enormous increase both in our readership and in the volume of material we publish on the site. This growth necessitates staff growth.

This will be a highly demanding role. It's a research assistantship at Brookings. But it's a dual-hat role in which a significant amount of the position’s work involves being part of Lawfare’s editorial staff and helping with the care and feeding of the site's voracious appetite and assisting with the smooth functioning of the editorial process. As Quinta (and Cody Poplin before her) have shown, there is also a lot of great writing opportunity for the right person at what is a transitional moment in the site’s life.

Details for the position are posted below and on the Brookings website, through which applications should be submitted:

Overview:

The Research Assistant will assist with the maintenance and publication of Lawfare, a national security law website, in the Governance Studies (GS) program at The Brookings Institution. Provide research and administrative assistance on a diverse array of projects connected with the legal framework of American national security policy. Undertake research assignments with minimal supervision, draft summaries of findings, and assist with preparation of publications. Collaborate with GS Communication staff on matters pertaining to public/private events and GS Development staff on matters pertaining to donor proposals.

Responsibilities:

Editorial and Research Assistance (60%)

• With guidance from Senior Fellow, researches and collects documents and information from various sources (government agencies, universities, libraries, database, Internet, non-profit research organizations, etc.) on relevant topics for weekly publication on Lawfare.
• Collects and prepares data from various sources for qualitative analysis, drafting and summarization of information.
• Provides editing and review assistance in preparation for publication.
• Work with Lawfare editorial team to ensure content is up-to-date and accurate, publish and design content, and perform other site maintenance duties as necessary.
• Proofreads, updates and fact-check existing data and footnotes; finalizing documents in preparation for publication.

Administrative Support (40%)

• Coordinate logistics for Lawfare and Brookings project. This includes scheduling guests on the Lawfare podcast, identifying dates for presentation, coordinating calls and communication with external authors to the Lawfare blog.
• Assist with scheduling and coordinating internal and external events and meetings for Fellow and Senior Fellow.
• Collaborate with development and communications staff as needed, including confirming fellow or senior fellow availability and interests, recent publications and activity, and relevance of recent work to various external requests for information.
• Provide additional administrative support for Lawfare and Brookings projects, as needed.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in political science, government, or a related field required. Academic background in constitutional law, the judiciary, or legal questions surrounding security issues is highly preferable. Demonstrated interest in the law desired. Interest in issues pertaining to national security required.

Knowledge/Skills Requirements:
Outstanding writing, analytical, and research skills, demonstrated through prior relevant research experience. Journalism experience preferred. Ability to write clearly and with minimal supervision is required. Thorough knowledge of library and online research resources and capacity to conduct independent research is a must. Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and organizational skills are also required, as well as ability to take initiative and work in a fast-paced environment. Basic familiarity with Word Press or PHP a plus.


Additional Information:
Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply.
In addition to cover letter and resume, this position requires that applicants submit a writing sample of a maximum of 1,000 words (2 pages). Writing sample must be attached as a separate document.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings.

Brookings is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, or other factors protected by law.