Director of Research

Job description

Director of Research

FDD is seeking a full‑time Director of Research. The director plays a key leadership and management role within the FDD Research Department in addition to conducting research and publishing widely in their chosen area of expertise. The director reports to the Vice President of Research.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the FDD editorial team, ensuring the overall quality of all FDD publications in terms of both their substance and fluidity of prose.

Manage editorial workflow for short‑ and long‑form publications.

Supervise and ensure the professional development of FDD's research analysts. Help refine their research and writing skills and evaluate their output.

Facilitate the adoption of AI tools to conduct original research while ensuring analytical rigor and integrity.

Coordinate with the FDD communications team to help experts publicize their research via print, online, and broadcast media.

Conduct research and publish widely in a chosen area of expertise.

Fellows are expected to produce and publicize research that has a tangible impact on U.S. foreign policy and national security, helping the United States and its democratic allies to prevail over autocratic aggressors.

The director will have a concurrent appointment as Research Fellow or Senior Fellow.

For this position, there is no preferred regional or functional specialization, although the candidate should have deep expertise in at least one area that aligns with FDD's mission.

Skills & Qualifications

Ph.D. preferred. We will also consider candidates with comparable training and experience in a research capacity.

8-15 years of professional experience in research, government, and policy‑related roles. FDD prefers candidates with 2 or more years of experience in policy‑facing roles in the executive or legislative branch of the federal government.

Broad expertise in foreign affairs and national security, enabling the candidate to oversee publications that address the full range of issues and regions in FDD's portfolio.

Advanced professional editing skills, enabling the candidate to ensure the quality of numerous long‑ and short‑form publications.

Ability to manage high‑volume editorial workflows with submissions coming from several dozen authors.

Advanced professional writing skills. FDD fellows usually publish multiple policy briefs or op‑eds per month along with one or more research memoranda or monographs per year.

Substantive understanding of the strengths and limitations of AI for conducting original research. Familiarity with the use of agentic AI for research is a plus.

Public speaking and communication ability, suitable both for in‑person presentations and interviews with broadcast media, to include television, radio, and podcasts.

Strong interpersonal skills, leadership ability, empathy, and emotional intelligence. FDD strongly values those who help build a collegial and collaborative workplace environment.

Application Requirements

Résumé or CV

Cover Letter

Residence in or ability to relocate to the Washington, DC metropolitan area. This is an in‑person position with an option of up to two days per week of telework.

FDD is an equal opportunity employer. If you require an accommodation in order to apply for this position, please contact Jean Thurman at or (202) 207‑0190.

This role has a projected salary band of $140,000-$180,000 per year, based on the candidate's experience and qualifications. Additional benefits are available, including health care coverage based on eligibility.

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply here.

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Worksite address

washington, DC, 20022, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.