Research Associate

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is part of the United Nations, which was established in 1945 with a mission to promote peace, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and cooperation among nations. The organization operates globally, with numerous offices and agencies working in various fields, including humanitarian assistance, development, and human rights. The UN employs thousands of individuals across its various departments and initiatives, focusing on addressing global challenges and improving the lives of people worldwide.

Job Overview:
The Research Associate position is situated within the Relief and Social Services Department (RSSD) and is primarily focused on contributing to the Camp Origins Project. This project is part of the Archive Initiative, which aims to document the establishment of recognized refugee camps by the Agency across five operational fields. The Research Associate will engage in extensive archival research to gather information about the establishment of Palestine refugee camps. This role requires the preparation of archival materials for legal clearance, applying approved redactions, and producing accurate, evidence-based written accounts that are suitable for both institutional and external use. The position emphasizes the importance of thorough research, documentation quality, and effective communication of findings.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Research Associate will undertake a variety of duties to support the RSSD’s project on the historical establishment of camps. Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing search strategies across the Agency’s digitized archive for each camp, utilizing historical name variants, transliterations, localities, and field office designations.
• Retrieving and compiling relevant archival material related to camp establishment, which includes site and land agreements, camp plans, population records, health and sanitation surveys, education records, field office reports, and correspondence.
• Maintaining comprehensive search logs, documenting nil returns, and detailing search decisions and methodologies.
• Assessing the relevance of records on camp establishment and distinguishing them from later operational materials, supplementing keyword searches with direct reviews when necessary.
• Drafting concise narrative profiles for each camp, ensuring that all factual statements are traceable to cleared and cited sources, and clearly reporting any evidential gaps.
• Contributing to comparative synthesis across the historical periods covered by the project.
• Performing other related duties as required, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability in fulfilling project needs.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in fields such as history, archival studies, library and information science, information management, Middle East studies, political science, social sciences, or a related discipline. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. The qualifications emphasize the need for a strong academic background relevant to the responsibilities of the position.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in relevant fields such as history, archival studies, library and information science, information management, Middle East studies, political science, social sciences, or a related area. In cases where candidates hold a first-level university degree, they must also have two additional years of qualifying experience to meet the educational requirements.

Experience:
Candidates are expected to have at least 2 years of demonstrated experience conducting research in primary source or archival collections. This experience should include identifying relevant materials and assessing their relevance and evidential value. Importantly, at least 1 year of this experience must be international, occurring outside of the candidate’s home country, country of citizenship, and country of permanent residence. Additionally, candidates should have experience producing well-cited analytical or narrative outputs from evidence, showcasing their ability to synthesize information effectively.

Languages:
An excellent command of written and spoken English is mandatory for this position. Furthermore, a working knowledge of Arabic would be considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with diverse materials and stakeholders in the region.

Additional Notes:
The position is expected to last for 12 months, with the possibility of renewal based on satisfactory performance evaluations and the availability of funds. The remuneration for this role is set at 6,000 USD per month. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or training stages. Additionally, the organization does not request information regarding applicants’ bank accounts.