Request for Proposals: Contract Research Assistants

Request for proposals: Contract Research Assistants

PAX sapiens is seeking 1–2 Research Assistants (RAs) to support the data collection phase of a social network analysis study mapping collaborative ties among China policy experts at major U.S. think tanks.

PAX sapiens

PAX sapiens is a grantmaking and operating foundation whose mission is to prevent predictable global catastrophes. The foundation advances human security and sustainable peace by strengthening systems for pandemic prevention, reducing the risk of nuclear conflict, and promoting constructive U.S.-China engagement. PAX sapiens works through grants, partnerships, and convenings to build coalitions that reduce existential risks. The organization’s culture is collaborative, intellectually curious, and values-driven—bringing together diverse leaders to create a safer and more resilient world.

Details of RFP

This project applies social network analysis (SNA) to a dataset of China studies professionals across leading U.S. think tanks. RAs will manually identify and record collaborative events—co-authored publications, congressional hearings, taskforce memberships, and conference panels—in which two or more individuals from our sample participated. The resulting structured dataset will power a network analysis examining how collaboration, expertise, and institutional ties shape the U.S. China policy community.

Duration and structure of contract

Up to three months, paid on actual hours worked, capped at 20 hours per week. This is not a ghostwriting position. RA contributions will be explicitly acknowledged in all project outputs.

Contract deliverables

• Search individual researcher pages on assigned think tank websites (e.g., CSIS, Brookings, CFR, RAND, Carnegie) to identify co-authored reports, briefs, and articles with China-related content published between 2015 and 2025.


• Search congressional hearing records on congress.gov to identify hearings on China-related topics at which two or more sample members testified.


• Identify taskforce and working group memberships published on think tank websites where two or more sample members appear.


• Record all findings in two structured spreadsheet templates (events registry and participant log) following a detailed data entry protocol provided by the research team.


• Cross-reference all identified individuals against the project's master person list to assign correct person IDs; flag ambiguous matches for supervisor review.


• Participate in weekly team check-ins to discuss progress, resolve data entry questions, and ensure consistency across team members.


• Conduct a self-quality check against a provided checklist before submitting each batch of data.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed a graduate program in political science, international relations, China studies, public policy, or a related field. Advanced undergraduate students with relevant research experience will also be considered.


• Familiarity with U.S.-China relations, U.S. think tank landscape, or congressional processes is strongly preferred.


• Meticulous attention to detail in structured data entry; ability to apply consistent classification rules across large volumes of records.


• Proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets. Experience with CSV-based data workflows is a plus. Experience with R is advantageous but not required.


• Strong reading comprehension in English; ability to quickly assess whether a publication or event falls within defined scope criteria.


• Ability to work independently and meet weekly submission targets with minimal supervision.

To apply

Please submit a CV and cover letter detailing your fit for the position.