Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Senior Fellow in Economic and Energy Security

IISS-Asia: Singapore

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is the world’s leading independent authority on global security issues, providing information and analysis on a wide range of international security and political-risk questions. The Institute conducts research on the problems of conflict, however caused, that may have a significant military dimension, and also analyses international trends, including financial and economic developments, which may have strategic implications. The Institute convenes high-level conferences that bring together government officials, business leaders and opinion-formers at the most senior level, in order to enhance diplomatic exchanges and to enable the crafting of more effective public policy on strategic matters.

The IISS, which is headquartered in London and has regional offices in Singapore, Bahrain and Washington DC, is seeking to appoint an economist/energy specialist with a well-grounded knowledge of international relations and security to the newly created Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Senior Fellowship in Economic and Energy Security that will be located at the IISS–Asia office in Singapore. The appointment will be for a four-year fixed term, with the possibility of renewal at the end of the term.

Reporting to the Executive Director of IISS–Asia, the new Senior Fellow will conduct research on economic security and energy security, both broadly defined, and their impact on international strategic issues, as part of the overall IISS research programme. While it is expected that this research will have a strong Asian regional focus, the Institute intends that the Senior Fellow will work closely with colleagues in the other IISS offices who are concerned with economic and energy matters. The new Senior Fellow will contribute strongly to the IISS Geo-Economics Programme carried out from the IISS–Middle East office in Bahrain.

The Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Senior Fellow will be an analyst of world-class calibre with excellent writing and presentational skills, professional knowledge of economic security and energy security obtained through high-level academic, think-tank, business, media or government experience, and will have an entrepreneurial approach to research activity. A thorough understanding of the challenges posed to small states in Asia and the Gulf by the imperative of economic diversification would be a distinct advantage. It is important that the post holder will be able to work comfortably in a trans-disciplinary environment, and should be competent to provide authoritative specialist briefings for expert audiences including corporate and government leaders. The Senior Fellow will be based in Singapore but will be expected to travel frequently within Asia and the Middle East, to London and to IISS events worldwide.

The salary and benefits will be set at a level to attract the best candidate internationally, and will be determined on the basis of background and experience. The IISS intends to fill the appointment by April 2012.

Candidates should send a letter explaining the skills they would bring to the IISS, enclosing a resume and a list of referees, by email, citing Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Senior Fellowship Application in the subject line, to iiss-asia@iiss.org

The deadline for receipt of applications is 23 December 2011.