Paid Graduate Short-Term Research Fellowship (Remote) – ‘Europe and the EU after the EURO Crisis’

£1500+/- according to experience/qualifications (includes expenses). Research Fellowship to be completed within 8-12 weeks (allowances will be made for the December/January holiday period).

Closing date for applications is Friday 18 November 2011.

A London-based private investment banker is looking for highly qualified candidates to carry out an independent political risk research project on a part-time basis looking at Europe after the Euro crisis. The researcher will be based at home and have responsibility for carrying out the research proposal and presenting the results as a written report. The client is interested in research that focuses on the role of Germany and/or France in resolving the current euro crisis and the future direction of the EU. The researcher will be mentored through the process and given feedback on their research.

POLITICAL RISK RESEARCH

Clients seek information and insight that allows them to better understand political developments and the impact these can have on markets. They want to be able to make an informed response to investment opportunities and market instability. This research project will therefore provide vital insights into European politics which can be incorporated into investment decisions.

This paid, research project will give up to four young researchers the opportunity to better understand political risk and will provide them with an insight into the interaction between financial markets and public policy within the EU (UK/Germany/France). Global political risk and financial market research can be difficult business areas to break into for young graduates; this will enable them to begin the process of developing a relevant CV.

Areas of interest for political risk research can include governance and politics, regulatory issues, economic trends and indicators, and international and regional relations. Careers in political risk require an understanding of all or some of the following: political risk assessments, scenario analysis and quantitative metrics and evaluations.

RESEARCH

The recent turmoil in European markets has been related to the ongoing crisis within the Eurozone. Investors are focused on understanding the method of decision-making within the EU and the Eurozone. The coordination between National and European institutions is unclear and the direction of policies remains highly contested. France and Germany remain at the centre of these decisions and the national politics of these member states impact strongly on the decisions that are taken on a European level.

This research project requires a proposal that considers the national policy responses to the future of the EU. This could include national planning and EU responses on issues such as the Schengen agreement, conditions for ongoing and new membership of the Euro, financial rescue efforts for ailing Eurozone member states, and the European Financial Stability Facility.

The paper would present an understanding of:
- who the key national decision makers are on these EU decisions
- how national policy is developed to address these concerns
- an outline of the expected policy positions of Germany and/or France on these issues
- an analysis by the researcher based on their primary research.

The researcher would be expected to arrange and conduct interviews in Germany and/or France with government officials and policy advisors. The report would be based on these interviews and is expected to be approx. 8000-10,000 words.

QUALIFICATIONS

- Masters degree or higher in European or International Politics (essential)
- fluency in English (essential) and German or French (desirable)
- strong interest in European politics and the future of the Euro (essential)
- ability to act as researcher and advisor to a range of investors and companies (essential)
- previous experience of public sector or European institutions policy research (desirable)

Please send a CV and a research proposal of 500 words (including proposed interviews/sources) to adoptanintern@cspp.org.uk. State a. your availability and b. relevant information on your skills/experience pertaining to the job spec