Research Associate - International Consultancy

Result of Service

The Research Associate in the Relief and Social Services Department (RSSD) will contribute to the Camp Origins Project, a research project that is part of the Archive Initiative and premised on documenting the establishment of the Agency's recognized refugee camps across five fields of operation. The Research Associate will conduct archival research into the establishment of Palestine refugee camps, prepare archival material for legal clearance and apply approved redactions, and produce accurate, evidence-based written accounts suitable for institutional and external use.

Work Location

Amman, Jordan

Expected duration

12 months, renewable upon satisfactory performance evaluation and funds availability.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Associate will support RSSD’s project on the historical establishment of camps through archival research. The assignment focuses on identifying and compiling relevant archival material, assessing sensitivity, obtaining clearance, producing concise evidence-based camp profiles, and maintaining accurate project records. The Research Associate will support research delivery, documentation quality, and progress reporting. The Research Associate will: 1. Develop and execute search strategies across the Agency’s digitized archive for each camp, using historical name variants, transliterations, localities, and field office designations. 2. Retrieve and compile relevant archival material on camp establishment, including site and land agreements, camp plans, population records, health and sanitation surveys, education records, field office reports, and correspondence. 3. Maintain complete search logs, including nil returns, and document search decisions and working methods. 4. Assess relevance and distinguish records on camp establishment from later operational material, supplementing keyword searches with direct review where OCR or scan quality is limited. 5. Draft concise narrative profiles for each camp, ensuring all factual statements are traceable to cleared and cited sources and that evidential gaps are clearly reported. 6. Contribute to comparative synthesis across the historical periods covered by the project. 7. Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications/special skills

EDUCATION Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in history, archival studies, library and information science, information management, Middle East studies, political science, social sciences or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. EXPERIENCE 1) At least 2 years of demonstrated experience conducting research in primary source or archival collections, including identifying relevant material and assessing source relevance and evidential value. This must include at least 1 years of international relevant experience outside of the candidate’s home country, country of citizenship and country where the candidate have permanent residence. (Required) 2) Demonstrated experience producing well-cited analytical or narrative outputs from evidence (required) 3) Excellent drafting skills in English, with the ability to write clearly and concisely for a non-specialist audience (required) 4) Experience working with digitized archives, document management systems, or similar research databases (desirable) 5) Experience preparing materials for legal, disclosure, or declassification review, including redactions (desirable) 6) Knowledge of the history of Palestine refugees, the Agency’s operations, or the modern history of the Middle East (desirable) 7) Experience working in the United Nations common system or a comparable international organization (desirable)

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of Arabic would be an asset.

Additional Information

Remuneration will be set at 6,000 USD per month

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.