Research Assistant - Creative Practice

New York University; Al Ruways Industrial City; On-site; AED 133,920 - 200,880; Full time

Job summary

New York University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a Research Assistant – Creative Practice. The role supports live performance, visual arts, curation, and arts pedagogy within an internationally connected environment.

The fellowship involves coordinating research administration, budgets, grants, and interdisciplinary projects across the UAE, Asia, Europe, and the United States, with mentorship and opportunities to develop independent practice.

Qualifications

• BA or BFA in arts or equivalent professional artistic experience.
• Strong portfolio showing recent artistic work.
• Experience supporting creative projects, performances, exhibitions, or research programs.
• Excellent organizational and written/verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with faculty and institutions.
• Willingness to travel and engage with international artists and events.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and delivery of live performance, visual arts, curatorial, and interdisciplinary creative projects.
• Research new artistic directions and assess feasibility, resources, timelines, and institutional requirements.
• Conduct topical research through libraries, archives, digital platforms, and relevant cultural resources.
• Undertake material and practice-based research in studios, rehearsal environments, performance locations, and international project settings.
• Assist with writing projects, research summaries, proposals, and creative documentation.
• Coordinate meetings, travel arrangements, event attendance, and project deadlines.

Skills

Portfolio development

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Independent work

Team collaboration

Research ability

Budget tracking

Education

BA/BFA in arts or equivalent

Tools

Mac computers

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Spreadsheets

Job description

Research Assistant – Creative Practice

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Higher Education
Function: Research
Job Type: Full-time

Overview

Research Assistant - Creative Practice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates is a Higher Education opportunity supporting live performance, visual arts, curation, arts pedagogy, and interdisciplinary artistic research. New York University Abu Dhabi is seeking a Kawader Research Assistant Fellow to help develop creative projects, coordinate international collaborations, support research administration, and advance independent artistic practice.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Salary: 12,000 – 18,000 (estimated; final offer confirmed with employer)

Context

The Research Assistant - Creative Practice will work under the supervision of Arts Professor Joanna Settle, Associate Dean for Arts and Creative Practices. The fellow will contribute to ongoing work in performance, visual arts, curation, teaching, and interdisciplinary creative research. The position combines artistic inquiry with practical project coordination. Responsibilities include research planning, schedules, correspondence, budgets, grant submissions, event participation, course development, and collaboration with artists and cultural institutions across the UAE, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The successful candidate will also receive mentorship for their own artistic development and may create independent or collaborative work alongside Professor Settle’s research activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development and delivery of live performance, visual arts, curatorial, and interdisciplinary creative projects.
• Research new artistic directions and assess their feasibility, resources, timelines, and institutional requirements.
• Conduct topical research through libraries, archives, digital platforms, and relevant cultural resources.
• Undertake material and practice-based research in studios, rehearsal environments, performance locations, and international project settings.
• Assist with assigned writing projects, research summaries, proposals, applications, and creative documentation.
• Participate in annual research planning and coordinate with New York University Abu Dhabi departments to implement approved activities.
• Prepare supporting materials for research applications, grants, fellowships, and institutional submissions.
• Track projects in development through weekly planning, follow-up, and progress monitoring.
• Coordinate meetings, rehearsals, travel arrangements, event attendance, and project deadlines.
• Manage professional correspondence with collaborators, artists, curators, cultural institutions, vendors, and university stakeholders.
• Maintain calendars covering overlapping projects, institutional commitments, teaching activities, and international engagements.
• Monitor project budgets, reimbursements, grant expenditures, invoices, and financial documentation.
• Use spreadsheets to manage schedules, project data, expenses, and budget forecasts.
• Support Professor Settle’s course development, teaching materials, research assignments, and arts pedagogy initiatives.
• Coordinate and provide operational oversight for undergraduate and graduate research assistants.
• Attend biennials, performances, exhibitions, rehearsals, workshops, and creative convenings when required.
• Exchange ideas and observations about artistic methods, research discoveries, and emerging creative directions.
• Develop an independent or collaborative body of artistic work during the fellowship.
• Prepare and deliver a 45-minute artist talk followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.

Ideal Profile

• BA or BFA in an arts practice discipline, or equivalent professional artistic experience.
• Demonstrated advanced ability as a visual artist, performance artist, or interdisciplinary creative practitioner.
• Strong portfolio showing artistic work completed within the previous two years.
• Experience supporting creative projects, performances, exhibitions, research programs, or cultural events.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to coordinate several projects, deadlines, and stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to advance collaborative work calmly, consistently, and professionally.
• Confidence working independently while remaining responsive to faculty and institutional priorities.
• Proficiency with Mac computers, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel.
• Foundational spreadsheet knowledge, including formulas used for data management and budget tracking.
• Interest in developing expertise in research administration, project management, grant monitoring, and arts budgeting.
• Experience in live performance, visual practice, curation, or interdisciplinary art is preferred.
• Participation in competitive artistic fellowships, residencies, or development programs is advantageous.
• Willingness to travel and engage with international artists, institutions, biennials, and cultural events.
• UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.

Skills Set

• Live performance
• Creative practice
• Visual arts
• Performance art
• Interdisciplinary arts
• Artistic research
• Curatorial research
• Arts pedagogy
• Project coordination
• Research administration
• Grant applications
• Research planning
• Creative writing
• Academic research
• Event coordination
• Rehearsal coordination
• International collaboration
• Artist liaison
• Institutional correspondence
• Calendar management
• Budget tracking
• Expense monitoring
• Reimbursement processing
• Microsoft Excel
• Spreadsheet formulas
• Microsoft Word
• Mac computer systems
• Portfolio development
• Artist presentations
• Research assistant supervision

Why Join Us

The Kawader Research Assistant Fellowship provides up to three years of paid experience within an internationally connected arts and research environment. The successful candidate will receive faculty mentorship, professional development, exposure to major creative projects, and opportunities to collaborate with artists, curators, scholars, and cultural institutions across several regions. The fellowship also supports the development of the candidate’s independent artistic practice. Participants can strengthen their portfolios, gain practical experience in project administration and budgeting, contribute to university teaching, and build professional relationships across performance, visual arts, curation, and interdisciplinary research.

About the Company

New York University Abu Dhabi is a global research university supporting scholarship and creative practice across the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and social sciences. Through the Kawader program, the university helps emerging researchers and artists develop advanced professional experience through faculty mentorship, international collaboration, interdisciplinary projects, and independently produced work.