Research Associate, Japan Chair

Hudson Institute, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 54,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement with employer matching

Paid time off

Life and disability insurance

Parental leave

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair seeks a Japanese national to serve as a research associate in Washington, DC, with responsibilities including research, writing, program management, and administrative support.

Responsibilities cover economic statecraft, technological innovation, defense industrial base and national security issues, and US–Japan relations, for a one-year, full‑time appointment with an optional renewal.

Qualifications

• Master's degree and strong research/writing skills.
• Ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking ability.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support research and event program across policy areas.
• Facilitate research projects through analysis and note-taking.
• Identify policy issues to advance the Chair’s work.
• Collaborate with senior staff on policy memos and reports.
• Support events via administrative planning and logistics.
• Assist with administrative tasks to ensure continuity.
• Monitor policy developments in Japan, US, and related regions.
• Foster internal communication to create collaboration opportunities.
• Pursue professional development with approval.

Skills

Excellent writing

Public speaking

Interpersonal skills

Independent worker

Education

Master’s degree in international relations-related field

Job description

Description

Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair seeks a Japanese national to serve as a research associate and to deepen Japanese policy expertise in Washington, DC. The associate’s responsibilities will include research, writing, program management, and administrative assistance. Research areas include economic statecraft, technological innovation, defense industrial base and national security initiatives, and US‑Japanese relations. This is a one‑year, full‑time position—with an optional renewal for a second year—based out of Hudson’s Washington, DC office, and reporting to the Japan Chair’s deputy director.

About Hudson Institute

Hudson Institute is a research‑focused public policy think tank headquartered in Washington, DC, dedicated to promoting American leadership for a secure, free, and prosperous future. For more than half a century, Hudson Institute has been challenging conventional thinking by developing new ideas and practical solutions to shape critical foreign and domestic policy decisions.

About Hudson’s Japan Chair

The US‑Japan alliance is America’s cornerstone alliance in the Indo‑Pacific. Since its founding nearly 60 years ago, Hudson Institute has championed a strong Japan and the importance of the US‑Japan alliance. Hudson’s founder was among the first to predict the rise of Japan as a major world economy. Today more than ever, growing threats in Northeast Asia and the Indo‑Pacific prove the need for an enduring US‑Japan alliance. Hudson launched the Japan Chair in spring 2019 under the leadership of Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster to address these challenges and opportunities. This major initiative, now led by Kenneth R. Weinstein, allows Hudson Institute to capitalize on its deep connections in Tokyo and Washington to expand economic ties, enhance defense cooperation, and promote closer scientific and technological collaboration between the United States and Japan.

Responsibilities

• Support the Japan Chair’s wide‑ranging research and event program, especially in the areas of economic statecraft, technological innovation, defense industrial base and national security initiatives, and US‑Japanese relations from bilateral, regional, and global perspectives.
• Facilitate Japan Chair research projects through analysis, notetaking, outlines for written products, and first drafts.
• Identify and propose policy issues that would advance the Japan Chair’s research work.
• Work with senior staff on co‑authored policy memos and reports.
• Support the Japan Chair’s public and private events through administrative, planning, and logistical tasks.
• Support administrative tasks needed to ensure continuity.
• Follow and anticipate policy developments in Japan, the US, and other regions on topics relevant to the Japan Chair’s work.
• Foster internal communication within the Japan Chair and within Hudson to create opportunities for collaboration.
• When possible and with approval, undertake professional development activities to strengthen the research associate fellow’s skills and relationships.

Requirements

• Commitment to Hudson Institute’s mission and supporting the work of the Institute’s experts and staff.
• Must be a Japanese national.
• Master’s degree in international relations, Asian studies, political science, security studies, economics, or a related field.
• Minimum two years’ experience in Indo‑Pacific policy research, analysis, or related work is desirable.
• Excellent writing skills with ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of Indo‑Pacific geopolitical, security, and economic issues.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills.
• Commitment to acting with integrity and the utmost professionalism.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $54,000 – $58,000 per year
• Health insurance (medical, dental, and vision coverage)
• Retirement savings plan with employer matching contributions after one year with Hudson
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid parental and family leave
• Commuter benefits

Application Instructions

• Please submit a personal resume, cover letter, and writing sample. The writing sample may be any sample of the applicant’s choosing not to exceed 20 pages. All submitted written materials should be written by the applicant—not by generative AI.