Research Assistant, Armament and Disarmament

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) seeks Research Assistants within the field of Armament and Disarmament to support the work of the Military Expenditure and Arms Production (MILAP) Programme, the Dual-use and Arms Trade Control Programme (DUAT) and the Governance of AI Programme (GOV-AI).

Context

SIPRI is an independent international institute whose core mission is to undertake research and activities on security, conflict and peace. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.

SIPRI's work on armament covers the design and development of new technologies, the production of weapons in the arms industry, international arms transfers and military spending at the country level.

SIPRI’s work on disarmament and arms control is looking at both conventional weapons and so-called weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons) as well as emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. In this vein, SIPRI monitors relevant treaties, export controls and embargoes as well as policy processes related to the governance of emerging technologies.

SIPRI’s programme on military expenditure and arms production has been the core of the institute’s work since its foundation. This work is largely based around two comprehensive and open-access databases, the Military Expenditure Database and the Arms Industry Database. These exemplify SIPRI’s core values of transparency, through the use of open sources that can be independently verified, and universality, through the provision of data covering nearly every country in the world. 

SIPRI’s programme on dual-use and arms trade controls seeks to raise the quality of information available on national, multilateral and international export control systems and standards as well as promoting further improvements in all of these areas. This involves producing research and publications, developing tools and concepts, conducting seminars and other awareness-raising activities, and carrying out capacity-building efforts.

SIPRI’s programme on the governance of AI explores how advances in AI could undermine or enhance peace and security, fuel and transform conflicts, and how such risks can be dealt with through existing or new governance frameworks. The work conducted is project-based and primarily intended to support international policy conversations on autonomous weapons, AI in the military domain, and Frontier AI safety.  The work includes conducting timely policy-relevant research, conducting dialogues, expert workshops, as well as awareness raising and capacity-building activities.

Main tasks and responsibilities

The Research Assistant will work under the supervision of a Programme Director and contribute to the implementation of activities related to the Programme they will be affiliated with, and, where relevant or necessary, activities from other programmes in the Armament and Disarmament cluster. These include, but are not limited to: 

For the MILAP Programme

• Supporting the MILAP programme’s research activities, including data collection, analysis, and drafting reports on military spending and the arms industry;
• Identifying new potential information sources and validating them with the team;
• Supporting data launches, the SIPRI Yearbook and other externally funded projects;
• Reviewing, fact checking and proof-reading Yearbook chapters and other output as well as reports to external funders (where relevant and appropriate);
• Assisting in fundraising activities and organizing events;
• Supporting the team in preparing answers to requests for information or comment from media or others, when requested.

For the DUAT Programme

• Assisting with research on the development and implementation of international and regional standards in dual-use and arms trade controls;
• Mapping trends in the content and implementation of international and regional export control-related agreements and regimes.
• Assisting in project output dissemination, SIPRI Yearbook and other externally-funded activities;
• Assisting in fundraising activities and organizing events.

For the GOV-AI programme

• Assisting with research on the risks that artificial intelligence and related technologies pose for international peace and security and how such risks may be governed through existing or new governance frameworks. That includes:
  • Assisting with data collection and analysis, archiving of sources in the context of externally-funded projects
  • Compiling a press-review for the team
  • Contributing, upon request, to the production of project deliverables and publications
  • Assist in dissemination;
• Assisting in fundraising activities and organizing events.

Requirements

The successful candidate is flexible, thorough, and open-minded with a solution-oriented mindset and the ability to manage multiple tasks while maintaining a calm and professional approach.

The successful candidate must have:

• A university degree or degrees, in disciplines (e.g. political science, IR, economics) and topics relevant to this post;
• Strong interest in and familiarity with arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament issues;
• An ability to work independently and with great attention to detail, to organize, and to manage time effectively;
• Be a strong team player with good interpersonal skills;
• Experience of open-source information research;
• Fluency in English both written and spoken; additional languages will be seen as a distinct advantage; a knowledge of Swedish is not required;

• Very good knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and the ability and interest to quickly learn relevant and new software tools. 

Contract period and conditions

The expected start date is Q4 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The initial appointment is for 2 years, with the possibility of extension. The position is full-time and based in Stockholm, Sweden. Candidates are expected to work on-site. Administrative support with work permit and migration processes is provided where applicable. For Research Assistant positions, SIPRI covers travel to Stockholm in economy class for the successful candidate. Moving and relocation costs are not covered. Salary will be determined individually based on qualifications and experience.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must submit:

• A one-page cover letter in English detailing why you are applying for this position and indicating which programme you are most interested in: MILAP, DUAT or Governance of AI.
• A CV in English, including your degrees, work experience, publications, and language skills.

• References will be requested from shortlisted candidates at a later stage.

Please submit your application by clicking the Apply button below. Applications submitted through other channels cannot be considered.

SIPRI is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity in the workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

The initial closing date for applications is 26 July 2026, 23:59 CEST. Interviews are expected at the end of August/early September.

 

The trade union contacts at SIPRI are Pieter Wezeman for ST and Annika Salisbury for Saco-S