Peace Economics Research Fellow

Fellowship Overview

The Peace Economics Research Fellow will support PEP’s research and public education work by analyzing how public resources are allocated toward militarization versus social and community needs. This fellowship is ideal for students or early-career researchers interested in political economy, public policy, peace studies, economics, sociology, or related fields who want hands-on experience producing research for real-world advocacy.

Fellows work closely with PEP’s Executive Director and research team to produce accessible, policy-relevant analysis that helps the public understand how economic choices shape systems of violence or peace.

Key Responsibilities

Depending on interests and skills, responsibilities may include:

• Conducting qualitative and quantitative research on military spending, defense budgets, and related public finance issues
• Analyzing federal, state, or local budgets to identify tradeoffs between militarization and social investment
• Supporting research for PEP’s reports, briefs, fact sheets, and digital tools
• Assisting with data collection from government sources (e.g., DoD, OMB, CRS, state budgets, procurement data)
• Helping translate technical or economic data into accessible language for public audiences
• Contributing to research memos, policy summaries, and explanatory writing
• Supporting cross-cutting projects such as Domestic Militarization Watch
• Collaborating with communications and advocacy fellows to ensure research informs public campaigns
• Participating in weekly or biweekly check-ins and periodic trainings

Desired Qualifications

We welcome applicants from a range of academic and professional backgrounds. Ideal candidates may have:

• Coursework or experience in economics, political economy, public policy, political science, peace studies, sociology, or related fields
• Interest in military spending, public budgets, taxation, or economic justice
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Comfort working with reports, datasets, or government documents
• Clear and thoughtful writing ability
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
• Commitment to peace, social justice, and demilitarization

Experience with data analysis tools (Excel, Google Sheets, R, Python), budgeting, or policy research is a plus but not required.

Learning & Mentorship Opportunities

Fellows will gain:

• Hands-on experience conducting policy-relevant research for a nonprofit organization
• Mentorship in peace economics, advocacy research, and public-facing analysis
• Opportunities to publish or be credited on reports, blog posts, and research products
• Exposure to nonprofit research workflows and collaborative organizing
• Letters of recommendation upon successful completion