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JOB TITLE
Part-time Research Assistant

LOCATION
Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME
Integrative & Global Studies - JM

DIVISION NAME
Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY
Project Title: Farmer Protests against Nitrogen Policies: Understanding Resistance, Grievances, and Obstructions to Sustainable Nitrogen Governance

Professor William San Martin of the Global School's Department of Integrative and Global Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is seeking a research assistant at the master's, Ph.D., or postdoctoral level to join a cross-regional, interdisciplinary research project examining farmer-led resistance to nitrogen-related environmental regulations in Europe and South Asia. The project explores the triggers, grievances, protest tactics, and policy outcomes of these movements to better understand their implications for climate obstruction and the future of sustainable nitrogen governance.

The project is funded by the Social Science Climate Network (SSCN) at Brown University and is led by Prof. San Martin in collaboration with Dr. Anuradha Jayaweera (University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka), Dr. Morten Graversgaard (Aarhus University, Denmark), and Dr. David Kanter (New York University, USA).

The research assistant will support the literature review process, expert interviews, and develop a data visualization platform, with the opportunity to contribute to drafting and co-authoring a publication resulting from the project, as well as other public-facing outputs.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews across disciplines and regions.
• Collect and analyze data from academic sources, government and NGO reports, and local-language media.
• Assist with online stakeholder and expert interviews.
• Help build a categorized protest database for use in an interactive dashboard.
• Contribute to manuscript drafting and public-facing outputs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in environmental studies, political science, science, technology, and policy, international and global studies, agrarian studies, or related fields.
• Strong research and writing skills.
• Familiarity with qualitative data analysis or data visualization tools (e.g., NVivo, Power BI) is a plus.
• Language skills in European or South Asian languages are highly desirable but not required.

This is a temporary part-time, funded position (~600-700 hours) running from Fall 2025 through Spring/Summer 2026. The Research Assistant will work closely with Prof. San Martin and collaborate with a team engaged in policy-relevant research with the International Nitrogen Network (iN-Net)

FLSA STATUS
United States of America (Non-Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.

To apply, visit: https://wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WPI_External_Career_Site/job/Worcester/Part-time-Research-Assistant_R0003261

About WPI
WPI is a vibrant, active, and diverse community of extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, and state of the art research facilities. At WPI, we have competitive and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, long-term care, retirement, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, work-life balance and much more.

Diversity & Inclusion at WPI
WPI is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected; a place where every student, faculty and staff member can be themselves, so that they can study, live, and work comfortably, to reach their full potential, and make meaningful contributions in order to meet departmental and institutional goals. WPI thrives on innovative practice and welcomes diverse perspectives, insight, and people from diverse lived experiences, to enhance the community environment and propel the institution to the next level in a competitive, global marketplace.