Freelance Research Opportunities

Freelance Research Opportunities

Reports To: Director, Nexus Center for Antisemitism Research (NCAR)
Status: Freelance/Contract, Project-Based
Location: United States, Remote
Compensation: $30–$50 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience

About the Nexus Center for Antisemitism Research
The Nexus Center for Antisemitism Research (NCAR) produces and elevates rigorous research on antisemitism to better understand the harms Jews face and to strengthen society’s ability to respond. We conduct original research, highlight important scholarship, scrutinize widely shared claims, and serve as a bridge between research and the institutions, leaders, and communities seeking evidence-based insight. In an age of polarization and partisanship, our goal is to deepen understanding, build trust, and ensure that conversations about antisemitism are guided by rigor, transparency, and intellectual openness.

About the Work
NCAR seeks scholars and practitioners for qualitative and quantitative research projects related to antisemitism in the United States. Projects could include assessments of third-party quantitative studies, literature reviews on topics in the study of antisemitism, and qualitative and quantitative analyses of antisemitic movements and controversies.

Current research opportunities include:

• IHRA Implementation Study: Documenting and analyzing where and how the IHRA definition of antisemitism has been mandated by federal and state governments, universities, and organizations; and where and how it has been ‘consulted’ or enforced, including in lawsuits, Title VI cases, educational curricula, etc.

• Reactions to Campus Antisemitism Policies: Cataloguing and assessing: policies that have been proposed or enforced by government entities with the stated goal of fighting antisemitism; university responses; and the impact of those policies on campus and off-campus perceptions of Jewish and antisemitism.

• Understanding authoritarianism and antisemitism: Conduct a literature review of how theories in social and personality psychology of antisemitism and authoritarianism have evolved since Adorno, and evaluate the implications of this research for understanding contemporary social and political movements in the United States.

NCAR is also developing an Affiliate Researcher Network to be composed of individuals who may be notified of additional short- and medium-term projects. Candidates selected for the network will be engaged under a standing freelance contractor agreement, so that work can begin promptly when a research project or opportunity arises that matches their background and expertise.

Deliverables for these projects could include written reports for internal or external NCAR use, memoranda, literature reviews, and detailed inventories of findings with links to original documentation.

Scope and total hours will be determined collaboratively. The researcher will submit periodic status updates and hours logs, with scope adjustments made jointly as the research progresses.

Qualifications
Candidates for NCAR freelance opportunities will typically be graduate students or early-career professionals in sociology, political science, history, public policy, psychology, Jewish studies, or a related social science or humanities discipline. They should be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, including primary source, documentary, or secondary source analysis

• Strong writing and organizational skills, with the ability to produce clear, well-structured memos and research summaries for non-specialist readers

• Familiarity with contemporary debates about antisemitism, Jewish life, Israel/Zionism, extremism, or related topics

• Ability to work independently on sensitive and politically contested material, exercising sound judgment and maintaining methodological rigor

• Reliable follow-through on deadlines and deliverables in a remote, asynchronous work environment

To Apply
To apply for any of the open projects listed above or to join NCAR’s Affiliate Research Network, please email contact@ncar.us with the subject line “Freelance researcher application.” Please include a resume or CV; a brief note (no more than one page) describing your research background, areas of expertise, and interest in NCAR's work; and a writing sample. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Equal Opportunity
NCAR is committed to building an intellectually and demographically diverse team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities, including those from communities underrepresented in research and policy spaces. Strong candidates may bring relevant experience through nontraditional paths.