Job Opportunity: Senior Fellow, Integrated Futures Initiative

Key Details:

• Title: Senior Fellow, Integrated Futures Initiative

• Type: Part-Time Consultancy Contract

• Consultancy Period: July 2026 - June 2026 (12 months, with potential extension to 18 months)

• Application Deadline: May 29, 2026

About the Opportunity:

The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation is seeking a part-time Senior Fellow to support its research, convening, and strategic engagement on regional security and post-war diplomacy in the Gulf. The Senior Fellow will play a central role in a new phase of the Integrated Futures Initiative focused on de-escalation, dialogue, and the foundations of a future regional security architecture. This includes participation in a Track 1.5 dialogue process bringing together experts, former officials, and policy practitioners.

The role requires both analytical depth and strategic orientation and the Senior Fellow will contribute to shaping how regional security dynamics are understood, interpreted, and translated into actionable policy pathways. The position offers a high degree of intellectual independence. The selected candidate will be encouraged to define their own research agenda within the broader priorities of the Initiative.

The ideal candidate is an established researcher and communicator who can operate as both a public-facing expert and an institutional actor, engage across disciplines, identify emerging policy dilemmas, and contribute to practical, policy-relevant solutions.

About the Integrated Futures Initiative:

Launched in 2022, the Integrated Futures Initiative explores pathways for regional cooperation and economic integration in the Persian Gulf, grounded in the recognition that long-term stability depends on dialogue, interdependence, and pragmatic diplomacy. The recent war has exposed not just the fragility of the Gulf’s security order, but the absence of a viable one. It has also revealed the vulnerability of the systems that sustain the region’s economies and daily life, from water and food to trade, aviation, and finance. Building on the diplomatic openings of recent years, the Initiative now focuses on advancing post-war dialogue and de-escalation through cooperation on shared systems and mutual dependencies, while contributing to the longer-term development of a more coherent regional security framework.

Responsibilities:

The Senior Fellow will be engaged as a part-time consultant with flexibility in managing their schedule. The role requires a minimum commitment of 20 hours per week over the initial 12-month contract period. The Fellow is expected to travel periodically within the Gulf region.

• Research:
  Conduct original research and produce policy briefs, analytical articles, and longer-form reports on regional security, de-escalation, and post-war dynamics in the Gulf. Develop actionable policy recommendations at the intersection of security, diplomacy, and economic interdependence.

• Convening:
  Design and deliver high-level convenings, including expert roundtables, Track 1.5 dialogues, and public events. Contribute to the structuring of discussions and synthesis of outcomes.

• Engagement:
  Represent the Foundation as a public-facing expert through conferences, media engagement, and policy briefings. Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, think tanks, and institutional partners.

• Institutional Contribution:
  Support the development of the Integrated Futures Initiative, including shaping research priorities, contributing to grant writing, and supporting partnership development. 

Eligibility

Applications are open to individuals with a Master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant field related to regional policy or security in the Gulf. Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Strong experience in analytical writing and policy research

• Familiarity with Gulf regional dynamics, particularly security and diplomacy

• Experience engaging expert and policy audiences through convenings or public speaking

• At least five years of experience working in think tanks, research institutions, or policy environments

• Excellent written English; working knowledge of Arabic is an asset

There are no citizenship restrictions. The position is remote. Candidates based in the Gulf region will enjoy preference.

How to Apply:

• Applications will be accepted through Friday, May 29, 2026

• Candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three writing samples.

• Applications should be emailed to Mehran Haghirian at mehran [at] bourseandbazaar [dot] org.

• Please include the word SENIOR FELLOW – INTEGRATED FUTURES and your LAST NAME in all caps in the subject line of your email. Your application will be acknowledged when received.