Clarification from the agency

Administratively Determined, Full-Time, Term-Appointed Position (The initial term of appointment is one year and is generally renewed annually by mutual agreement. The position is not covered by provisions of 5 USC that apply to Executive Branch employees regarding appointment, termination, competitive service selection, and pay related rules and regulations.)

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direction of the Director of Security and Foreign Affairs, the position is responsible for policy and issue analysis of China and U.S.-China relations, primarily in the fields of security and foreign affairs.

1. Monitor, investigate, and assess developments relevant to the Security and Foreign Affairs Team's portfolio including, but not limited to, the topics identified in Requirements and Qualifications, below.
2. Prepare detailed written and oral analyses and assessments of issues within the Security and Foreign Affairs Team's portfolio.
3. Work with designated senior staff and team members to support hearing co-chairs in developing, planning, and executing Commission hearings.
4. Serve as a subject matter expert and advisor for Commissioners on issues within the Security and Foreign Affairs Team's portfolio, in support of their advice to Congress, and in briefings and advice to staff of Members and Congressional committees.
5. Research and draft assigned portions of the Commission's Annual Report.
6. Support Commissioners in their mandate-related duties by providing the information necessary for Commission deliberations, briefings to Congress, and other substantive engagements as well as coordinating the logistics required to arrange, execute, and follow up form such events and meetings.
7. Draft Congressional testimony, talking points, and other communications for Commissioners and represent the staff at conferences and with government, academia, and private sector groups.
8. Conduct literature reviews, expert interviews, and other initial research to identify potential avenues for Commission research products and public hearings.
9. Provide substantive review on external contracted research reports.
10. Develop and sustain a professional network of China-focused professionals in the U.S. government, private sector, and academia.

Senior Policy Analyst:
1. Mentor junior team members and assist in developing templates and processes for implementing the Commission's research cycle.
2. Lead ad hoc teams in project-based work, establishing milestones and timelines, and managing the project, workflow, and quality control of input from other teammates (non-supervisory role).

Conditions of employment

Open to all qualified U.S. Citizens.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
1. All candidates must be available to work in-person in Washington, DC.
2. Applicants must be eligible for a Top Secret//SCI security clearance. A previous or current active clearance is not a prerequisite for applying for or initiating employment.

Applications may be reviewed, and interviews conducted on a rolling basis as applications are received, so we encourage applicants to submit applications as early in the process as possible.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
1. Strong and demonstrated ability to present information clearly and concisely through both written and oral reports. This includes quickly identifying the core questions in a request, devising an appropriately scoped research approach to those questions, and providing the results of that research in a succinct and compelling manner.
2. Advanced research, analytical, and evaluative skills, including the ability to synthesize and analyze large amounts of disparate data on emerging and/or controversial issues.
3. For Analysts, demonstrated knowledge of three or more, and continued growth in multiple, of the following areas. For Senior Analysts, experience working in or demonstrated knowledge of at least five of the following areas:

• China's foreign policy and global diplomatic activities;
• China's domestic politics and policy-making;
• China's military strategy and the organization, capabilities, and activities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA);
• China's development of technologies for defense applications, the defense research and development (R&D) ecosystem, and military-civil fusion initiatives;
• China's internal security policies and apparatus, to include CCP inspection and discipline organs, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the People's Armed Police (PAP), and the judicial, procuratorial, and penal systems;
• China's policies and activities relating to transnational security challenges, including drug flows, cybersecurity, nonproliferation, public health, information control, transnational repression, and others;
• China's relations with Taiwan;
• China's policy toward Hong Kong; and
• U.S. foreign policy related to China and the Indo-Pacific (including U.S. alliances and other partnerships in the region) and U.S. military strategy, capabilities, and activities in the Indo-Pacific.

4. Professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, to include ability to effectively utilize original language sources of electronic and print information in developing policy-relevant original research and analysis.

Senior Analysts only:
1. At least five years of relevant professional work experience with three or more years on China-related security issues.
2. Professional work experience representing your organization to external audiences or customers, leading projects, or supervising other employees.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Commission will evaluate your cover letter, resume, and writing sample to assess your qualifications and experience. The Director of Security and Foreign Affairs, Executive Director, and appropriate staff will interview the top candidates. The Chairman and/or Vice Chair may interview the final candidates. The final hiring decision will be made by the Executive Director.

Interviews will consist of two parts: 1) interviews with the Director of Security and Foreign Affairs, Executive Director, and appropriate staff; and 2) a writing test.