Geopolitics Research Jobs in Silver Spring, MD (NOW HIRING)

Laurel Strategies is a leadership advisory firm built for an era of complexity, where business decisions are increasingly shaped by geopolitics, public policy, and capital markets. Founded over a decade ago, we help CEOs and institutional leaders navigate these interconnected forces through an integrated advisory model that brings together strategy, communications, investor relations, and government affairs.

We partner with CEOs, founders, investors, philanthropists, university presidents, nonprofit leaders, and other institutional leaders on their most consequential priorities. Working as both advisors and operators, we help clients anticipate risk, shape narrative, build influence, and drive outcomes through a global network of policymakers, investors, media leaders, and other influential stakeholders.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an intellectually rigorous research analyst and strategic thinker who is insatiably curious about business, technology, politics, media, and global affairs.

This is not a traditional research support role. We are looking for someone who can uncover emerging trends before they become headlines, connect ideas across industries and disciplines, and produce insights that shape strategy across clients as well as the firm's own thinking. The right candidate will be comfortable moving from conducting deep investigative research to preparing executive-ready briefing materials, while proactively identifying opportunities that help us and our clients stay ahead of what's next.

This individual will become a trusted resource across the firm, partnering with senior leaders on client engagements while also contributing research that informs business development, thought leadership, and new areas of opportunity. At the same time, Laurel has a “roll up your sleeves” culture, and the successful candidate believes that no task is too big or too small.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct complex research across business, finance, technology, AI, geopolitics, public policy, media, and capital markets to support client strategy and executive decision-making.
• Proactively identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities and surface ideas that can shape client strategies and generate new business opportunities for the firm.
• Connect insights across clients, industries, and sectors to identify broader themes, white space, and opportunities for differentiated thinking.
• Produce high-quality executive briefings, background memoranda, stakeholder analyses, competitive intelligence reports, and issue landscapes for senior leaders.
• Leverage AI-powered research tools alongside traditional reporting methods to accelerate research while applying strong editorial judgment to distinguish signal from noise and verify findings.
• Monitor global news, policy developments, markets, and industry conversations, translating complex information into concise, actionable insights.
• Partner closely with client teams to develop messaging, thought leadership, media strategies, and executive positioning grounded in rigorous research.
• Support business development efforts by producing market intelligence, stakeholder mapping, prospect research, and strategic analyses that strengthen client proposals and new initiatives.
• Continually evaluate new research methodologies, AI capabilities, and information sources that improve the firm's ability to deliver differentiated insights.

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of experience in research, journalism, consulting, strategy, public policy, finance, communications, or a related analytical field. Exceptional earlier-career candidates will also be considered.
• Sophisticated research skills, with the ability to synthesize large amounts of complex information into clear, compelling insights.
• Excellent writing skills, particularly for executive audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, connect disparate ideas, and anticipate emerging issues.
• Experience using AI-powered research and productivity tools, with a sophisticated understanding of their strengths, limitations, and the importance of validating outputs through primary and trusted sources.
• Intellectual curiosity across business, technology, politics, economics, media, and global affairs.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-directed, entrepreneurial, and comfortable taking ownership without waiting for instruction.
• Rigorous attention to detail with experience producing client-ready deliverables.
• Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree is a plus but not required.