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Research Assistant: Bilateral Relations & Geopolitics Index

Help 3DL and Prof. Angel Saz-Carranza (EsadeGeo, Georgetown University) build open, data-driven tools to measure how relationships between countries evolve over time.

Project
Bilateral Geopolitics Index
Team
3DL Research
Location
Remote

3DL is looking for a Research Assistant to support a new project on bilateral relations and geopolitical alignment, developed in collaboration with Prof. Angel Saz-Carranza, Director of EsadeGeo (Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics) and Adjunct Visiting Professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

The project combines UN voting data, media and event data, trade indicators, and LLM-based analysis to build a regularly updated index of country-to-country relationships.

This is a part-time research contribution role, with a minimum commitment of around 10 hours per week. Expected duration, start date, and contribution model can be discussed depending on the candidate's profile and availability. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

The goal: make complex geopolitical dynamics easier to understand, compare, and track through open datasets, dashboards, and short analytical outputs.

Apply for the position
01About 3DL

A research lab turning data into public-interest tools.

3DL (Data Driven Decision Lab) builds open tools, datasets, and analysis to make evidence-based decision-making more accessible.

One of our core projects is the analysis of UN voting behavior. This role supports the next stage: a broader framework for measuring bilateral geopolitical relationships, in collaboration with Prof. Angel Saz-Carranza.

Read more on the About page

02The project

Measuring bilateral relations with data.

How can we tell whether two countries are becoming closer or more distant? Traditional analysis relies on expert judgment and case-by-case reading, valuable but hard to compare across countries and time.

This project, developed in collaboration with Prof. Angel Saz-Carranza (EsadeGeo, Georgetown), explores how bilateral relationships can be measured using multiple data sources, with the ambition of a regularly updated index and a dashboard where users select two countries to see how their relationship has evolved.

Prof. Saz-Carranza's research spans international business, business-government relations, nonmarket strategy, and intergovernmental organizations, published in journals including the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration Review, and International Studies Quarterly.

UN voting data
Whether two countries vote similarly on global issues.
Media & event data
Whether reported interactions signal cooperation, tension, or conflict.
Trade & economic data
Whether countries are economically integrated or dependent.
LLM-enriched analysis
Classifying diplomatic signals, speeches, and media narratives.

Questions the project may help answer

  • Are France and Algeria becoming more aligned or more distant?
  • Which countries are most aligned with Brazil in UN voting?
  • Do media signals and UN voting patterns tell the same story?
  • Which relationships look cooperative economically but politically tense?
03The role

What you'll work on.

Two core deliverables: a field mapping and a literature review. These are the tangible outputs you will help develop and deliver. Alongside them, ongoing research support work keeps the project moving.

The right person is thorough, detail-oriented, and comfortable reading across disciplines while producing clear, well-organized summaries.

  1. 01

    Field mapping

    Core deliverable

    Map the landscape around the project: stakeholders, intended audiences, potential partners, and existing initiatives. Produce a structured stakeholder sheet that helps the team prioritize outreach and collaboration for the long term.

  2. 02

    Literature review

    Core deliverable

    Survey academic papers, existing indices, and policy reports on bilateral relations and geopolitical alignment; synthesize findings into structured, publication-ready reviews.

  3. 03

    Research support

    Help organize datasets, cross-reference sources, verify citations, and maintain the project's research documentation.

  4. 04

    Formatting & sourcing

    Ensure all written outputs meet academic and publication standards: consistent formatting, accurate references, clear language. Source and verify data inputs.

04Who we're looking for

Curious, rigorous, reliable.

You don't need to be an expert in everything. We care about clear thinking and careful execution over credentials.

Must have

  • Interest in international relations, geopolitics, public policy, or data science.
  • Comfort reading academic or policy literature and summarizing it clearly.
  • Comfort with structured information: spreadsheets, datasets, or basic code.
  • Strong written English and attention to detail.

Nice to have

  • Python or R, basic data cleaning, data visualization.
  • Familiarity with UN voting data, GDELT, trade data, or political datasets.
  • Basic understanding of LLM-based text analysis.

Backgrounds that fit

  • International relations
  • Political science
  • Economics
  • Public policy
  • Data science
  • Computational social science
  • Statistics
  • Development studies
05What you'll gain

Real research, real outputs.

  • Build a real research product from concept to public release.
  • Work alongside Prof. Angel Saz-Carranza (EsadeGeo, Georgetown) and the 3DL team.
  • Translate abstract political concepts into measurable indicators.
  • Produce outputs for both academic and non-technical audiences.
06  /  Apply

Ready to apply?

Submit your application using the application form.

Apply for the position