Lead Geopolitical Analyst

JOB DESCRIPTION:

LEAD GEOPOLITICAL RESEARCH ANALYST

Specialisation in Indo-Pacific | APAC | South Asia | West Asia | Middle East | Central Asia | Africa |

Americas

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Remote

Reports To: Intelligence Manager / Project Manager

Works Directly Under Director- Research

ABOUT CONTESTED SPHERES

Bridging academia and industry to help shape India's strategic future. At Contested Spheres, we

study the forces shaping a contested world, from geopolitics and political risk to emerging

strategic challenges, and turn them into clear, grounded intelligence.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Lead Geopolitical Research Analyst to drive high-impact research, continuous

intelligence monitoring, and strategic risk analysis across key global regions. The ideal candidate

will monitor political, economic, security, and strategic developments, identifying emerging risks

and opportunities to translate complex open-source matrices into clear, evidence-based, and

decision-useful intelligence products.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Geopolitical Research & Analysis

• Lead in-depth research on geopolitical developments across assigned regions and countries.

• Analyse political, diplomatic, economic, military, social, and strategic developments and their

potential regional and global implications.

• Track changes in foreign policy, strategic partnerships, conflicts, elections, political transitions, sanctions, trade relations, and regional alignments.

2. Geopolitical Intelligence & OSINT

• Conduct structured Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) research using government publications, official statements, international organisations, credible media, academic research, think-tank publications, corporate disclosures, and other relevant sources.

• Verify, cross-reference, and assess the credibility of information before incorporating it into intelligence products.

3. Risk & Strategic Assessment

• Assess geopolitical, political, economic, security, and operational risks.

• Develop risk assessments, early-warning indicators, and scenario analyses.

4. Intelligence Products & Publications

• Convert complex developments into concise, analytical, and actionable outputs, rather than

simple news summaries, producing high-quality: Daily/Weekly/monthly geopolitical intelligence updates.

5. Lead Responsibilities

• Mentor junior researchers and analysts.

• Coordinate multiple research assignments and meet strict deadlines.

• Contribute to the development of the organisation's geopolitical intelligence methodology and research agenda.

REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

Essential:

• Strong understanding of international relations, geopolitics, and global affairs.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent geopolitical research with strong OSINT research

and source-validation skills.

• Ability to analyse political, economic, security, and strategic developments under tight

deadlines.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with explicit attention to detail and fact-

checking.

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Preferred:

• Experience with geopolitical intelligence, risk intelligence, think tanks, consulting, strategic

research, international affairs, national security, or related fields.

• Knowledge of intelligence-analysis methodologies such as indicators & warnings, scenario analysis, and risk assessment.

• Familiarity with geopolitical databases, OSINT platforms, and analytical tools.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Required Education: Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Political Science, International Security, Strategic Studies, Defence Studies, Geopolitics, Area Studies, Economics, or a related discipline.

Preferred Education: Bachelor's/Master's degree from a recognised university with demonstrated research experience or professional certifications in intelligence analysis.

Recommended Experience: 0-3 years of relevant experience in geopolitical research, risk

intelligence, consulting, think tanks, or defence research. Candidates with exceptional academic

research and publication records will also be highly considered.

At Contested Spheres, the analyst is expected to look behind global events, identify emerging

patterns, and directly address five key operational questions: What happened Why does it

matter What could happen next What are the indicators to watch Who could be affected