Kawader Research Assistant – Fisheries & Coastal Communities

About the role

NYU Abu Dhabi is seeking a motivated Emirati Kawader Research Assistant to support a multidisciplinary project on fisheries productivity and sustainable management in the UAE. The fellow will work closely with NYUAD researchers and Emirates Nature–WWF to examine environmental, social and economic drivers of fisheries sustainability.

Key responsibilities

• Assist with stakeholder engagement activities involving fishers, government agencies, industry representatives and conservation organisations.
• Support the design and implementation of interviews, surveys and other social‑science research activities.
• Participate in field visits, meetings and workshops across Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain.
• Collect, organise, manage and conduct basic quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Contribute to literature reviews, report preparation, presentations and research summaries.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, public policy, environmental studies, sustainability, economics, geography or a related field.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English (written and spoken).
• Interest in environmental conservation, fisheries or coastal community issues.
• Experience with interviews, surveys, stakeholder engagement or social‑science research methods.
• Willingness to travel within the UAE for meetings, workshops and field activities.

Required skills

• Quantitative data analysis.
• Use of statistical software.
• Design and execution of interview and survey instruments.

What we offer

• Full‑time paid research position for up to three years.
• Mentorship from internationally recognised NYUAD faculty and researchers.
• Professional development and academic training opportunities.
• Exposure to interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects.
• Support for graduate school applications.