Research Analyst (Central Asia and CIS)

Janes equips defence, government, and industry leaders with objective, accurate, and shareable data and analysis. Our experts combine advanced technology with proven tradecraft to deliver validated and contextual intelligence to assess threats, accelerate decisions, and anticipate change with confidence. We deliver our intelligence with the flexibility to fuse it with multiple sources in any system, enrich AI solutions, or access it through our portal.

Job purpose:

The Research Analyst will conduct open-source research on Central Asia, with a primary focus on Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and support research and analysis on other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, particularly Russia.

The analyst will help maintain foundational country profiles covering the Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information and Infrastructure (PMESII) areas. They will also monitor domestic and external risks to national security and stability, assess regional developments and contribute to intelligence reports on high-priority risks.

How you will contribute at Janes:

Conduct open-source research on national security and risks to state stability across the PMESII spheres, primarily in Central Asia.

Update foundational country intelligence products, ensuring information is accurate, current and supported by reliable sources.

Monitor political, security, economic and social developments in Central Asia, identifying emerging risks and their regional implications.

Support research and analysis on other CIS countries, particularly Russia, including their relationships with and influence on Central Asia.

Contribute to current intelligence reporting on high-priority developments, working with colleagues to produce clear, timely and evidence-based assessments.

Work with the Janes Events Team to support the collection and verification of data relating to terrorism and PMESII events.

Proactively identify research topics and undertake agreed projects that contribute to Janes risk products.

The ideal skills and experience for this role are:

A sound understanding of national security, geopolitical dynamics and risks to state stability.

Knowledge of Central Asian politics, security and regional affairs, alongside an understanding of Russia and the wider CIS region.

Strong open-source intelligence (OSINT) research skills, including the ability to identify relevant sources, assess their reliability and corroborate information.

Proficiency in collecting, organising and analysing qualitative and quantitative information from open sources.

An ability to identify emerging risks, track key indicators and contribute to structured risk assessments.

Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail, with the ability to distinguish evidence from assumptions and communicate uncertainty.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce concise, clearly structured analysis in English.

The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver accurate work within tight deadlines.

A collaborative approach and willingness to develop regional and methodological expertise through feedback and guidance.

A strong data analysis mindset.

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, alongside strong online research skills.

English language proficiency is essential.

Russian language proficiency is highly advantageous. Knowledge of a Central Asian language would also be an asset.

Benefits: