Research Assistant – Islam, Organizations & Society

Company Description

About HEC Paris, Doha

Founded in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, HEC Paris is a leading European business school with the ambition to make a positive impact on both business and society. Its mission is driven by a unique “Think, Teach, Act” approach, aimed at fostering a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world. With 167 research professors from around the globe, HEC Paris produces and shares cutting-edge knowledge with over 5,000 students from more than 130 countries. Its campus serves as a true laboratory of innovation and dialogue, fully engaged with the world’s diversity and global challenges.

In 2010, HEC Paris joined Qatar Foundation to bring world-class management education programs and research to Doha and the region. Through its portfolio of programs and its local research activities, HEC Paris, Doha contributes to corporate competitiveness in the global economy, fully aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 and supporting the transformation of Qatar into a sustainable, competitive, and knowledge-based economy. In addition to offering degree programs, the school partners with corporate clients in Qatar and the region to design and deliver customized executive programs addressing current business and organizational challenges.

HEC Paris is an exceptional workplace, located in state-of-the-art premises in downtown Msheireb, at the heart of Doha. Joining HEC Paris, Doha is a unique opportunity to be part of a close-knit community of talented individuals united around five core values: Curiosity, Excellence, Diversity, Responsibility, and Entrepreneurial Spirit.

https://www.qatar.exed.hec.edu/

Job Description

The Research Assistant will support ongoing research in organization theory, entrepreneurship, and sociology, focusing on social purpose, communities, memory, and alternative forms of organizing. The role combines conceptual research, academic literature reviews, and qualitative analysis to develop theoretical explanations of complex social phenomena.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct and support qualitative interviews and field observations.
• Code and analyze existing qualitative datasets, including interviews and fieldnotes.
• Analyze photographs and other visual or material research data.
• Identify potential research cases, organizations, settings, and participants in Qatar.
• Conduct targeted literature reviews and synthesize research across disciplines.
• Connect interview, observational, and visual evidence to identify patterns, mechanisms, and counterexamples.
• Prepare analytical research memos, case summaries, and evidence tables.
• Maintain accurate and organized research documentation.

Qualifications

Education & Background:

• • Currently enrolled as an advanced undergraduate, or Master’s, student in Management, Organization Theory, Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, or a related field.
  • Relevant academic backgrounds include CMU-Q Business Administration, HBKU CIS/CIEF, HBKU College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and GU-Q.
• Research Skills:
  • Demonstrated knowledge or research experience in at least one of the following areas:
    • Track A – Islam, Entrepreneurship & Organizations: Research at the intersection of Islam, entrepreneurship, management, and finance, including Islamic finance, social entrepreneurship, SMEs, informal/community-based finance, religious organizing, and moral or values-based economic activity.
      • Relevant backgrounds: Islamic finance, entrepreneurship, management, organization studies, economics, sociology, or related fields.
    • Track B – Islam, Space & Visual/Material Organization: Research examining relationships between religion, space/place, architecture, aesthetics, materiality, art, color, and visual experience, including how religious and organizational spaces shape behavior, interaction, identity, and meaning.
      • Relevant backgrounds: architecture, interior/spatial design, visual studies, art/design, anthropology, geography, digital humanities, museum studies, Islamic art/architecture, or related fields.
    • Track C – Islam, Women & Organization: Research concerning women's organizing, gender, empowerment, entrepreneurship, solidarity, and community in Islamic contexts, including women's economic and social organization.
      • Relevant backgrounds: gender/women's studies, Islamic studies, sociology, anthropology, entrepreneurship, organization studies, development studies, or related fields.
  • Strong academic writing and ability to synthesize complex bodies of research.
  • Ability to compare theories and identify patterns, mechanisms, contradictions, and research gaps.
  • Experience in conceptual research, structured literature reviews, or qualitative data analysis is desirable.
• Soft Skills:
  • Reliable, organized, and self-motivated.
  • Able to work independently and collaboratively.
  • Interested in organizational purpose and social entrepreneurship.

Application Requirements

Submit a CV and one PDF of no more than two pages containing:

• A short profile of up to 100 words covering academic background, university/program, year of study, and research interests.
• One primary research track and, optionally, one secondary track.
• Up to five bullet points describing directly relevant experience and personal contributions.
• One line each outlining qualitative research skills, visual/photography skills, and other relevant skills.

Applications missing any of the required documents or information will not be considered.

Additional Information

Disclaimer

This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined in this job description and other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job.

Employment Eligibility

If selected for a job at HEC Paris in Qatar, you will have to provide:

1. An original or a true copy of your Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) of your country of nationality attested by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs*; and
2. A true copy of your highest Educational Certificate attested by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs**.

*Candidates born in Qatar are exempt from providing an attested PCC. **Candidates who graduated from a university in Qatar are exempt from getting their Educational Certificate attested.

Getting your personal documents attested is a lengthy process. We encourage you to get your documents attested early in the recruitment process to reduce administrative delays upon hire.