At the heart of Tufts University’s enduring mission lies a profound commitment to building a just, inclusive, and peaceful world through the power of education, research, and global collaboration. For over 170 years, Tufts has stood among America’s most respected institutions, shaping visionary leaders and advancing solutions to humanity’s most complex challenges.
Founded in 1852 in Massachusetts, Tufts has grown into a multidisciplinary university renowned for its culture of intellectual rigor and service-oriented leadership. Across its schools and institutes — from the sciences and medicine to diplomacy and engineering — Tufts nurtures an ecosystem that prizes inquiry, compassion, and public impact.
At the forefront of this global vision is The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts’ flagship institution for international affairs. Established in 1933 as the first professional graduate school of international relations in the United States, Fletcher continues to educate diplomats, policymakers, scholars, and advocates who shape the course of world events. Its graduates hold leadership positions across governments, intergovernmental bodies, and international NGOs — a testament to the school’s enduring influence in global governance and peacebuilding.
Now, as part of its continued innovation in global affairs education and applied research, The Fletcher School’s World Peace Foundation (WPF) announces a pivotal new initiative: the Future of World Peace Project. To guide this bold endeavor, the university invites applications for the position of Research Program Lead, Future of Peace – The Fletcher School.
This three-year, full-time, grant-funded role represents an extraordinary opportunity to shape global scholarship and action on peace in the twenty-first century.
Housed within The Fletcher School, the World Peace Foundation stands as a globally recognized center for research, policy innovation, and advocacy in the field of peace and conflict studies. The Foundation’s guiding mission is to “redefine peace” — not merely as the absence of war, but as the presence of justice, equity, and sustainable coexistence.
Founded over a century ago, WPF has evolved into a vibrant intellectual hub connecting scholars, practitioners, and institutions across disciplines. Through its initiatives, the Foundation promotes rigorous research on peacebuilding, humanitarianism, governance, and human rights, while also amplifying voices from the Global South and conflict-affected societies.
The Future of Peace Project, WPF’s newest program, expands this legacy by exploring the very idea of peace in a changing world. It asks: What could peace look like in the coming generation? And more importantly, what would it take to get there?
Peace in the twenty-first century is at once more elusive and more urgent than ever. Amid geopolitical rivalries, technological disruptions, climate change, and social polarization, the frameworks that once defined peacebuilding are under strain. The Future of Peace Project seeks to respond to these challenges through a multidimensional approach — blending academic research, critical reflection, and creative collaboration.
The project aims to move beyond traditional peace studies by investigating:
By drawing together diverse perspectives — from anthropology and economics to law, technology, and environmental science — the Future of Peace Project positions the World Peace Foundation as a thought leader in reimagining the architecture of peace for future generations.
The Research Program Lead will be the strategic and intellectual anchor of the Future of Peace Project. Reporting to the WPF Research Director, the Lead will design, coordinate, and implement research initiatives, partnerships, and communications that bring the project’s mission to life.
This role requires both visionary thinking and pragmatic management. It combines academic leadership, program administration, and external engagement — offering the successful candidate the chance to shape the global conversation on peace from within one of the world’s most respected universities.
The position is based at Tufts University’s Somerville, Massachusetts campus, with hybrid work flexibility and opportunities for international collaboration and travel.
The Research Program Lead will play a central role in shaping the Future of Peace Project’s vision and strategic direction. Core responsibilities include:
The ideal candidate will possess both intellectual creativity and structural discipline — capable of envisioning new paradigms of peace while building the institutional foundations to realize them.
Operational excellence will be critical to the project’s success. The Research Program Lead will oversee the day-to-day management and coordination of all activities, including:
This is a leadership role that blends scholarship with execution — ideal for a candidate who thrives at the intersection of ideas and action.
The future of peace depends not only on ideas but also on their communication. As such, the Research Program Lead will:
The successful candidate will understand how to communicate complex academic concepts in accessible, compelling ways — bridging the gap between scholarship and real-world influence.
While managing the program, the Research Program Lead will also maintain their own research agenda, contributing original scholarship to the Foundation’s intellectual output. This includes:
In essence, the role invites a dual identity — both as an administrator of an ambitious global project and as a contributing scholar to the evolving field of peace studies.
The successful candidate will be both a thinker and a doer — able to transform ideas into impact and to inspire others around a shared vision of global peace.
This position falls under Tufts’ Academic Programs division, categorized as a hybrid role. Employees balance on-campus collaboration with remote flexibility — an arrangement designed to foster both community and productivity.
The salary range for the position is $65,900 to $98,800 USD per year, depending on experience, expertise, and internal equity. New hires can generally expect to receive an offer between the minimum and midpoint of this range.
Tufts offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
Tufts University believes that true excellence is inseparable from diversity. The institution actively seeks to build a community where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive, contribute, and lead.
The Fletcher School and the World Peace Foundation recognize that peacebuilding requires the integration of diverse perspectives and lived experiences. To this end, Tufts encourages applications from women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and members of underrepresented groups globally.
Tufts’ Office of Equal Opportunity ensures that recruitment, employment, and campus life reflect fairness, accessibility, and inclusion for all.
In peace research, diversity is not simply a moral imperative — it is a methodological necessity. Different worldviews enrich the understanding of conflict and the pathways toward its resolution. The Future of Peace Project is thus envisioned as a microcosm of global diversity — a place where scholars and practitioners collaborate across borders, disciplines, and identities.
Joining Tufts means joining a legacy of innovation, service, and global leadership. At Fletcher, ideas are never confined to classrooms — they inform real-world practice through diplomacy, policy, and advocacy.
The Research Program Lead position is not simply administrative — it is a chance to influence how the world defines and achieves peace. By guiding this program, the incumbent will help connect theory to practice, and imagination to implementation.
From the economics of peace to environmental security, digital ethics, and humanitarian governance, the role touches every frontier of global studies. It is a unique opportunity to work alongside leading experts while shaping the next generation of peacebuilding discourse.
Interested candidates are invited to apply online through the Tufts University Careers Portal, referencing Job ID 22456 (Academic Programs).
Applicants should submit:
All applicants must complete the required background checks at the time of hire, promotion, or transfer.
For questions, candidates may contact the Tufts University Human Resources Office or reach out through the official Fletcher School recruitment channels.
In an era defined by uncertainty, division, and rapid transformation, the pursuit of peace demands renewed imagination and collaboration. The Research Program Lead, Future of Peace position at Tufts University offers a platform for exactly that — an opportunity to shape global discourse, build networks, and advance research that matters.
To lead this program is to stand at the intersection of knowledge and humanity — to translate scholarly insight into tangible progress for a world in need of hope and direction.
Tufts University and The Fletcher School invite visionary scholars, researchers, and practitioners to join in reimagining the future of peace — not as an abstract dream, but as a shared, achievable horizon.
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