Research Specialist, Legal Knowledge and Research Services

Harbor

5d•Remote

About The Position

Harbor is hiring a Research Specialist to join its Library and Research department and Knowledge and Research Services team. The Specialist provides advanced legal research, strategic guidance, and high-impact client support. The role calls for deep subject matter expertise, strong project ownership, and sophisticated written and verbal work product. The Specialist is a trusted resource for complex legal and business research, contributes to departmental innovation and knowledge management, and supports high-quality service for clients and internal stakeholders. The Specialist works with a high degree of independence and contributes to scalable research processes, documentation, and best practices that improve research quality, consistency, efficiency, and long-term client value. This is a full-time, fully remote position available from anywhere in the United States or Canada. The position covers 2 PM–11 PM ET, with some flexibility.

Requirements

MLS and/or demonstrated relevant professional research experience in a private law firm, academic law library, special library, or research center.
4–6 years of experience providing research in a private law firm, academic law library, special library, or research center.
Experience with legal and business information resources, online database searching, business research, and legal research practices and procedures.
Experience using Lexis, Westlaw, and other standard legal research databases.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong working knowledge of Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Responsiveness and demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize competing deadlines.
Client service orientation and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong organizational and time-management skills, with attention to detail.
Ability to work collaboratively in a service-oriented team and independently with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

Serve as a subject matter expert in one or more specialized legal research areas and lead complex research initiatives from intake through completion, delivering clear, actionable, client-ready results.
Lead complex client-facing and internal research projects, including scoping requests, developing research plans, managing deadlines, and ensuring work meets client expectations and Harbor’s quality standards.
Build and maintain internal and external relationships, collaborate across library, research, and intelligence services, and adapt deliverables to client needs.
Understand client goals, anticipate research and service needs, and align deliverables, recommendations, and follow-through with long-term client success and Harbor’s broader service strategy.
Promote collaboration, inclusion, respectful communication, knowledge sharing, and ownership of client outcomes.
Mentor colleagues, particularly junior analysts and researchers, by sharing expertise, contributing to shared knowledge spaces, and supporting team learning and best practices.
Pilot research tools, advanced platforms, and emerging methodologies, and provide strategic input on workflows, service delivery models, and process improvements.
Define and maintain a specialty research portfolio of templates and deliverables that advances reusable service capabilities and supports scalable, consistent delivery.
Advise on improvements to research approaches and knowledge management documentation, including the evaluation, adoption, and effective use of emerging research technologies.
Own end-to-end workflows for complex projects and client requests, balancing priorities and deadlines while ensuring timely, accurate, efficient, high-quality delivery.
Identify opportunities to improve work-product format, delivery, and effectiveness in alignment with client expectations, departmental goals, and Harbor’s strategic priorities.
Create high-impact written deliverables, including research summaries and analyses, and assist with client-facing or internal presentations, trainings, and written communications.
Communicate complex concepts, findings, and recommendations clearly and persuasively, adapting communication to the audience and purpose.
Pursue professional growth opportunities, such as certifications, webinars, advanced tool training, and stretch assignments, and remain open to unfamiliar subject matter.