Human Rights Watch
FULL-TIME, FIXED TERM JOB VACANCY
CHINA OPEN SOURCE RESEARCHER
Asia Division
Multiple Locations Considered
Application Deadline: March 20, 2022
Human Rights Watch is seeking candidates for the new position of China Open Source Researcher. The position requires investigative skills and experience with finding and working with data from the Chinese internet to document human rights violations. This Researcher will join a team of two other China researchers and will collaborate closely with members of Human Rights Watch’s Digital Investigation Lab.
Among other tasks, the Researcher will perform four primary functions: 1) use publicly available information to document and expose human rights abuses in China; 2) draft reports and other products based on findings; 3) assist other China researchers and Human Rights Watch staff with their research; and 4) assist the other China researchers in developing and honing their open source skills.
The China team is looking for someone who is able to apply creative problem solving as they navigate the Chinese internet and gather data from a variety of different public and non-public sources. The team seeks someone who is opportunistic and optimistic, with the ability and willingness to learn and experiment.
This is an initial fixed-term position for 12 months, with the possibility of extension dependent on additional funding, and reports to the China Director, based in Washington D.C. The Researcher will preferably be based in any of our major global offices, though other locations may be considered.
Please include in your application any public examples of your research work that illustrate the required and desired qualifications described below.
Due to COVID-19, many of our global offices are currently closed or operating in reduced capacities. The successful candidate may be required to work remotely initially or if local requirements mandate it. We recognize that this moment, during the pandemic, is a uniquely difficult time for most people, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities, and we aim to be as flexible and supportive as possible in both the recruitment for and onboarding of this position.
Responsibilities:
1. Monitor, research, and document human rights violations in China by collecting and analyzing information from a wide variety of data sources;
2. Conduct rigorous, secure, and ethical open source investigations, in line with Human Rights Watch’s internal standards and processes.
3. Collaborate with other China researchers on their research that involve open source methods and data sources;
4. Work closely with the Digital Investigations Lab and others across Human Rights Watch undertaking China-focused research to identify, preserve and analyze open source data sources;
5. Help other China team members to improve their open source skills by producing tutorials, giving trainings, and feeding into wider efforts to build capacity on open source techniques across the organization;
6. Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to international bodies based on research findings;
7. Assist in the development and implementation of local, regional, and international strategies to change abusive laws, policies, and practices;
8. Present human rights issues and concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and the media to promote human rights reforms;
9. Work closely with colleague non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local human rights organizations to ensure that HRW’s work complements and enhances their own work;
10. Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;
11. Liaise effectively with relevant HRW staff located in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities; and
12. Perform other tasks as may be required.
Qualifications:
Education: An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, history or social sciences is required. Candidates with equivalent experience or training and a passion for human rights work are encouraged to apply.
Experience: A minimum of three years of experience working on human rights issues is required.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
1. Ability to identify, collect, preserve, analyze and present information from Chinese language social media, discussion forums, databases, procurement documents, company registries, and other official and unofficial sources in a secure and ethical manner.
2. Ability to identify and advise on strategies to answer research questions.
3. Experience using tools and technologies to gather and analyze data.
4. Strong initiative and follow-through, as well as capacity to think and work creatively, strategically and collaboratively is required.
5. Ability to multitask effectively and to work in a fast paced environment.
6. A passion for improving human rights in China.
7. Fluency in written and spoken Chinese, and strong written and spoken English, are required..
Desirable Skills and Knowledge:
1. Ability to extract text, numerical data, video and metadata from sourced materials for instance through working with APIs and scraping websites, and knowledge of programming languages such as Python or R.
2. Familiarity with working with spatial and geographic data and working with GIS software.
3. Experience and willingness to learn new technologies and tools for investigations.
4. Experience training others on open source research in Chinese.
5. Experience in collaborating with graphic designers and information designers to communicate investigative findings.
6. Familiarity with international human rights standards.
Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by March 13, 2022 by visiting our online job portal at https://www.hrw.org/careers and attaching a letter of interest and a CV/resume preferably as PDF files. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission, or if you require a disability-related accommodation, please email [email protected]. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.
Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an
equal opportunity employer.
Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.
To apply for this job please visit boards.greenhouse.io.