VACANCY | Researcher at The Centre for Internet and Society, India (CIS): Apply by Jan 13

About the Job

The Centre for Internet and Society, India (CIS) is seeking applications from individuals with interest and experience in studying digital safety in India, with a focus on experiences of at-risk communities.

Eligibility and Experience

ssential

• A masters’ degree and/or relevant research experience of 3+ years in social sciences, technology studies, cultural studies, journalism, public policy, development studies, or related fields.
• Strong research skills, specifically in quantitative methods. Proficiency in at least one statistical package (STATA, SPSS, or R)
• Strong writing skills, and ability to produce accessible research for a variety of audiences, including policy makers, journalists, academia and non-expert groups
• Familiarity with developments in, and literature on digital safety and risks, including but not limited to areas such as harassment, fraud, hate speech, disinformation etc.

Roles and Responsibilities

The researcher will undertake primary research on a project on understanding the differential risks of and concerns related to digital access and use of internet and digital media platforms, with specific focus on users from at-risk communities. These include specific user groups  who i) are at higher risk of being targeted with harassment, fraud, misinformation and other forms of digital risks, and ii) have lower access to resources and capacity to deal with the consequences of such experiences.

The selected researcher will join the core research team in developing the scope of the study, conducting literature review, building research instruments (survey questionnaire, interview guides, focus group discussion guides among others), collection and analysis of quantitative data and qualitative data (conduct interviews, focus group discussions) on digital risks and safety, report writing and support in outreach and dissemination activities. The researcher will also work with vendors who can conduct quantitative fieldwork and source interviews with relevant stakeholders.   The study will adopt a mixed methods approach to arrive at a comprehensive assessment of risks and concerns related to online safety, and recommendations to address them.

This is a full-time research position (40 hours per week). Depending on time commitments and inclination, the researcher may also have opportunities to collaborate with other research clusters at CIS.

We seek candidates who are available to start immediately.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities for this position will be:

Primary Research

• Co-creating the research design, and implementation of quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Analysis of primary and secondary data

Secondary Research

• Co-produce literature reviews, mapping developments in policy, academic and public discourse.

Authorship

• Individually and jointly author academic and semi-academic outputs such as papers, book chapters etc.
• Individually and jointly author public-facing outputs such as open datasets, reports, toolkits, policy briefs, blogs, opinion pieces etc.
• Participate in the production of accessible and non-traditional outputs including multimedia content, brochures, translations etc.

Outreach

• Ensure research findings are accessible to a wide network of stakeholders, and engage with an array of actors in India and elsewhere.
• Participate in, and help organise outreach events such as conferences, seminars, events, panels etc.

Non-research

• Actively participate in regular team meetings
• Participate in capacity building sessions organised at CIS
• Identify and support fund-raising activities

Role Demands

Desirable

• Proficiency in any one or more Indian languages
• Experience of coordinating with a diverse set of stakeholders
• Exposure to public speaking

We are looking for an applicant with strong quantitative and qualitative research skills, including experience with mixed methods approaches, to join us as a  full-time researcher starting early 2023.

Applications are strongly encouraged from individuals belonging to historically marginalised communities, including caste-oppressed communities, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with a disability/disabilities.

Position

Researcher

Mode

In-office

Job Type

Full-time

Application Procedure

Please send in the below application materials, preferably as a merged PDF, to [email protected] and [email protected] by January 13, 2023.

• Your resume or CV.
• Cover letter (upto 500 words). You may reflect upon, and describe your prior and ongoing research experience. You may also illustrate your personal or professional engagements with working for/with marginalised communities. Do indicate your desired start date and fit of this position with professional trajectories and aspirations.
• 2 writing samples. Typically published, these should be relevant to the requirements for this position, and may display your writing versatility.
• The names, affiliations, and email addresses of 3 references. We will seek your consent before reaching out to any references.

Feel free to contact us with any questions about the position. Questions about the opportunity or process will not reflect negatively on your application. We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the requirements!