About the Organization:
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data organization (ACLED) is a disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping institution. The ACLED team collects conflict information, conducts analysis to describe, explore, and test conflict scenarios, and makes both data and analysis open for free use by the public. ACLED’s work is regularly used to inform journalism, academic research, and public discourse on conflict, and to support practitioners and policymakers. ACLED is the highest quality and most widely used real-time data and analysis source on political violence and protest around the world.
The role:
ACLED is recruiting a South America Researcher to assist in the collection, of political violence and protest data across Ecuador. Researchers must be available for at least 25 hours per week. This position is fully remote and can be done from any location with reliable internet service. This role will require a researcher to submit deliverables weekly on Saturdays/Sundays. This is an entry-level contractor position.
Collection of data is conducted by reviewing news, international organization, NGO and security reports on a list of assigned countries, and recording the incidents of political violence into an Excel template. Researchers will focus on coding events to provide holistic coverage of current political violence, ranging from protests to battles.
Review and management of data involves ensuring the quality, consistency and reliability of the data produced. The role provides team members with experience conducting detail-oriented tasks, and producing quantitative data.
Specific roles and responsibility:
Candidates who are selected will undergo extensive ACLED training. The training consists of several exercises. Candidates’ exercises will be scrutinized and only those who are performing at the required level will be retained as Researchers.
For those selected, the initial consultancy period will be from November 2024 to June 2025. After this, continuation may be possible, pending performance and availability of funding.
Please note that this position involves working with conflict-related media and reading about violent events.
Remuneration:
Remuneration is 20 USD per hour.
Skills and competencies:
ACLED is seeking applicants who have the following skills and/or experience:
- University degree in international relations, political science, conflict studies, history, or related field;
- Familiarity with Excel (essential);
- Fluency in English (essential);
- Fluency in Spanish (essential);
- Fluency in Portuguese is an advantage;
- Experience conducting desk-based research is an advantage;
- Research focus or professional experience in conflict research in Ecuador specifically, and South America generally, and demonstrated knowledge of political and organized crime actors and dynamics or protest movements in Ecuador is a strong advantage;
- Ability to meet weekly deadlines with limited supervision;
- A high level of attention to detail, and ability to receive and incorporate feedback;
- Access to a computer, a reliable internet connection, email, and a recent version of Microsoft Office Suite;
How to apply
To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter detailing qualifications, experience and language proficiency to our career portal.
We will only review applications received through our career portal, so please make sure to use the application form on the portal. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a two-hour exercise as part of the evaluation of their coding aptitude.
Further information on the project is available online at acleddata.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are advised to apply early.
Please make sure to check your spam folder for correspondence.
