Organisation

The Global Disinformation Index (GDI) is a global not-for-profit organisation dedicated to reducing online disinformation by identifying and labelling domains with a “risk of disinforming” rating. Our goal is to create a world free of disinformation and its harms.

GDI staff collaborate remotely, working together across countries and time zones. Our team culture is one of high trust and high transparency: colleagues are empowered to work flexibly, collaborate effectively, and take responsibility for high-quality outcomes.

GDI is built on 3 pillars:

• Independent: GDI is not for profit and diversely funded.  It exists solely to assess online publishers’ risk of disinforming readers.
• Neutral: GDI is apolitical, global, and evidence-based.
• Transparent: GDI’s rating criteria, index methodology, and detailed assessments will all be public, auditable, and disputable.

Behaviours

We continually strive to model the following behaviours in our interactions with others: 

• Positivity: Problem solver, not problem raiser. 
• Responsibility: Make it your problem - if it’s not right, fix it.
• Trustworthy: Make sure others can depend on you - If you say you are going to do it, do it.
• Respect: treat everyone, especially those with whom we disagree, with courtesy and respect.

Main Responsibilities

As GDI expands its work globally, we are searching for additional support for the Research Team and principally, its Media Market Risk Rating program. GDI’s human review risk rating projects involve manual review of news and information websites and their content in order to collect the data needed to develop a GDI risk rating. Projects are led by GDI and executed by research partners local to the media market under review. In this role, the individual will:

• Support project management by conducting outreach to sites and research partners, developing draft media lists, tracking data collection progress, and similar tasks as needed
• Contribute to the collection, management and anonymization of content for review
• Support the roll out of the index through research, data quality checks and data analysis
• Undertake periodic data collection or draft results briefs for client requests
• Provide ad hoc support across projects where needed

Experience and Qualifications

This entry-level role best suits a candidate with some research experience who is looking to expand their skills in executing collaborative research projects.

GDI seeks a junior researcher with:

• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and professionalism
• Basic knowledge of disinformation characteristics and dynamics
• Fluency in English
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (communication, information science, media studies, political science, sociology, etc.)
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Exposure to quantitative data and statistical analysis.
• Exposure to statistical analysis software (R, Python, Stata, etc.)
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Experience with data visualisation 
• Past experience working as part of a remote/virtual team.
• Fluency in a second language

DETAILS

Location: Remote – Based, and right to work, in the UK, Germany, or the USA (preferably in the following states: Texas, New York, Florida, or D.C.).

Hours: Working hours are flexible. Full-time (37.5 per week). 

As a global organisation, some flexibility for cross-time zone communication to be available for limited virtual meetings outside of office hours is required.

Terms: Competitive salary based on location and expertise.

To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter stating your interest and qualifications for this role, as well as your location and availability, by email to: jobs@disinformationindex.org

Please state “Application for Research Assistant” in the subject line and send attachments in PDF format. 

ALL APPLICATIONS DUE BY 11 July 2022