Organization Description

Bellingcat is an independent international collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists using open source and social media investigation to probe a variety of subjects – from Mexican drug lords and crimes against humanity, to tracking the use of chemical weapons and conflicts worldwide. With staff and contributors in more than 20 countries around the world, we operate in a unique field where advanced technology, forensic research, journalism, investigations, transparency and accountability come together.

The Summer Immersive Fellow will work as an Investigative Assistant in an eclectic, shifting array of global issues that may include projects such as mapping recorded instances of police brutality, identifying and debunking disinformation, or pursuing and documenting digital trails of human rights violations.

Immersive Fellowship Description

Bellingcat is seeking an innovative, curious doctoral student to support our project of advancing narratives of conflict, crime, and human rights abuses. Due to the fast-moving nature of Bellingcat’s focus, the primary responsibilities of this position will be dependent upon global events during the course of the fellowship, but will include intensive research, identification and analysis of disinformation and its impact, and coherently documenting findings. This position is 100% remote. Meeting times may depend upon availability of supervisory staff at Bellingcat, who may not be in the United States during the Fellowship period.

Responsibilities

• Engage in open-source research on a broad variety of topics related to ongoing research threads at Bellingcat, including but not limited to ongoing armed conflicts, state crimes, and environmental issues.
• Assist Bellingcat staff with ongoing research projects, including in the discovery, collection, analysis, and archiving of open-source data.
• Identify and develop research project ideas in collaboration with Bellingcat staff mentor and editorial staff.
• Provide regular updates to Bellingcat staff and volunteers (when applicable), including the staff mentor, about research progress.

Qualifications

• Outstanding research and analysis skills
• Ability to follow timeline and meet deadlines
• Flexibility and agility, as projects can and will shift quickly depending upon geopolitical circumstances
• Ability to work both independently and work as a team as needed

Application

See here for eligibility criteria, terms, and application instructions.