The 5Rights Foundation is looking for a Research Officer to join our small and high impact team in fighting for a digital world that supports children and young people to flourish.
At 5Rights, we work with governments, policy-makers, technologists, and NGOs all over the world to advocate for one simple principle: the enormous potential of digital technology will only be realised when it is designed with children and young people in mind.
If you’re passionate about exploring emerging tech; if you’re enthusiastic about contributing to one of the most lively policy debates of our time; and if you’re committed to working on behalf of the one billion children who are online, we’d love to hear from you.
We are looking for someone organised, meticulous, creative and critical-minded to conduct ongoing practical research into the tech children are using, ensure our policy team understand how it works and impacts children, and gather the evidence to drive change.
Experience of providing research support in a policy environment and knowledge of technology policy, privacy, children’s rights or a related field would be desirable. Additional language skills such as French or Spanish is an advantage. We are offering remote working (with part-time co-working space access in London or Brussels) with employee contracts in the UK or Belgium; salary ranges from £22,400 – 24,900 or EUR 31,600 – 35,100 (for Belgium) depending on experience.
5Rights Foundation exists to ensure a digital world that will serve children and young people today and for future generations.
We are a small team of senior professionals and experts delivering change in how the digital world works. We have shifted the narrative and the agenda through provocative comms campaigns (e.g. Twisted Toys), pioneering research (e.g. Pathways) and award-winning tools (e.g. Child Online Safety Toolkit). We continue to drive real-life change thanks to an outstanding track-record of delivering legislation (e.g. Californian Age Appropriate Design Code), policy and regulatory frameworks (e.g. UNCRC General comment No. 25), and industry standards (e.g. IEEE 2089).
Reporting to the Head of Compliance, you will:
Be the expert in the room! Make sure 5Rights knows what it needs to know, and be confident in holding us and those in our network to the evidence.
Conduct thorough and organised research, including rapid evidence assessments, report summaries, and deep-dives into emerging technologies.
Conduct consultation and exchange sessions with young people from around the world as part of our Youth Engagement Programme, learning about their experience and helping them understand how tech works.
Liaise with technologists and experts around the world, exchanging knowledge and staying up to date on the latest developments, research and emerging issues.
Gather evidence for and support compliance actions.
Maintain tracking tools and a well-organised evidence repository.
Help coordinate research projects and evidence-gathering programmes.
Draft ad hoc briefings for senior staff on relevant developments, or ahead of meetings and conferences.
Contribute to 5Rights reports, positions, communications and fundraising materials.
Represent 5Rights as an expert at meetings and events.
Provide support to the policy, tech accountability and innovation work of 5Rights more broadly as needed.
You’ll be a confident and skilled researcher, a clear, fresh thinker, and an excellent writer. High attention to detail, an eye for nuance, and the ability to digest complex information quickly and communicate it coherently are all musts. A background in technology issues or children’s rights is preferable, but not essential. Most of all, we’re looking for someone who’s thorough, proactive, super smart, and committed to our mission.
ESSENTIAL skills and attributes:
Thorough and thoughtful researcher
Clear, concise, and engaging writing style in English
Confident verbal communicator in English
Inquisitive and keen to share the results of your research
The ability to use your initiative, exercise good judgment and make nuanced recommendations
A meticulous eye for detail and proven ability to design and deliver high-quality research products.
Team player, but also able to work independently, setting goals and meeting them
Able to make good decisions on the relative importance of competing tasks, and meet deadlines.
Reliable, patient and with the relentless focus required to get complex deliverables over the line, managing processes from A-Z;
A can-do, action and solution-oriented attitude;
A commitment to the Foundation’s work and values
Right to work in Belgium or the UK.
DESIRABLE skills and attributes:
Knowledge of technology policy, privacy, children’s rights or a related field.
Experience of providing research support in a policy environment.
Experience working internationally and in culturally-diverse settings;
Ability to work and research in other languages, such as French or Spanish.
Location: Remote position with employee contract in UK or Belgium. Hybrid working in 5Rights’ London and Brussels co-working office spaces is available.
Salary: £22,400 – 24,900 for UK-based candidate, with flexibility depending on experience; EUR 31,600 – 35,100 for a Belgium-based candidate.
Working hours: Full time, with some accommodation necessary for work across time-zones and for out of office hours sessions with young people.
Statutory pension contribution.
25 days of annual leave.
Work equipment including a laptop and mobile phone will be provided
Starting data: asap.
Reporting line: Head of Compliance.
5Rights values diversity and we strongly encourage people from under-represented groups to apply for this role. We aim for our recruitment to be inclusive and equitable, and we strive to constantly learn and improve in this regard. Feel free to share your views and suggestions on how we could improve our approach with us via email to admin@5rightsfoundation.com.
Please submit your concise CV and cover letter 19th May 2024 via our jobs portal. If you have any queries please contact applications@5rightsfoundation.com.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a written task as part of our recruitment approach. The task will take 2 hours. First round interviews will be held over Zoom.