Assistant Researcher At Al-Haq

Title:

Assistant Researcher

Department:

Forensic Architecture Investigation Sub-Unit, Al-Haq

Contract Type:

One year (renewal) with six-month probation

Hours:

40h/ week

Type of Contract:

National – Palestinian citizens or resident of the OPT.

Main Duty Station and Location:

Ramallah, Palestine

About Al-Haq

Al-Haq is an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organisation based in Ramallah, West Bank. Established in 1979 to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), the organisation has special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Al-Haq documents violations of the individual and collective rights of Palestinians in the OPT, irrespective of the identity of the perpetrator, and seeks to end such breaches by way of advocacy before national and international mechanisms and by holding the violators accountable. The organisation conducts research; prepares reports, studies, and interventions on breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law in the OPT; and undertakes advocacy before local, regional and international bodies. Al-Haq also cooperates with Palestinian civil society organisations and governmental institutions in order to ensure that international human rights standards are reflected in Palestinian law and policies. The organisation has a specialised international law library for the use of its staff and the local community.

Forensic Architecture Investigation SubUnit Al-Haq

The researcher will be joining a small team of interdisciplinary researchers housed in the Monitoring and Documentation Department (MDD) at Al-Haq that employs Forensic Architecture’s (FA) methodologies and techniques for taking on cases to monitor and document violations against Palestinians for the purposes of legal accountability and public advocacy. The FAI sub-unit employs frontier research project that mobilizes architectural techniques and technologies to reconstruct incidents of violations of human rights, war crimes and environmental destruction in Palestine. This involves analysing complex historical and current political events through developing bespoke research tools.

Job Description

Reporting to: Lead Researcher

Summary:

Al-Haq’s new Forensic Architecture Investigation (FAI) sub-unit is looking to hire two early career assistant researchers who are versatile, proactive and have a strong ambition and willingness to engage with the use of new technologies for the investigation of human rights and environmental violations by state and corporate actors in Palestine. Under the supervision of the Subunit Coordinator and lead researcher, the Assistant Researcher will assist with investigative casework across regional and thematic areas. His/her contribution could include assisting with 3D and cartographic analysis, modelling, and open-source research.

The Assistant Researcher will have technical experience with technologies including modelling and animating 3D environments, programming, and/or video editing. Upon appointment s/he will also be trained in FA’s unique, technologically-driven tools and techniques.

S/he will be required to follow and understand the day-to-day research logic and methods of Al-Haq and the FAI sub-unit, but also able to work independently on assigned tasks and be willing to learn about the wider contextualisation of the cases s/he works on.

As part of the training component of this role, the Assistant Researcher will be involved in each phase of a project, from observing the early conceptualisation of an investigation to active participation in the project’s development, and design, and finally in the production and presentation of our findings. S/he will be invited to contribute conceptually and work analytically to cross-check and consolidate research as it evolves.

The assistant researcher shall demonstrate good skills across all or some of the following: 3D modelling, video editing and/or open-source investigative research are absolutely necessary, as is a strong conceptual inclination to understand and help formulate research questions. A demonstrable capacity for learning new software and techniques, as well as for teamwork across various contexts and with people of various expertise is also required. Candidates will have to demonstrate that they are conscientious and responsible, and are interested in contextualising and understanding the ethical and political implications of the work.

Main duties:

· Research source and archival material

· Assist in analyzing and interpreting data

· Undertake technical work, including producing 3D models, animations and video editing

· Organization of research files and data

· Assist in presenting research findings in a clear and creative manner

· Report on the progress of his/her work to his/her line manager and possibly to the rest of the FAI subunit team

· Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required

· At all times to help maintain a safe working environment by participating in training as necessary

Person Specification

Detailed below are the types of qualifications, experience, skills and knowledge which are required of the post holder. Selection will be made upon evidence of best-fit with these criteria

Minimum Organisational Requirements

Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in architecture, design, or a relevant field

Technical and Functional Experience:

1. Minimum one year of experience or training in architecture, design, project management or any other relevant field.
2. Experience or training in 3D modelling and animating architectural environments, video editing. Past experience may include working within an architectural practice, academic research environment, working with NGOs, investigative journalism, conducting fieldwork, exhibiting or participating in art galleries and museums, political organizing and activism.
3. Research experience or training.
4. Knowledge of architectural, spatial, urban, and/or environmental theory and methods**;** visualisation, and aesthetic strategies.
5. Knowledge of theories around politics or human rights or law or conflict studies.
6. Software proficiencies: 3D modelling, Adobe Suite (especially After Effects and Premiere Pro), mapping (QGIS), and animation (Cinema 4D, Blender, or 3DS Max)
7. Be rigorous, communicative, capable of multi-tasking, willing to learn, and having a keen eye for detail
8. Good written and oral communication skills
9. Able to work independently with supervision but also as part of a dynamic team when required

Required Competencies

Core values:

1. Integrity;
2. Professionalism;
3. Respect for diversity and gender equality.
4. Commitment

Core competencies:

1. Results orientation;
2. Planning and organising;
3. Communication and trust;
4. Team orientation;
5. Organisational development and innovation;
6. Time management.
7. Organization skills

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English is required.