Now hiring: Researcher studying online m/disinformation
Location: Paris, France
Who we are
Science Feedback is a non-profit specializing in verifying online claims that pretend to be based on science. Our topics of choice are health and climate change.
In addition to our verification work, we also conduct research into online misinformation dynamics and engage deeply with policymakers at the EU level to help craft the regulatory response to the information challenges facing European societies.
As part of these policy and research efforts, we have for instance:
- Studied to what extent posting fact-checked content reduces Facebook accounts’ reach,
- Looked at whether Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter/X empowered accounts with a history of posting disinformation,
- Compiled datasets of domain-level credibility and checked whether network science approaches can help predict the credibility of an unknown domain.
As the EU’s Digital Services Act and Code of Practice on Disinformation enter their enforcement phase, we see an opportunity for research like this to directly help shape the regulatory framework.
The mission
Science Feedback is leading a consortium of fact-checkers, academics and data collection experts on an 18-month project to offer the most comprehensive, conceptually-sound measure to date of the prevalence of misinformation in various EU languages on major social media platforms.
The candidate’s primary responsibility will be to take on a central role in this research project: iterating on the methodology, liaising with external partners, producing deliverables and presenting the results. The work will be carried out in close cooperation with Science Feedback’s Data & Policy Lead.
In addition to this main project, the candidate would, if and where interested, contribute to Science Feedback’s various other initiatives, some of them technical (e.g. prototyping automated misinformation detection pipelines in video content), others non-technical (e.g. reports on platforms’ compliance with EU sanctions on foreign interference).
Key skills:
- Ability to bring an applied research mindset to studying and tackling online misinformation;
- Excellent English writing skills;
- Proficiency in handling data-heavy projects.
(Very) Nice to Have:
- Python programming skills for data science/analysis (querying APIs, building scrapers, training ML models…);
- Ability to present findings effectively to regulators and civil society and industry peers;
- Experience in/appetite for policy work on tech regulation.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Design and contribute to various research projects on the online information ecosystem, particularly on social media platforms;
- Present research findings to both internal and external audiences (can include writing reports or research articles and delivering presentations).
Additional Responsibilities:
- Represent our organization at industry events and in policy fora;
- Build and maintain a professional network relevant to our field;
- Draft grant proposals to support our research initiatives.
Contract:
- Permanent employment contract;
- Compensation: 45-55k€ gross depending on experience + bonus + usual benefits;
- At least 2 days/week at the office (Paris République).
How ?
Please send us your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’d be interested in joining us. You can apply by filling this form.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until October 18, 2024. Interviews and tests will be conducted with select candidates.
Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or if you cannot submit your application via the form.
12 Sep. 2024
Paris, France
Ref. 2024-09/RE/SI