The Strauss Center is recruiting three senior student associates to assist with reviewing data on the geography of violence in Latin America for the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). ACLED is the world’s leading source of real-time political conflict data, providing detailed data on conflict patterns, actors, and dynamics in myriad countries around the world.

This project is part of the Strauss Center’s Central America and Mexico Policy Initiative and aims to add further granular information on the location of violent events in Latin America.

Overview of the position: 

ACLED is recruiting research assistants to assist in the review of urban political violence and disorder in the Latin American region, identifying specific geographical information on each occurrence based on event summaries and open-source intelligence. 

Coding and review of data involves ensuring the quality, consistency, and reliability of the data produced. The role provides team members with experience conducting detail-oriented tasks, including geocoding, and contributing to the production and management of quantitative data.

Specific roles and responsibilities: 

The role will require 10 hours of work per week. All work is conducted remotely (team members may work from home, the library, etc.) and at any hours that are convenient, in accordance with set submission deadlines. Students will submit weekly timesheets to their designated supervisor at the Strauss Center.

ACLED and the Strauss Center are seeking applicants who have the following skills and experience: 

• Required:
  • Familiarity with Excel
  • Experience conducting desk-based research
  • Experience working to deadlines with limited supervision
  • A high level of attention to detail
• Preferred
  • Research focus or professional experience in security-related issues in Latin America
  • Working proficiency in Spanish

Compensation: 

These are paid coding positions of 10 hours each per week at $18 an hour. The position starts the week of September 13^th, 2021.

Application process:

Please apply via Handshake. Applications are due by August 24^th, 2021. For any questions regarding the position, please contact Carolyn Dockery at [email protected].

For more information on ACLED, visit www.acleddata.com. For more information on the Central America/Mexico Policy Initiative, visit www.strausscenter.org/campi.