The Position

This position is an exciting opportunity to join the Research and Innovation team at Global Fishing Watch as a junior data scientist. The Research and Innovation team at Global Fishing Watch connects data science and machine learning experts with leaders in the scientific community to produce new datasets, publish impactful research and empower others to use our data. 

The junior data scientist will primarily work on the forced labor research project. The junior data scientist will play an essential role in the forced labor project by using online resources to investigate cases of forced labor; helping with data collection and quality analysis; and analyzing vessel information to help validate our models and better understand the behaviors, patterns, and relationships between vessels related to suspicious activity.  As they become more familiar with the model and the workflow of our research, they will be able to help improve the model pipelines and its structure. They will also have the opportunity to collaborate on scientific papers related to this and other research projects.

The successful candidate will have an interest in human rights issues and well-developed analytical, coding, and web-searching skills. The position requires an ability to critically engage with complex and sensitive datasets, as well as willingness, interest, and enthusiasm to work within a truly multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced work environment. The incumbent will build diverse technical skills in programming and big data, and gain a variety of experiences working for a globally diverse, fully distributed, and growing organization. Initially, this is a one-year project period with the possibility of extension depending on funding.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Data collection 

• Expand the dataset of reported cases of forced labor using media reports, government reports, and other sources of information in multiple languages.
• Examine the reported cases that are collected and perform a quality assessment.
• Collect complementary information on each reported case and other vessels to understand the connections between vessels existing in forced labor settings and to feed our models. 

Data analysis and modeling

• Review positive and negative cases predicted by the model and assess if model predictions are consistent with the vessel’s history of human rights practices and IUU fishing. 
• Produce visualizations such as summary graphs and maps, and assist with the generation of tables for internal and external use (e.g. reports for the industry, scientific papers)
• Help write R and SQL code to improve the forced labor model pipeline and the model itself.

Publications

• Contribute to writing blog posts on the forced labor project for the website.
• Contribute to scientific paper writing (if desired)

Candidate description

Required

• Bachelor's degree or at least 2 years of work experience in fields related to data analytics, data journalism, or quantitative social sciences
• Systematic web-searching skills: ability to design a thorough investigation plan and conduct desk research on a given topic
• A deep curiosity and dedication to critical thinking
• A commitment to analyzing complicated datasets to meet deliverables and a talent for developing novel ways of extracting meaning from diverse data sources
• Great written and verbal communication skills in English
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of independence and autonomy while effectively communicating updates in a transparent and proactive manner
• Demonstrated coding and data analysis skills with R (or Python but basic familiarity with R and commitment to improving R skills on the job)
• Readiness to embrace Slack, Google Suite, and other collaborative tools for remote work

Strongly preferred

• Familiarity with human rights issues and data ethics
• Experience using SQL skills 
• Experience with version control tools such as git and GitHub
• Good written communication skills in Indonesian, Chinese, Spanish, or French

Also a plus

• Experience in investigative journalism
• Familiarity with fisheries
• Familiarity with machine learning algorithms and statistics
• Master's degree in a relevant area or equivalent experience
• An understanding of the complexities and collaboration required to work effectively for a globally remote organization; and ability to thrive in a diverse, distributed and dynamic team.

The successful candidate will meet most, but not necessarily all, of the required criteria above. If you don’t think you check all the boxes, but you are highly motivated and believe you have unique skills that make you a great fit for the role, we want to hear from you!

Additional Information

Reporting to: Forced labor lead data scientist

Location: Remote

Staff: Research and Innovation

Hiring process: If selected for consideration, the hiring process for this position will include a formal 30-45 minute interview with 2-3 staff. This will be followed by an administrative call, when compensation information will be provided. Candidates advancing beyond this round may be asked to participate in another interview, take a technical assessment and/or submit a representative code sample. Lastly, an informal 30-45 minute call with 3-4 members of the team will be held with finalists, to present Global Fishing Watch’s culture and answer any remaining question. 

Compensation: Compensation is commensurate with experience and will vary depending on the hired candidate’s country of residence, in accordance with local laws and regulations. While we are unable to provide a compensation range here, we will be happy to discuss a range when we know the desired location of our active candidates. GFW offers pension/retirement, health and other benefits commensurate with similar level GFW employees in the country of employment. The position may be a GFW employee or consultant, depending on the country of residence.  

Working Hours: Full time position for one year with the possibility of an extension. Global Fishing Watch supports flexible working, so the pattern of hours may vary according to operational and personal needs. The position will be part of a global team spanning many different time zones and so the candidate must be able to accommodate regular early/late meetings to be able to work effectively. Weekend work may be required on occasion. The post holder may be required to undertake regional and international travel. No overtime is payable.

Equal opportunities: Global Fishing Watch is an equal opportunities employer. We believe that our mission is best advanced when welcoming the contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures and are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees of Global Fishing Watch and our partners, vendors, suppliers, and contractors. We welcome the application of all qualified professionals and especially encourage those that have been historically marginalized or underrepresented because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

Please apply by Monday, 22 May 2023