Freedom in the World 2023–24 Junior Fellowship

Location:

Freedom House’s Research and Analysis division is located in New York City, and Freedom House headquarters is located in Washington, DC. Junior Fellows are highly encouraged to be based in either New York or Washington, but remote work is also possible.

Position Summary

Freedom House is seeking 3-4 motivated candidates for the nine-month Freedom in the World 2023–24 Junior Fellowship program. Freedom in the World is Freedom House’s flagship analysis on political rights and civil liberties in 210 countries and territories. Produced annually since 1973, it is the most widely read and cited report of its kind, used on a regular basis by policymakers, journalists, academics, activists, and others. Freedom in the World is regularly cited in major news outlets and in speeches by high-level government officials, among many other places. The next cohort of Junior Fellows will begin at the start of the Freedom in the World 2024 project cycle and follow the project through to completion in early 2024.

Each Junior Fellow will be hired to join Freedom House as a fixed-term employee, eligible for a generous benefits package. Junior Fellows will be responsible for managing the research for one of the six geographic regions covered by Freedom in the World. In doing so, the Junior Fellows will have the opportunity to establish expertise on a specific region and will be called on to provide analysis of that region for internal use and potentially in response to media and other external queries. Through the fellowship program, Junior Fellows will also bolster their knowledge of global democracy using a comparative lens; build a network of external regional experts; develop crucial project management skills; and strengthen research and analysis skills. They will have opportunities to interact with senior and executive Freedom House staff, as well as other prominent practitioners in the democracy and human rights field. At the completion of the fellowship, they will have developed a range of highly marketable skills that will help propel them on to successful careers.

Junior Fellows will work closely with other members of the Research and Analysis team to ensure that all Freedom in the World research outputs adhere to the highest standards of quality and analytical integrity.

In the last three months of the term, Junior Fellows will be encouraged to work on a capstone project to launch after the release of Freedom in the World 2024, contributing original content using Freedom in the World findings that can help Junior Fellows establish a voice in the democracy and human rights field. Examples of capstone projects include op-ed articles, data visualizations, narrative stories about human rights defenders, and video features.

Junior Fellows will conduct data analysis; contribute to the development and launch of analytical pieces, social media content, infographics, and other support materials; and participate in briefings to key stakeholders, including US congressional and administrative staff on Freedom in the World findings. Freedom House will work to assign fellows to their region of interest but may offer an alternative.

Fellowship Timeline

Summer 2023:

• Introduction to Freedom House and Freedom in the World

• Develop and train a network of regional and thematic experts

Fall 2023:

• Plan, coordinate, and execute a series of expert workshops

• Conduct research related to the Freedom in the World 2024 report

Winter 2023-2024:

• Contribute to the analysis of Freedom in the World 2024 findings

• Begin and carry out capstone project

• Prepare for Freedom in the World 2024 launch

The nine-month, full-time fellowship will begin on or around July 3, 2023, and end on March 29, 2024.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Developing and training a network of regional and thematic experts and acting as their primary point of contact;

Coordinating the research process for an assigned region;

Tracking democracy and human rights developments in the assigned region;

Preparing event logistics for expert workshops;

May require light domestic travel to participate in briefings and meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

· Applicants must be 2023 graduating seniors in an applicable field, or individuals who have completed their undergraduate degree between fall 2022 and June 2023. Students who have begun or completed graduate studies are not eligible for the Junior Fellowship program.

Experience:

Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in democracy and human rights around the world.

Experience with MS Office and database management.

Technical Skills and Abilities:

Comfort working with limited supervision on long-term tasks, finding solutions to problems as they arise, and taking ownership of your work.

Superb attention to detail and an ability to produce error-free work on tight deadlines.

Outstanding organizational skills and a keen desire to learn to use project management tools such as Asana, Trello, and Airtable.

Proven ability to analyze complex information, and to draft elegant and concise summaries for a general audience.

Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality and exhibit unquestionable integrity, honesty, and forthrightness.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to respond promptly to inquiries in a courteous and professional manner.

Ability to successfully work collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, external partners, and funders.

Personal Attributes and Characteristics:

Strong interest in a specific region of the world (Americas, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and/or Sub-Saharan Africa).

Strong work ethic and desire for personal and professional development. Demonstrable desire for personal excellence. Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills.

Positive, team-orientation, and commitment to building trust-based relationships with colleagues.

Excellent emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills for communicating with diverse audiences, ranging from at-risk activists to senior government officials.

Deeply committed to nonpartisanship, exhibiting a strong and sustained commitment to the mission of Freedom House.

Committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all feel that they belong.

Works as an effective team member, successfully balancing individual and team responsibilities.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Diversity makes our work stronger. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds—particularly Black, Indigenous, and people of color, individuals from the LGBTI+ community, and people living with disabilities—to apply.

Junior Fellows will receive an annualized gross salary of $45,100—amounting to a pre-tax, pre-deduction salary of $3,758 per month for nine months, pro-rated for partial months of the fellowship — and a generous benefits package.

Candidates must possess authorization to work in the United States independent from Freedom House sponsorship. Non-nationals who are eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) under their F-1 visas through March 31, 2024, may apply.

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

General Working Conditions:

General working office environment or telecommuting.

May require long hours including evenings and weekends to complete tasks.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:  

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting or remote work. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 

Disclaimer: This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job. It is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder may differ from those outlined in the job description and other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job. Freedom House may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.

How to Apply

Apply by sending the following documents, as PDFs, to FIWFellowship@FreedomHouse.org , using “2023–24 Junior Fellowship Application” as the subject line of the email by February 17th, 2023.

A resume (1 page)

Essay 1: An essay of no more than 600 words on what defending democracy means to you. We are interested in your personal thoughts and experiences, and how these relate to themes Freedom House identified in its most recent edition of Freedom in the World.

Your essay will be evaluated on its thematic cohesiveness, quality of writing, and ability to demonstrate your dedication to democratic ideals.

Essay 2: An essay of no more than 350 words describing how the Junior Fellowship fits into your short- and long-term professional goals, and what you hope to gain from the experience.

Your essay should identify how your experience and professional goals relate to items listed under Position Summary and Preferred Competencies.

Official or unofficial transcript.

Your transcript is one part of an overall application package, and factors including GPA, choice of courses, course load, and academic institution are not formally weighted. Your transcript will primarily be referenced to verify your eligibility for the Junior Fellowship.

Below are a few tips on preparing your application.

For security purposes, please ensure all the documents you upload are in PDF format.

Essays will be assessed on the quality of your writing, and whether they answer the questions posed. The contents of each essay should not overlap.

Essays should share information beyond what is provided in your resume.

Materials must adhere to the stated page and word limits, and use a legible font.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted until February 17, 2023 and reviewed on a rolling basis; early applications are highly encouraged. Only candidates who are selected to be interviewed will be contacted. We expect to begin conducting initial interviews in early to mid-March. Candidates who advance to the next round will be invited to submit a letter of recommendation. We will choose a group of candidates for final interviews, which will be held in mid-April. The final Freedom in the World 2023–24 Junior Fellows will be announced in mid-May 2023.

If you have any questions, email us at FIWfellowship@freedomhouse.org.

Freedom House is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, or protected veteran status, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.