UPDATE: The call for researchers is open again and we aim to receive applications to conduct research in the following countries: Czech Republic, Luxembourg, and the UK. Applicants are asked to send their CV to marta@access-info.org.

 

Access Info Europe is currently seeking independent, country-level researchers for several European countries to act as national researchers for the first edition of the Global Data Barometer (2020–2021).

Requirements

The call is open both for individual researchers as well as independent civil society and research organisations with knowledge on the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

The chosen researcher or organisation will have experience in one or more of the following fields: open data; open government data; data for public good; the use of data for monitoring or evaluating public service delivery; training or capacity-building around the use of data; the use of data to create socially valuable applications; or promoting the use of data among governments, CSOs, private sector, the developers community, or in investigative journalism.

Additional Requirements

Country researchers must:

  • Have a high standard of written English and English comprehension;
  • Be fluent in the language of one or more of the main administrative languages of the country they are researching;
  • Have in-depth knowledge of the country they are researching, including knowledge of recent policy developments;
  • Have a background of credible independent research experience in their respective country;
  • Have relevant knowledge and understanding of data protection, data policy, open data, and data sharing;
  • Have relevant contacts and networks to draw upon.

Country researchers must not:

  • Be a government official or employee, or a contractor deriving a substantial proportion of their income from the government;
  • Have any conflicts of interest that would affect their ability to provide impartial assessments.

Duties

The selected national researcher or organisation will be responsible for completing a detailed expert survey that looks at policies, practices, datasets, and research related to the governance, capability, availability, and use of data in their respective country. Responses will be peer reviewed, with researchers asked to respond to reviewers’ feedback and update responses as appropriate. Researchers may also be invited to be involved in regional dissemination activities. For example, writing a country summary for a regional report, or taking part in regional dissemination webinars.

Duties will include:

  • Reading the research handbook;
  • Participating in an online researcher-training session;
  • Carrying out primary desk research to locate evidence in relation to each question;
  • Conducting interviews with key stakeholders, including government officials, as relevant;
  • Using guidance from the research handbook to assess the evidence and respond to scoring scales or yes/no assessment questions;
  • Writing in clear English a justification of any assessments, listing sources used;
  • Submitting the completed survey within 6 weeks of it being provided;
  • Responding promptly to any reviewer comments.

We anticipate this work requiring 20 working days over a 1.5-month period during June – August 2021. While our funding efforts continue, our current budget will allow us to offer an honorarium of €2500 for the 20 working days.

How to apply

Applicants are asked to submit this Form by February 14, 2021. If you do not hold a Google account, please download and fill this form and send it, together with your CV, to marta[at]access-info.org. Only shortlisted applicants will be invited to the interview phase.

We have an equality of opportunity policy, and female and minority group candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Global Data Barometer

The Global Data Barometer is a new study of data for the public good that builds on the foundation of the Open Data Barometer. The pilot edition of the Global Data Barometer receives core funding from Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC.ca) under grant 109517-001 as part of the Data for Development (D4D.net) program of work.

Global Data Barometer is a diverse, inclusive, and equitable global project in which all participants, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education, or disability, feels valued and respected.