Patti Birch Fellow for Africa Research 2019 (Fully-funded to New York, USA)

The Committee to Protect Journalists is seeking a qualified individual for the Patti Birch Fellowship program to focus on research for its Africa program, with an emphasis on technology. 

Application Deadline: 9th September 2019

To be Taken at (Country): New York, USA

About the Award: This is a one-year fellowship that was created in honor of Patti Birch, with support from the Patti and Everett B. Birch Foundation.

The ideal candidate will be a recent college graduate, or early career journalist with an interest in projects related to sub-Saharan Africa and an understanding of the technologies used to monitor internet activity and block access to information. The Patti Birch Fellow will carry out an independent project on technical censorship and press freedom while working closely with the Africa Program team on reporting press violations across the region.

Type: Fellowship

Eligibility:

• A deep interest in and knowledge of press freedom, journalism, online censorship, and human rights.
• Fluency in French both verbal and written, is required.
• Demonstrated reporting experience and working knowledge of databases.
• Strong research, writing and editing skills, and attention to detail.
• Deadline oriented and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and in teams, including with remote management and staff.
• An undergraduate degree, Master’s degree preferred.

Number of Awards: 1

Value of Award: The fellowship comes with annual stipend of $40,000 and benefits.

Responsibilities: The Patti Birch Fellow’s duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide background research on press freedom abuses across the sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on cases involving technology.
• Draft alerts, blogs, or other content as needed for the Africa program.
• Use social media effectively to disseminate the Africa program’s work.
• Work with the Africa team to ensure that technical censorship issues are highlighted in CPJ’s reporting in the region.
• Identify potential partnerships or opportunities for CPJ advocacy and engagement on technical censorship issues.
• Participate in wider-ranging collaborative projects, or regionally focused efforts at CPJ as needed.

Duration of Award: 1 year

How to Apply:

• Please e-mail a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and references to [email protected] by September 9, 2019. Please include “Patti Birch Fellow for Africa Research” in the subject line. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.
• Due to volume, CPJ cannot reply to individual inquiries on the status of applications. No phone calls, please.
• GOODLUCK

Visit Award Webpage for Details