Open-Source Investigator*in

Open-Source Investigator - Ukrainian Archive

Location:Berlin (or remote)

Deadline:December 18, 2024

About us

Ukrainian Archive is a programme of Mnemonic, a non-profit organization dedicated to archiving, investigating and memorialising digital open source information documenting human rights violations and international crimes. Building on the successes of the Syrian, Yemeni, Sudanese, Ukrainian Archive was created in close cooperation with Ukrainian civil society organisations in response to the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its mission is to preserve, verify, and analyze open-source material related to the ongoing conflict and its impact on civilians.

Ukrainian Archive supports accountability, advocacy, and transitional justice initiatives by preserving digital evidence of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and conducting both closed and public-facing open-source investigations. We also provide training on data preservation and verification to Ukrainian partners and contribute to accountability efforts on the ground.

Our multidisciplinary team includes human rights defenders, technologists, lawyers, and archivists, working together to hold perpetrators accountable and support justice actors with reliable documentation.

About the Opportunity

As an Open Source Investigator, you will play a critical role in monitoring, identifying, archiving, and analyzing digital open-source material to support ethical investigations into potential violations of international humanitarian and criminal law. Additionally, you will contribute creative solutions to provide data-driven support for Ukraine’s justice and recovery efforts.

Working collaboratively with a small, multidisciplinary team, you will leverage advanced technologies and investigative techniques to uncover and verify critical information. Training on Mnemonic’s tools and open-source methodologies will be provided.

Key Responsibilities:

Monitoring and Source Management

• Track and analyze developments in Ukraine and the region, focusing on human rights and international law violations.
• Continuously monitor, update, and expand archived sources to ensure the integrity and relevance of the databases.

Data Collection, Verification, and Analysis

• Identify, collect, and archive at-risk digital records.
• Apply advanced digital verification methods, such as geolocation and metadata analysis, ensuring accuracy and maintaining strong security protocols.
• Process and tag audio-visual content using Mnemonic’s Elfehrest annotation platform and customised tagging schemes.
• Analyze verified materials to contribute to structured thematic databases.

Open Source Investigation

• Contribute to identification of research plans, themes, and strategic engagements with external media stakeholders.
• Conduct in-depth, ethical investigations using advanced open-source techniques, independently and as part of a team.
• Draft high-quality research outputs to support accountability efforts and public-facing investigations.
• Uncover connections, identify perpetrators, and verify events using refined methodologies.
• Collaborate on joint investigations with Mnemonic’s programmes, human rights organizations, and media partners.

Deliver Training and Capacity Building

• Design and deliver training sessions on open-source collection, verification, analysis, and archiving for partners and collaborators.
• Support partners in building skills and adopting tools to conduct their own open-source investigations and achieve data on Mnemonic’s platform.

Professional Development and Innovation

• Attend workshops and training sessions on OSINT methodologies and tools and on relevant thematic priorities.
• Stay updated on emerging technologies to enhance investigative capabilities.

About you

Desired Skills and Required Experience:

• Academic degrees are a plus but not required if you can demonstrate relevant professional experience.
• At least 3 years of proven experience in open-source investigations, preferably in the context of human rights, conflict zones, or accountability mechanisms.
• Experience working with human rights organizations, media outlets, or in legal contexts is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in advanced OSINT tools and techniques (mandatory skill) including:
  • Social media scraping and analysis tools.
  • Geospatial analysis and mapping tools.
  • Verification tools for audio-visual content.
  • Metadata analysis and digital footprint identification.
• Excellent understanding of the armed conflict in Ukraine and its socio-political context and conflict monitoring experience.
• In-depth understanding of social media platforms and their use in the context of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine.
• Demonstrated ability to apply IHL, IHRL, and ICL frameworks to analyze open source data on violations.
• Fluency in English with proven ability to draft analytical reports.
• Proficiency in Ukrainian and Russian is required.
• Ability to clearly articulate methods and findings in oral, written, and visual formats.
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully in a multicultural team with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and across different time zones.
• High operational and personal security standards, including adherence to cyber hygiene best practices and internal security protocols.
• Other mandatory soft skills: Strong analytical skills, curiosity, critical thinking, and attention to detail.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience conducting journalistic investigations, especially in human rights or conflict-related contexts.
• Proven experience delivering training on open-source research techniques, including collection, verification, and analysis.
• Familiarity with the media landscape in Ukraine and the broader region.
• Experience with data visualization tools to effectively present complex findings.
• Knowledge of scripting languages (e.g., Python) for automating data collection and analysis is a significant advantage.
• Familiarity with database management and incident tracking systems to support effective archiving and monitoring of investigations.

What We Offer

Ukrainian Archive team is small, multinational, flexible, and driven by collaboration and impact. We value creativity, respect, and inclusivity, focusing on results over office hours.

The position is based on a consultancy contract (20 days per month) with an initial duration of six months, extendable subject to performance and funding.

The consultancy fee is competitive and depends on experience, track record, and place of residency.

We provide:

• Internal training in open source investigation methodologies.
• External training opportunities and access to digital security tools.
• Berlin-based office for with the flexibility of remote work in Europe.

How To Apply

Your formal education is less important to us than your previous experience in the field and track record of achievements.

Start Date: As soon as possible.