Analyst (Quantitative Methods)

Moonshot believes that marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, Disabled and LGBTQIA+ people — must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other communities who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or marital status. We know a diverse workforce will enable us to understand drivers behind violent extremism and online harms in an in-depth way and do better work to counter them.

About the role:

Do you have a genuine interest in working for an organization tackling online harms - from violent extremism and targeted violence to gender-based violence and child online exploitation? 

Moonshot is currently recruiting an Analyst to support delivery of insights products in the US. While Moonshot’s offices are based in Washington, DC, we offer flexible work options including hybrid and remote. Candidates from across the U.S. will be considered. If you are based outside of Washington, DC occasional travel to Washington, DC may be required. 

In this role, you will be focused on gathering and analyzing open-source data and carrying out aspects of delivery for insights products designed for a variety of US-based customers. For this role, we are seeking a candidate with specialist quantitative skills or qualifications in quantitative methods. A core responsibility will be analyzing large, extremism-related social media datasets, primarily using Python and Tableau. While there will be room to grow into the role, we expect the successful candidate to have some background in this field, even if it is preliminary. This background could be either in a professional or academic capacity. 

Your responsibilities will include:

• Identification, collection and analysis of information from a range of data sources, including social media, violent extremist materials and other data sources covered by our in-house tools.
• Designing quantitative and qualitative research methods to collect and analyze large datasets.
• Drafting analytical reports to a high standard, delivering valuable findings in a concise and robust manner.
• Presenting findings verbally to clients, tailoring the content to their needs to support their strategic understanding.
• Anticipating potential barriers to the delivery of the project and identifying workable solutions; taking responsibility for improvements to processes.
• Maintaining databases and conducting regular reviews of social media and messaging platforms for inclusion into the project.
• Researching and drafting deep dives into trends and themes identified in online extremist ecosystems.
• Working to demanding, high-tempo reporting schedules for clients.
• Developing and sharing subject matter expertise related to violent extremism and online harms across the organization.
• Building relationships with clients, and supporting our business development by exploring and identifying opportunities for new projects of work that will be of interest to them.

Requirements

Essential:

• Specialist quantitative skills and/or qualifications in quantitative methods for social science, including data visualization, database management (SQL), Python, Tableau visualization or other data analysis tool sets. Python skills in particular, with demonstrated experience in analyzing large datasets, will be a distinct advantage.
• Professional experience involving analysis and investigation using open-source research and OSINT methods.
• An ability to problem solve, troubleshoot and develop innovative solutions to complex research issues.
• Ability to scan large volumes of data and identify the most valuable pieces of information.
• A demonstrable ability to work under pressure, take action and get things done, both in managing your own workload and as a part of a team.
• Excellent team working skills with the ability to collaborate effectively and respond flexibly to challenges.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• In addition, we require all candidates to be eligible to work in the US and will require proof of this alongside vaccination status.

Desirable:

• Relevant professional or research experience in countering violent extremism, targeted violence, or other online harms.
• Fluency in languages other than English.

Benefits

Benefits package:

• 15 days paid leave annually plus federal holidays.
• Private healthcare package, including coverage for partners and children.
• Employee Assistance Program providing access to mental health support.
• Generous maternity and paternity leave.

Salary: $45,000 - $70,000 depending on skills and experience.