Data and AI Investigations Specialist, Research and Data Team

Position: Data and AI Investigations Specialist, Research and Data Team

Location: Remote

Status: Full-time

The Sentry seeks an initiative-taking and hardworking Data and AI Investigations Specialist to join our Research and Data Team in the Investigations Department. This person will report to the Investigations Manager and play a crucial role in driving data- and AI-based investigations and strengthening investigative tools and methodologies across programs. Their work will contribute to holding accountable transnational predatory networks that finance conflict and fund kleptocracies.

Key Responsibilities:

Use of AI in Investigations: Design, develop, and assess AI-based investigative tools and workflows. Support and train investigators on how to use AI to advance their investigations. Establish methodological frameworks for the ethical use of AI at The Sentry.

Data Team Lead: Identify, assess, and implement new data-driven investigative and analytical tools and techniques collaboratively with The Sentry’s investigations team. Support The Sentry’s capacity building with partner organizations in data-centric investigations, use of databases, and investigative methodology.

Data Investigation Projects: Manage data investigation projects collaboratively with other team members. Respond to and proactively meet the analytic needs of the investigations team, guiding other team members whenever possible.

Data Sources and Graph Database Management: Source intelligence and identify new data sources for The Sentry’s investigations team. Locate and obtain potentially obscure sources of data and information through online resources. Make data sources accessible to the investigations team through various applications, including The Sentry’s graph database.

Open Source Research and Analysis: Conduct open source research across various platforms, including the open web, corporate registries, governmental databases, and social media, to uncover and analyze complex data for investigations.

Qualifications:

Experience in building AI-based tools.

Familiarity with mining and handling large datasets, with demonstrable skills in selecting the right statistical tools and articulating analytical questions/approaches given a data analysis problem.

Experience with querying, managing, and processing data with SQL and Python or R; experience with graph databases in neo4j a plus.

Experience designing and deploying web scraping tools. Ability to use a variety of methods to scrape, clean, and analyze data from a variety of unstructured or semi-structured sources.

Experience analyzing data to create compelling stories for a non-expert audience.

Demonstrated experience in self-directed, primary-source research and taking ownership of initiatives and new methodologies to push them forward.

Professional engineering habits, including commenting code and version control (Git).

Superb organizational skills and attention to detail, including the ability to manage numerous tasks simultaneously.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely, particularly to non-technical audiences.

Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, including across departments (e.g. investigations, policy, communication, and legal), and foster partnerships with external stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

Experience in the technology for social good, data journalism, or humanitarian and human rights sectors.

Experience leading complex projects from initiation to completion, building coalitions within organizations, and managing partnerships outside your organization

Ability to explore data visually and prototype data visualizations, including interactive visualizations; experience using neo4j-based visualization tools such as Linkurious is a plus.

Experience building a data hub or document library.

Demonstrated experience as trainer and an understanding of capacity building and skills transfer.

Experience writing about data to create compelling stories for a nonexpert audience.

Proficiency in relevant languages, such as Arabic, Azerbaijani, Burmese, French, or Russian.

Compensation

Salary: $90,000-110,000 per year.

Applications

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@thesentry.org. Please include “Data and AI Investigations Specialist,” in the subject line of your email.

Anti-Discrimination Statement

The Sentry, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is an investigative and policy organization that seeks to disable multinational predatory networks that benefit from violent conflict, repression and kleptocracy.  The Sentry is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential.  The Sentry’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.