Closing Date: Sunday February 18th, 2018.

About this position

In coordination with the Research Coordinator, the part-time Researcher/Ethnographer’s responsibility will be to recruit and manage contacts with study participants, conduct fieldwork, maintain field notes and memos, code and analyze qualitative data, collect and compile additional data relevant to the study aims, as well as write-up and assist in the presentation of research results of a one-year feminist participatory action research project entitled “Safe and Fair Migration from a Feminist Perspective” with migrant domestic workers through the Migrant Community Centers in Lebanon. The data generated will facilitate developing and improving community-building and advocacy strategies for migrant domestic workers in Lebanon and the region.

About Anti-Racism Movement and the Migrant Community Centers

Anti-Racism Movement (ARM)’s mission is to decrease racist discrimination and abuse in Lebanon on the social and institutional levels by advocating for changes in the systems that perpetuate racist exploitative practices, through sensitization, awareness raising, advocacy, and community building for more just social and institutional frameworks in Lebanon. The main focus of our work is on women migrant domestic workers (MDW) and to a lesser extent on all migrant workers.

Building on our philosophy that recognizes the importance of community-building work, ARM created the Migrant Community Centers (MCCs) which grew from one small center in 2011 in Beirut to centers in three major cities by 2016, in addition to a Sunday educational space. The MCCs are free and safe spaces tailored to migrant workers and evolving according to their needs, where they can meet, learn new skills, work together, and access information, resources and assistance. The MCCs’ mission is to make meaningful improvements in the quality of life of migrant workers in Lebanon and their capacity to self-advocate to advance their socio-economic rights, and to contribute to a strong and powerful migrant civil society, with a focus on women as leaders of change. Since their creation, they have been offering free classes and other educational, social, and capacity-building activities, such as language classes, computer classes, health awareness sessions, rights education, advocacy training, cultural exchange events, social gatherings, and various holiday celebrations. The MCCs also serve as a hub where initiatives are launched, a space to have celebrations and get-togethers, and a casual space for migrant workers to spend time with each other. They increase the engagement of volunteers and local activists with MDW issues, and foster more collaboration between MDWs, local activists, and volunteers.

The Researcher would be in charge of:

1. Being an active leader in the research project, including attending all orientation and training sessions on relevant research procedures with the Research Coordinator.
2. Assisting in the development of research strategies for data collection.
3. Facilitating the recruitment, follow-up, and retention of research participants.
4. Conducting research activities that include in-depth interviewing, rigorous data collection from other existing resources, and maintaining relationships built with a variety of community members.
5. Preparing and organizing qualitative data for analysis.
6. Analyzing qualitative data in collaboration with the Research Coordinator.
7. Producing a high-quality report within the project deadline, to be published and presented in coordination with the Research Coordinator.

Work schedule and duration of contract

• 16-20 hours per week (fieldwork to be conducted mostly on afternoons/weekends).
• Part-time contact is for one year, including a 2-month trial period.
• Start date: March 1st 2018.

Remuneration

• Net monthly salary at $650.
• Transportation costs to sites outside MCC Achrafieh, if needed, will be covered.

Desired Qualifications

• An advanced degree in social sciences or related studies that placed a strong emphasis on both social theory and research methodology is preferable.
• Training and/or experience with qualitative and/or ethnographic research techniques. Experience in feminist participatory action research is a plus.
• A minimum of two years of work experience in a related field.
• Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy within the research project (strong initiative and follow-through, capacity to think creatively and strategically, excellent editing skills).
• Ability to engage with and analyze dense literature.
• Ability and sensitivity to conduct interviews with a wide range of people. This entails developing strong and collaborative working relationships with interlocutors.
• Knowledge of qualitative data analysis procedures.
• Ability to produce high-quality written material within the required deadlines.
• Proficiency in English (spoken-read-written) and Arabic (spoken). Knowledge of French (spoken) is a plus.
• Patience, tolerance, in addition to strong planning and organizational skills.
• Interest in sexism, racism, and socioeconomic justice.
• Ability to work on afternoons and weekends on a regular basis.
• Willingness to commit for a one year period (until February 2019).

To apply

• Interested candidates with the required competencies and experience should send a CV, cover letter, and writing sample in PDF format to [email protected] before Sunday, February 18th, 2018 (subject line: Researcher).
• In the cover letter, applicants should specify their motivation for this opportunity and how their experience makes them a good candidate for conducting a community-based research project.
• Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply.
• Applications without cover letters or writing samples will not be considered.
• Only those short-listed for the position will be contacted.
• Interviews will take place in the week of February 20, 2018.