Dr Matti Pohjonen has contacted us to see if we know of any fluent Amharic speakers, also speakers of Oromiffa, Tigrinya and Somali. Here is the advertisement if you know of anyone suitable. Students who want to learn Amharic in London, this is not for you, but we will list other events that may be of interest.

CONSULTANCY ADVERTISEMENT – RESEARCHERS (4) AND SENIOR RESEARCHERS (2): DEADLINE 24 NOVEMBER 2014 (5PM GMT)

Oxford University Consulting is seeking 4 Researcher Consultants and 2 Senior Researcher Consultants for the Project “Online Hate Speech and Elections in Ethiopia”. The study will develop an empirically grounded understanding of the nature of the online debates before and after elections, with a specific focus on how different actors engage or fail to engage online in a polarized political environment. The researchers will be responsible for supporting the study analyzing media content.

The positions will be on a self-employed basis for approximately 15-20 hours per week and initially for 6 months, which may be renewable for a further 6 months. Additional hours may be available depending on experience and the needs of the project. Junior Researchers will be paid at a rate of £9/hour, Senior Researchers will be paid at a rate of £14/hour.

The candidates should have:
• Perfect command of Amharic and English and preferably of another language spoken in Ethiopia (Oromiffa, Tigrigna, Somali)
• Familiarity with social science research, with a particular emphasis on content analysis and interview techniques
• Familiarity with the social and political history of Ethiopia
• Proven ability to work independently
• Strong research ethics
• Ability to achieve results timely and under pressure
• A BA degree with a graduate degree strongly preferred

Senior Researchers are also expected to:
• Hold a graduate degree in a social science subject
• Have experience with software for quantitative research
• Prove their ability to supervise a team of researchers and ensure results are provided in a timely matter.

Applications should be sent to Dr Matti Pohjonen (mp41@soas.ac.uk) and should include:
• A curriculum vitae
• A cover letter, indicating the reasons for applying, and whether and to which extent the candidate fulfils the requirements for the position
• The name and the contact details of 2 references (for the position of Researcher) or 3 references (for the position of Senior Researcher)
• A writing sample (Up to 2,000 words for junior researchers and up to 5,000 words for senior researchers. Writing samples can include university papers, sections of master thesis, academic papers, newspapers articles, blog posts).

Applications will be collected on a rolling basis until 24 November 2014 (5pm GMT), and we strongly encourage applicants to apply before the deadline. Interviews will take place on 27 and 28 November either via Skype or phone or in person in London or Oxford. Informal queries can be sent to Dr Matti Pohjonen (mp41@soas.ac.uk). Please include either “Researcher” or “Senior Researcher” in the subject line of the email with both the informal queries and the job application.