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The Media Ecosystem Observatory at McGill University is seeking applications for a full-time Data Analyst position with expertise in data science and analysis. They will work on the Project on Information Ecosystem Resilience (PIER), an innovative project designed to monitor information ecosystem health, report on information events and incidents as they occur and build social capacity to manage information threats. The candidate will be joining us at a stimulating time of growth and expansion, and will help drive a growing research agenda through analyzing data and sharing research findings publicly.

The Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO) is an interdisciplinary research initiative dedicated to analyzing the complex web of online harms and digital threats to democracy, while actively working to safeguard against them. MEO runs the Canadian Digital Media Research Network (CDMRN), a pioneering initiative committed to fortifying and fostering resilience within Canada's unique information ecosystem. Its mission is to understand the dynamics of information production, dissemination, and consumption across digital media with the goal of empowering Canadians to navigate the complexities of the modern digital age.

This role will be working on the Project on Information Ecosystem Resilience (PIER) at MEO. For more information about the project, visit us online.

This initiative aims to achieve four goals:

• Provide baseline understanding of the information ecosystem conceptualizing information flows, influence, sources and effects of mis/disinformation and interference, and anomalies as it relates to media, public perception and the political discourse
• Monitor and identify information incidents as they occur, provide ongoing updates as an incident evolves, and characterize ripple effects to inform future planning and lessons learned, and
• Improve information ecosystem resilience through (mis)information literacy public education programming. 
• PIER is predicated on the vision of research as a service, i.e. transforming the research process so that it can be delivered faster, be easily digestible and grounded in the operational needs of individuals and organizations faced with the information threats.  

This work is conducted through a ground-breaking research approach that mixes ongoing public survey (tracking survey) with digital trace efforts that analyzes the information ecosystem through across-platform monitoring and analysis of the top 1% most influential social media accounts in our ecosystem. Qualitative research is also used to supplement some of our findings with interview data and evolve the theoretical landscape of information incident management.

Skills & Qualifications

The successful applicant will have experience in: 

• using and structuring research based on established research methodologies

• analyzing data to answer social scientific research questions 

• translating and disseminating research knowledge into digestible, accessible and high-utility research products including reports, summaries, and articles

• coordinating and openly communicating with team members on investigations 

• Basic familiarity with the Canadian information ecosystem

• Leading and/or coordinating projects  to conduct research and perform data analysis

• Coordinating with stakeholders and building relationships for collaboration

• High-level programming languages with mature libraries for data science, such as Python, R, or Julia 

• visualizing data and information design

• Grant writing

The successful applicant may have experience in:

• SQL

• machine learning 

• analyzing ‘big data’, i.e., datasets that are too large to be held in memory 

• working with social media data, or even have published in the area of misinformation, disinformation, and information ecosystem studies, and be familiar with the academic publishing process 

• Statistical analysis

• Systems or complexity theory; network theory

• qualitative methods

• translating research and findings into easy to digestible content suitable for public consumption

• communicating effectively in French 

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the MEO leadership, the successful candidate will be expected to fulfill the following duties: 

• Analyze data emerging from the Observatory’s social and news media pipeline on an ongoing-basis to detect trends, patterns, anomalies, and facilitate the Observatory’s research projects on the health of the Canadian media ecosystem. 

• Increase support during information events (e.g. elections, natural emergencies, etc.) to conduct “rapid-research” for monitoring, identifying and reporting on information incidents that may occur on a short turnaround

• Coordinate the design and implementation of mixed methods research, i.e. collaborating with colleagues conducting qualitative research to build alignment between research approaches and co-create in depth, innovative research

• Communicate findings with team members, receive feedback, and converge on defensible conclusions

• Lead the writeup of high-quality reports and summaries to present conclusions to a wider audience

• ​Identify research opportunities and evolve our research portfolio within the research team, within the organization and with external stakeholders

• Coordinate and collaborate with research stakeholders, and contribute to expanding our research network and building research partnerships

• Identify and lead writing and submitting grant applications

Education Required

Master-level degree completed

Subject-matter expertise

Subject areas may include (but are not exclusive to):

• Political Science

• Media studies

• Communications & journalism

• Data Science

• Economics

• Statistics

Hourly Salary:

Hours per Week:

Location:

Supervisor:

Position Start Date:

Position End Date:

Deadline to Apply:

This position is covered by the Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE) collective agreement.

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, accessibilityrequest.hr@mcgill.ca.