Technology Fellowship Available at ACLU
Technology Fellow [SPT-04]
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
Speech, Privacy & Technology Project (NY or SF)
For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBT community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. With more than a million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, record of arrest or conviction.
The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project of the ACLU’s National office is seeking applicants for the position of Technology Fellow. The fellowship will be for a one year period with the possibility to extend to a second year. Fellows may work out of the New York or San Francisco offices.
OVERVIEW
The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project is part of the ACLU’s Center for Democracy, which works to strengthen democratic institutions and values, including the values of government transparency and accountability, and to reinforce the United States’ commitment to human rights and the rule of law. The Center for Democracy includes, in addition to the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, the Immigrants’ Rights Project, the Voting Rights Project, the Human Rights Project and the National Security Project.
The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project is dedicated to protecting and expanding the First Amendment freedoms of expression, association, and inquiry; expanding the right to privacy and increasing the control that individuals have over their personal information; and ensuring that civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by new advances in science and technology. The project is currently litigating cases and conducting other advocacy efforts on a variety of issues, including political protest, freedom of expression online, privacy of electronic information, journalists’ rights, scientific freedom, and openness in the courts.
The Technology Fellow will be responsible for staying abreast of technological developments that have potential consequences for civil liberties, identifying new and emerging civil liberties concerns, and advising ACLU staff on technological matters. This will include providing support to ACLU affiliates on technology issues in specific states or regions. ACLU technologists have worked closely with litigators on cases involving surveillance and encryption, and have been key spokespeople for the ACLU on issues of technology in the press and in ACLU publications.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Monitor technologies and technological developments that have potential consequences for civil liberties.
- Collaborate to devise organizational strategies and responses to issues relating to technology and civil liberties.
- Build and maintain links between the ACLU and technology communities. Connect ACLU staff with outside experts when necessary.
- Serve as a resource to ACLU litigators, policy and legislative staff, and others on technological matters.
- Educate the public about technology and civil liberties issues through blog posts, social media, white papers, and media appearances.
- Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required; advanced degrees in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, computer science) will be taken into consideration.
- Research or employment experience related to the impact of technology and technological developments on civil liberties.
- Strong communications skills, especially the ability to communicate complex technical issues to ACLU staff and the general public.
- The ability to identify, follow and understand technical issues relating to computers, the Internet, surveillance, and the implications for civil liberties.
- The ability to work independently as well as within a team.
- Strong analytical skills.
- A commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU.
COMPENSATION
The ACLU offers a generous compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within the parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a letter of interest, a current resume, the names and telephone numbers of three references, and a writing sample to hrjobsSPT@aclu.org. Reference [SPT-04/ACLU-W] in the subject line.
Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this career opportunity.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.