Date Posted: 01/20/2026
Req ID: 46647
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Citizen Lab
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00052927
Existing Vacancy: Yes

Description:

About us:

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada’s leading university and one of the world's most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The faculty's diversity of opportunities and perspectives reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our innovation and discovery legacy that has changed how we think about the world.

Your opportunity:

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, focusing on research, development, and high-level strategic policy and legal engagement at the intersection of information and communication technologies, human rights, and global security.

Reporting to the Lead, Research Coordination, the Research Officer is a member of the Citizen Lab’s operations team who will support interdisciplinary research initiatives in the areas of app security and privacy, artificial intelligence, censorship, digital transnational repression, disinformation, law and policy, mass surveillance, and targeted surveillance.

The Research Officer will conduct literature reviews, draft and copy edit content, and analyze primary and secondary research. The Research Officer will also provide research administration support by coordinating and leading the preparation of funding applications and reporting; tracking research impact; editing and formatting reports for publication; developing and maintaining a tracker of Citizen Lab research impacts (E.g. vulnerability disclosures, victims, spyware company litigation); and preparing materials for Citizen Lab events including coordinating collection of speaker information, drafting the agenda, and organizing substantive elements.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Drafting summaries of research project results
• Creating and/or editing original, published content and materials
• Contributing to research findings that are published in academic journals.
• Formatting research results to be presentable and easily comprehensible.
• Scheduling day to day project activities.
• Informing stakeholders of project progress
• Tracking and monitoring research activities.
• Probing for information to establish needs.

Essential Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Political Science, Global Affairs, or Information Studies, or an acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum three years of recent and related experience conducting primary and secondary research, collecting and analyzing data, and producing written reports on how digital tools are used in censorship, surveillance, and digital transnational repression in multiple regions including the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
• Experience in a university research environment or other related institutions, particularly environments focused on sensitive research topics. that require working under strict ethics protocols, and maintaining privacy and confidentiality.
• Experience contributing to research findings published in academic journals.
• Strong familiarity with research on digital authoritarianism and human rights, including digital transnational repression, surveillance, and censorship.
• Demonstrated high-level ability to translate research into effective communications, publications and reports for various audiences.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced research and analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Motivated self-learner
• Organized
• Proactive
• Team player 

Closing Date: 01/29/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing 
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 11 -- $76,577. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $97,928. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.