Student Researchers

Systemic Justice is looking for Student Researchers to help us radically transform how the law works for communities fighting for racial, social, and economic justice.

About Systemic Justice

Systemic Justice is a new NGO that will partner with organisations working on racial, social, and economic justice to bring about change through strategic litigation.

Strategic litigation is a powerful tool that can be used alongside advocacy, campaigning, and policy work to help bring about systemic change. However, litigation is underutilised in movements working to address the structural inequalities in our society.

Centring affected communities in joint litigation, Systemic Justice will help broaden access to judicial remedies for those fighting for justice and equality. This will help dismantle the power structures that underpin and fuel racial, social, and economic injustice.

About the role

Student Researchers will assist the team at Systemic Justice in meeting some of its research needs as it works to establish its operations, consult with communities fighting for racial, social, and economic justice, adopt working principles, and co-design litigation strategies with these communities.

Some of the research needs of the organisation include:

• mapping of opportunities and obstacles to taking cases on racial, social, and economic justice issues in Europe;
• mapping case management solutions;
• mapping and analysing relevant laws, regulations, and jurisprudence that might inform litigation strategies; and
• collecting and summarising information on effective working models for movement lawyering and organising communities of practice.

The team at Systemic Justice will supervise the Student Researchers. This will involve the assignment and articulation of research questions with the Student Researchers, working with the Student Researchers in developing a structure and format for presenting research outputs, and providing feedback.

The tasks will be assigned on an ad hoc/needs basis, and Student Researchers can agree a timeline for the completion of tasks.

What we hope you’ll bring

Ideally, Student Researchers would have:

• strong research and writing skills;
• the ability to present comprehensive legal and other research in a structured manner;
• an understanding of racial, social, and economic justice issues;
• some familiarity with the concept of strategic litigation; and
• familiarity with legal systems in Europe.

Systemic Justice’s working language is English, so confidence in writing and speaking in English is a must. Proficiency in another European language will be considered an asset.

Please note that Systemic Justice works in the CET time zone +/- two hours. Being located inside this time zone span is considered an advantage.

Deadline and how to apply

There is no fixed deadline for applying. Applicants for the role will be considered in the beginning of each quarter (October, January, April, July). You will receive a confirmation email when you have applied and we will be in touch once we have reviewed your application.

Please note: We encourage all potential applicants to review our Frequently Asked Questions prior to applying.

We expect to hold one brief 30-minute conversation with applicants who are shortlisted for the role. Task will be assigned to Student Researchers on an ad hoc basis where need arises.

Your application should consist of your CV, one example of work you are proud of having been involved in, and a short written response to these three questions:

1. How does the fight for racial, social, and economic justice relate to the work you do, both within and outside your studies?
2. You are asked to write a memo containing examples of successful strategic litigation that challenges oppressive dynamics in social protection provision. What would your next steps be when presented with such a task request? What questions would you ask?
3. Through this link you can access a press release for the case H. and Others v. Slovakia before the European Court of Human Rights. If you were asked to distil this press release into four bullet points, what would they be?

Our work is rooted in our foundational values of anti-oppression, intersectionality, and justice. We invite anyone who does not have lived experience with systems of oppression to reflect on their suitability for this role before applying, and to address this as an introduction to their responses to the above questions if they choose to apply.

Conditions and other information

Period: The consultancy arrangement will be for an initial term of three months, with an option for further extension if there is still a research need that the Student Researcher can assist with.

Remuneration: This is a temporary consultancy arrangement with remuneration of 18 EU/hour. The number of hours required to carry out tasks will be agreed with Student Researchers on a task-by-task basis.

Location: The Systemic Justice team works remotely.

Flexible schedules: We are generally online and available from 11-16 CET, but are otherwise flexible about working hours to accommodate the best individual balancing of personal and remote-work life.