Civic Action Researcher

Unruled Masses (UM) is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit building new and dynamic public civic intelligence and nonviolent action infrastructure. Our mission is to help ordinary people expose abuse, map corruption networks, and coordinate peaceful, strategic resistance and democracy-building worldwide.

We are nonpartisan, evidence-driven, and partner-focused for pro-democracy unification. We strive to unite people and partners with intelligence, materials, and communications to help reclaim institutions, dignity, and rebuild equitable, connected, and hopeful communities where everyone is treated as a true equal. At UM, we view hopelessness as a strategic asset for oppression and hope as a strategic resource for liberation. To harness that hope, we need a community that is organized, supported, and empowered.

Who You Are: You are a dedicated researcher who believes that information is the foundation of action. You understand that while the desire for change is universal, the strategy for change must be precise. You don’t need to be a lifelong activist; you need to be a skilled investigator and strategist who can distill complex theories of nonviolent resistance into actionable steps for everyday citizens.

You care deeply for democracy and are driven by the belief that public institutions must be accountable always—and only—to the people. You are technically proficient, detail-oriented, and passionate about building the "Action Playbook" that will serve as the roadmap for reclaiming our democratic future.

What You’ll Do as a Civic Action Researcher:

• Build the Action Playbook: Research and draft tactical guides for community organizing, human rights strategy, and nonviolent resistance to be included in our core playbook.
• Tactical Implementation: Use your technical skills to build these researched tactics into our digital page builders, ensuring they are accessible and user-friendly for the public.
• Synthesize Strategy: Analyze historical and contemporary pro-democracy movements to identify effective mobilization strategies that can be adapted for today’s challenges.
• Translate Theory into Action: Work with the team to turn high-level civic concepts into "Action Pages" that provide clear instructions for peaceful, strategic civic engagement.
• Support Community Training: Help create the materials and strategies used in video trainings and community events to ensure partners can effectively perform the actions you’ve helped design.
• Identify Strategic Targets: Conduct research to identify the most effective levers for change within public institutions to maximize the impact of our collective efforts.

Exceptional volunteers may:

• Develop high-level strategic frameworks for national or international mobilization campaigns.
• Lead deep-dive research projects on the effectiveness of specific nonviolent tactics in various political climates.
• Collaborate with the creative team to script and produce educational content based on your research.
• Act as a subject matter expert during community town halls and partner training sessions.

Research Areas of Interest: We are looking for researchers who can contribute to our core pillars: Nonviolent Tactics & Strategy; Civic Action Mobilization; Human Rights Defense; Institutional Accountability; and Community Organizing Frameworks.

Ideal Qualifications

• Research Expertise: Proven experience in qualitative research, political science, sociology, or a related field with a focus on civic engagement or social movements.
• Technical Proficiency: Comfortable working with CMS/page-building tools (e.g., WordPress, Webflow, or similar) to format and publish research findings.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to look beyond data points to see the "how" and "why" of mobilization and movement building.
• Clarity of Expression: Strong writing skills with the ability to simplify complex strategic concepts into clear, motivational instructions.
• Mission Alignment: A demonstrated commitment to democracy, human rights, and the belief that organized, peaceful communities can resurrect public institutions.

Compensation & Commitment: This is an unpaid volunteer role. We are flexible on time, but ask for at least 2–4 hours a week to help build and maintain our Action Playbook. As we grow our 501(c)(3) funding, paid leadership positions or staff roles may be offered to those who demonstrate exceptional dedication and impact.

Benefits of Volunteering with Unruled Masses

• Architect the Movement: Help build the literal "Playbook" that will guide thousands of people in taking effective, peaceful action.
• Founding Team Status: Work directly with the leadership team to build a world-class, public-interest intelligence and action organization.
• Intellectual Growth: Engage with the cutting edge of nonviolent resistance theory and human rights strategy.
• Transformative Impact: Play a direct role in moving people from isolation and despair into organized, joyful, and effective collective action.