Data Scientist (US Citizenship Required)

Volunteer Data Scientist

Unpaid volunteer position · International research team

Location: Remote

Commitment: 3–5 hours per week (flexible hours)

Citizenship Requirement: US Citizenship Required

About GCPA

The Global Consortium of Political Analysts (GCPA) advances informed policymaking and promotes critical civic literacy through rigorous, collaborative, and culturally sensitive research on pressing political, security, and humanitarian challenges. By pairing local, in-country experts with internationally recognized specialists, GCPA produces nuanced, evidence-based insights that empower policymakers and enrich civic participation.

Our commitment to analytical integrity and cultural sensitivity guides our multidisciplinary teams in collecting and interpreting primary-source data across diverse languages, fostering inclusive dialogue and data-driven approaches to advance cooperation, resilient societies, and responsible governance. We strive to help shape a world where policy is driven by integrity, inclusivity, and culturally grounded analysis, enabling societies everywhere to make informed, constructive decisions and build resilient, thriving democracies.

Position Summary

GCPA is seeking a Volunteer Data Scientist to support our research mission by developing dashboards, visualizations, and data pipelines that help our analysts and policymakers understand complex political, security, and humanitarian data. The ideal candidate brings strong technical skills in data visualization and analytics, and an interest in, or academic background in, international relations and global affairs.

This is a meaningful opportunity to apply your data science skills to real-world policy challenges and contribute to research that reaches policymakers and academics worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain interactive dashboards and data visualizations using Tableau and/or Power BI to support ongoing research projects.
• Collect, clean, and structure datasets from public sources including government databases, international organizations (UN, World Bank, ACLED), and open-source repositories.
• Build and maintain data pipelines and workflows to support recurring reporting needs.
• Collaborate with research analysts to translate complex political and humanitarian data into accessible, compelling visual narratives.
• Assist in the development of quantitative and mixed-methods analyses supporting GCPA publications and briefings.
• Document data sources, methodologies, and processes to maintain analytical transparency and reproducibility.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment.

Required Qualifications

• US citizenship
• Undergraduate degree; Master’s degree or doctoral candidate preferred
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Self-motivated and reliable. Punctual attendance at team meetings and consistent follow-through on commitments.
• Proficiency in Tableau and/or Power BI, including the ability to build publication-quality dashboards from raw data.
• Experience with data wrangling and analysis using Python, R, or SQL.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate data findings clearly to non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic background or professional experience in international relations, political science, security studies, humanitarian affairs, or a related field.
• Familiarity with geospatial data tools (e.g., QGIS, ArcGIS, Kepler.gl) or mapping visualizations.
• Experience working with datasets from international organizations (ACLED, UNHCR, World Bank, GDELT, etc.).
• Exposure to natural language processing (NLP) or text analysis applied to news, policy, or social media data.
• Proficiency in a non-English language is a strong asset.
• Graduate degree or enrollment in a graduate program in data science, statistics, political science, international affairs, or a related discipline.

Requirements

• Availability for 3–5 hours per week on a flexible schedule.
• Ability to attend regular team check-ins (virtual).
• Organized, responsible, and consistent in meeting agreed deadlines.
• Access to a computer with necessary software (GCPA can assist with free/open-source tools where possible).

Benefits

• Hands-on experience applying data science to international policy and humanitarian research.
• Opportunity to contribute to publications and briefings used by policymakers and academics.
• Access to an international network of analysts, researchers, and subject matter experts.
• Professional reference letter upon successful completion of the volunteer term.
• Portfolio-building experience with real-world policy datasets and research deliverables.
• Collaborative, mission-driven environment that values analytical integrity and inclusivity.

How to Apply

Submit your resume, a brief statement of interest (250–500 words), and a relevant data visualization sample or portfolio link. Please indicate your Tableau and/or Power BI experience level and any background in international affairs.

Apply here.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. GCPA is an equal opportunity organization and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.

This is an unpaid volunteer position. GCPA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.