About the Position

Dexis is seeking to hire an experienced Subject Matter Expert (SME) Consultant with expertise in Innovation Technology in Closed Environments. This consultant will support the Department of State (DOS) Near East Regional Democracy Freedom Evaluation. This evaluation aims to address the development and fortification of anti-censorship technologies that enable users in-country to maintain secure, uninterrupted access to the global internet despite severe government-sponsored internet disruptions and shutdowns. The evaluation should integrate a lens on the nexus between internet freedom and civil society activities to support future strategic planning.

The period of performance for this evaluation is 12 months. This position is contingent upon contract award.

Responsibilities

• Provides authoritative technical advice and input regarding innovation technology in closed environments. 
• Collaborate with the Team Lead to develop and execute the work plan.
• Serves as a spokesperson on technical issues.
• Conduct qualitative research, literature reviews, and other desktop studies, particularly related to innovation technologies.
• Clean, code, and manage large volumes of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Provide support for data visualization and analysis.
• Draft reports, findings from evaluations, presentations and briefs, and other products.
• Provide additional support, including copy editing, preparing deliverables, and other tasks as needed.
• Engage partners, clients, and relevant stakeholders regarding research planning and execution as needed and under guidance of Team Lead.
• Communicate results to partners, clients, and other relevant stakeholders through check-in meetings, and other debriefs as needed.

Qualifications 

• Relevant degree/experience in prior work/studies in internet freedom in non-permissive environments.
• PhD and 4 years of relevant experience, or a MS/MA/MB and 5 years of relevant experience, or a BS/BA and 6 years of relevant experience, or 10 years of relevant work experience in lieu of a degree.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating USAID and/or Department of State foreign assistance is required.
• Demonstrated expertise and skills in designing and implementing evaluations is required, as well as experience conducting foreign assistance evaluations via direct or remote data collection activities in non-permissive environments.
• Experience and skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis and the preparation of the evaluation report.
• Skilled in research design, or quantitative and qualitative methods in non-permissive environments is required.
• Experience with developing, deploying, and maintaining anti-censorship and circumvention tools and technologies in oppressed environments prone to full or partial internet shutdowns (e.g. VPNs, peer to peer communications, satellite communications, censorship techniques, ISP monitoring, etc).
• Active Secret clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Knowledge of or proficiency in Farsi or Persian is desired but not required.
• Experience in closed-country environment required, and experience in the near-east region highly desirable.
• Experience providing high-level oral briefs for senior-level USG officials is preferred.