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Missing Persons Analyst

Location: Worldwide (Remote)

Duration: 3 months (with possible extensions)

Hours: Up to 160 hours/month

The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) is a Syrian human rights organization that pursues meaningful justice and accountability for crimes committed in Syria. SJAC’s Missing Persons program focuses on discovering the fates and whereabouts of Syrians who have gone missing in the country since 2011. 

About the Consultancy: 

SJAC is seeking a consultant to analyze documentation pertaining to the fates and whereabouts of missing persons in Syria and collaborate with the team to understand how systems of detention and disappearance operated in Syria under both Assad and ISIS. The Missing Persons Analyst will review, catalogue, and analyze documentation of human rights violations in Syria (such as videos, interviews, print documents, etc.) in SJAC’s relational database, Bayanat. The Analyst will collaborate with other colleagues in SJAC’s Missing Persons Program to identify areas for investigation, and maybe asked to draft research memos on important findings.

SJAC Data Analysts generally work 160 hours per month and may work hours on their own schedule, with the exception of pre- scheduled meetings on a weekly basis. Consultancy agreements will be made through December 2025, with the option to continue pending performance and available funding. 

General Duties

  • Review missing persons documentation including: family interviews, copies of Assad government and ISIS documents and data, and open-source materials about detention, fatality, and burial events
  • Accurately catalogue missing persons documentation for storage on Bayanat according to SJAC’s established methodology      
  • Identify and communicate important information and trends found in missing persons documentation for use in analysis;
  • Contribute to ad-hoc research and analysis tasks related to SJAC’s investigations into particular incidents, entities, and cases of related to disappearance by the Assad government and ISIS                                       ;
  • Track thematic findings of analysis and investigations and support in the production of research memos to share this knowledge with SJAC colleagues;
  • Participate in regular team calls, and collaborate using online teamwork tools
  • Collaborate with other SJAC Data Analysts to address issues and report on Bayanat bugs;

Qualifications

  • Proficiency in Arabic (spoken and written) and English (especially written) are musts;
  • Knowledge of Syria and the Syrian conflict (including Syrian Arabic dialects); knowledge of enforced disappearance in Syria by the Assad government or ISIS is a plus;
  • Willingness to review and analyze graphic content;
  • Knowledge of gender-based violence and the ability to produce gender-sensitive analysis of the Syrian context preferred;
  • Previous research or data entry experience preferred;
  • Basic proficiency with database software and online user interfaces;
  • Strong work ethic and commitment to accuracy and detail;
  • Ability to handle confidential information;
  • Ability to function professionally and effectively with co-workers and supervisors 

SJAC is a diverse organization made up of 60+ team members around the globe. We pride ourselves in our ability to implement programming that is inclusive and responsive to the needs of all Syrians, and believe that our own team’s diversity of viewpoints and experiences helps us to achieve that goal. We encourage all interested applicants to apply, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.

Applications must be submitted here