Junior Fellowship Opportunity

Freedom in the World 2025–26 Junior Fellowship

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Position Summary

Freedom House is seeking motivated candidates for the eight-month Freedom in the World 2025-2026 Junior Fellowship program. Freedom in the World is Freedom House’s flagship analysis on political rights and civil liberties in 210 countries and territories. Produced annually since 1973, it is the most widely read and cited report of its kind, used on a regular basis by policymakers, journalists, academics, activists, and others. Freedom in the World is regularly cited in major news outlets and in speeches by high-level government officials, among many other places. The next cohort of Junior Fellows will begin at the start of the Freedom in the World 2026 project cycle and follow the project through to completion in early 2026.

Each Junior Fellow will be hired to join Freedom House on a fixed-term contract. At the completion of the fellowship, they will have developed a range of highly marketable skills that will help propel them on to successful careers.

Junior Fellows will work closely with other members of the Research and Analysis team to ensure that all Freedom in the World research outputs adhere to the highest standards of quality and analytical integrity.

The eight-month, full-time fellowship is anticipated to begin in mid-July 2025, and end in mid-March 2026.

Freedom House’s Research and Analysis division is located in New York City, and Freedom House headquarters is located in Washington, DC. Junior Fellows will be based in either New York or Washington, D.C.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct data analysis, contribute to the development and launch of analytical pieces, social media content, infographics, and other support materials, and participate in briefings to key stakeholders, including US congressional and administrative staff on Freedom in the World findings
• Develop and train a network of regional and thematic experts and acting as their primary point of contact;
• Maintain communication with external analysts, research staff, and programs staff;
• Coordinate the research process for an assigned region;
• Track democracy and human rights developments in the assigned region;
• Coordinate logistics for expert workshops;
• May require light domestic travel to participate in briefings and meetings.

Qualifications

Education

• Applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree in political science, human rights, international relations, media studies, language studies, or a related field between August 2024 and June 2025. Individuals who have begun or completed graduate studies are not eligible for the Junior Fellowship program.

Experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in democracy and human rights around the world.
• Experience with MS Office and database management.

Technical Skills and Abilities

• Comfort working with limited supervision on long-term tasks, finding solutions to problems as they arise, and taking ownership of your work.
• Superb attention to detail and an ability to produce error-free work on tight deadlines.
• Outstanding organizational skills and a keen desire to learn to use project management tools such as Asana, Trello, and Airtable.
• Proven ability to analyze complex information, and to draft elegant and concise summaries for a general audience.
• Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality and exhibit unquestionable integrity, honesty, and forthrightness.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to respond promptly to inquiries in a courteous and professional manner.
• Ability to successfully work collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, external partners, and funders.
• Strong interest in Africa.
• Ability to assess one’s own strengths and weaknesses; pursue training and development opportunities; strive to continuously build knowledge and skills.
• Ability to work as an effective team member, successfully balancing individual and team responsibilities.

Working Conditions:

• Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting or remote work.
• May require long hours including evenings and weekends to complete tasks.
• Travel to some countries, for business or in some cases personal reasons, while a Freedom House employee, may not be advisable or even possible due to high security risks.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Only candidates who are selected to be interviewed will be contacted.

How to Apply:

Apply by submitting the following documents, as PDF attachments, through the Freedom House careers website by January 29th, 2025:

• A resume (1 page)
• A cover letter that addresses both of the following questions (1,000 words max):
  • What does defending democracy mean to you? We are interested in your personal thoughts and experiences, and how these relate to themes Freedom House identified in its most recent edition of Freedom in the World. You will be evaluated on thematic cohesiveness, quality of writing, and ability to demonstrate your dedication to democratic ideals.
  • How does the Junior Fellowship fit into your short- and long-term professional goals, and what do you hope to gain from the experience? You should identify how your experience and professional goals relate to items listed under Position Summary and Preferred Competencies.
• Official or unofficial transcript.
  • Your transcript is one part of an overall application package, and factors including GPA, choice of courses, course load, and academic institution are not formally weighted. Your transcript will primarily be referenced to verify your eligibility for the Junior Fellowship.

Tips for Preparing Your Application:

• For security purposes, please ensure all the documents you upload are in PDF format.
• Cover letters will be assessed on the quality of your writing, and whether they answer the questions posed.
• Cover letters should share information beyond what is provided in your resume.
• Materials must adhere to the stated page, word limits, and use a legible font.

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected]

Freedom House is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, or protected veteran status, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.
 

Fellowship Timeline

Summer 2025:

• Introduction to Freedom House and Freedom in the World
• Develop and train a network of regional and thematic experts

Fall 2025:          

• Plan, coordinate, and execute a series of expert workshops
• Conduct research related to the Freedom in the World 2026 report

Winter 2025-2026:

• Contribute to the analysis of Freedom in the World 2026 findings
• Begin and carry out capstone project
• Prepare for Freedom in the World 2026 launch

The eight-month, full-time fellowship will begin on or around July 14, 2025, and end on March 13, 2026.