Country Research Consultant (Brazil / India / South Africa)

ISD is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organisation dedicated to safeguarding elections, freedom, national security, public safety and individual rights by reversing the rising global tide of polarisation, extremism, foreign interference and authoritarianism. Combining research and analysis with government advisory work and the design and delivery of training, education and communications programs, ISD works to implement real-world, evidence-based responses to these challenges.

Why work for ISD? 

ISD is not your ordinary think tank. We turn research into action that changes the world. Our insights don't gather dust on shelves - they power the fight to protect democracy and human rights on the front lines. We're committed to delivering real change, from the grassroots to the highest levels of global institutions. And we're looking for passionate individuals who share our commitment to making a difference. Join us and be part of an organisation that's making an impact. 

 
ISD's Guiding Principles of  integrity, collaboration, agility and courage  define who we are as a team and an organisation. These principles reflect our culture and guide the way we work and the choices we make. 

Location 

Remote - based in or with deep knowledge of the Brazilian / Indian / South African context

Contract type 

Fixed-term consultant contract until 30 June 2027, for a maximum of 6-9 days per month.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 

ISD is committed to promoting diversity throughout its workforce and aims for its team to be truly representative of all sections of society. We make a concerted effort to ensure our workplace, employment policies and organisational culture creates an inclusive, positive and progressive environment in which all members of our team are treated with dignity and respect. For further information about this policy or our recruitment practices, please email [email protected]. 

 
We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, carers, and people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. 

Consultancy Purpose 

We are seeking a Country Research Consultant for Brazil / India / South Africa to provide expert country-level support across the full project cycle. The consultant will work closely with the ISD Germany project team and counterpart consultants in the other two countries, contributing both deep contextual expertise and hands-on analytical capacity.

The consultant will need to be available to start as soon as possible, for a maximum of 6-9 days per month until 30 June 2027. The consultant will be expected to fully integrate with the project team on working days and keep regular working hours (9am – 5pm CET).

To view full consultancy terms of reference, please click here.

Key responsibilities include:

Digital ethnography and narrative analysis (Phases 1 and 2)

• Identify and map actors, communities and channels involved in producing or amplifying information manipulation about Germany in Brazil / India / South Africa on the two priority platforms including influential accounts, media outlets, influencers, and diaspora actors propagating distorted or misleading narratives relevant to Germany's economic interests

• Conduct systematic qualitative observation and longitudinal monitoring of public content on those platforms across the country-specific monitoring period

• Code and analyse content using ISD's established frameworks for information manipulation and influence operations, with attention to themes including economic stability, migration, labour market conditions, safety, and treatment of foreign workers

• Apply narrative salience and relative traction analyses to assess the prominence and potential influence of identified narratives

• Produce a country-specific narrative brief synthesising findings, key actors, and salient narratives

Survey design and analysis (Phases 3 and 4)

• Assist in translating the country-specific narrative mapping into substantive inputs for the survey, including identifying the most salient narratives and framings to be tested with respondents in Brazil / India / South Africa

Integration, reporting, and stakeholder engagement (Phase 5)

• Contribute country-specific content to the Monitoring Report and the Impact Assessment

• Participate in cross-country synthesis discussions and contribute to comparative analytical framing

Project management and collaboration

• Participate in regular project team meetings (weekly or bi-weekly during active research phases) and contribute to cross-country synthesis calls

• Adhere to ISD's research ethics, safeguarding, and data protection protocols, including those for researcher wellbeing when handling potentially distressing content

• Maintain clear documentation of research activities and findings

The ideal candidate 

The ideal candidates will combine methodological rigour in qualitative online research with deep, current contextual knowledge of Brazil / India / South Africa.

Please review our  consultancy terms of reference for essential criteria, and keep in mind that no candidate will meet every requirement in the advert. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified, but you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you. 

How to apply

Applications should be submitted by 7th June 2026. ISD reserves the right to conduct interviews and make appointments prior to the stated deadline. Applications may be submitted in English.
 

If you have any further questions about this vacancy or want to speak to a member of our recruitment team, please contact [email protected].