Legal and Advocacy Officer (Equity and Data)

Deadline for applications: 27 September, 2024. €40,000-45,000. Brussels, Belgium

The Centre for Democracy & Technology, Europe (CDT Europe) is seeking a Legal & Advocacy Officer to support our work protecting human rights and democracy in the digital age. This position offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) in its implementation phase as well as other legislative efforts, assessing the current legal landscape’s ability to effectively guard against and provide effective remedies for AI-enabled human rights harms, and formulating recommendations for robust regulation and governance of AI.
The Legal and Advocacy Officer will join CDT’s Equity and Data programme, supporting the development of the organisation’s policy positioning and engagement with secondary legislation and ancillary documents under the AI Act. The position will be based in CDT Europe’s office in Brussels, Belgium.

About CDT Europe:

At CDT Europe, we work to increase equality, amplify voices, and promote human rights in European level law and policy debates. We champion policies, laws, and technical designs that protect against invasive, discriminatory, and exploitative uses of new technologies. We use our in-depth tech policy knowledge to build capacity and, in turn, learn from other civil society partners on issues such as discriminatory impact of algorithms and participation in online debates. In our interventions, CDT Europe insists that technology services be transparent, accountable, and respect human rights. We advocate that regulation should set limits on the collection and use of personal information and give people greater control. Our work also focuses on curtailing government surveillance and government censorship, enabling all people to access and share information of their choosing without harassment or undue interference. For more information, please visit https://cdt.org/eu/

Responsibilities:

The Legal and Advocacy Officer will support CDT’s Equity and Data Programme through:

• Researching a broad spectrum of EU laws and and assessing their applicability to artificial intelligence from a human rights perspective;
• Supporting the monitoring of the AI Act’s implementation phase, as well as the development of the Artificial Intelligence Liability Directive and related laws;
• Background research to support the development of CDT’s policy positions;
• Supporting the drafting of policy papers, blog posts, joint letters;
• Developing and sustaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Engaging with EU institutions on digital policy files.

Qualifications:

An ideal candidate would have:

• At least 2-3 years of work experience (internships included) in the area of EU law and policy making relating to technology and democracy and human rights;
• A degree in a relevant field (e.g., law, computer science, information technology, public policy);
• Knowledge of EU decision making processes;
• Familiarity with and understanding of the challenges posed by new technologies to existing legal concepts and frameworks, particularly GDPR and the AI Act;
• Robust research skills and experience analysing complex legal or policy issues. Experience researching new technologies, understanding their functioning and their impacts on human rights is highly desirable.
• Fluent in English with excellent verbal and written communication skills, other languages are an advantage but not required;
• An energetic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative working style.

Remuneration and benefits package:

• Full-time, fixed-term one year Belgian employment contract, with potential for renewal based on performance and availability of funding;
• Salary scale: €40,000-45,000 gross per annum depending on experience;
• Must have a right to work in Belgium;
• Location: Brussels, Belgium;
• Benefits include: hospitalisation insurance, pension contribution and meal vouchers.

Application process:

Please send a copy of your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest and how your experience and qualifications match the requirements to hr@cdt.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Deadline for applications: 27 September, 2024.

The Centre for Democracy & Technology is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer. CDT does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation in any of its activities or operations. We believe that a diverse staff enables us to do better and more impactful work. Women, people of colour, and members of low-income, disadvantaged, and LGBTQI communities are strongly encouraged to apply.