UNPAID VOLUNTEER - Director of Legal Research

Digital Technology Institute for Development (DTID)

6d•Remote

About The Position

The Digital Technology Institute for Development (DTID) is seeking an accomplished Director of Legal Research to provide strategic and academic leadership to the organisation's legal research activities. This position is specifically intended for an experienced legal scholar or academic legal researcher with a strong record of conducting and publishing substantive legal research. The successful candidate will lead DTID's research at the intersection of law, emerging digital technologies, climate change and sustainable development, including areas such as technology law, climate law, environmental governance, carbon markets, artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital regulation. The Director of Legal Research will oversee the end-to-end research process, provide leadership to Legal Research Officers, develop strategic research priorities, contribute to high-quality publications and strengthen DTID's engagement with governments, legislators, international organisations, academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The role will also contribute to DTID's engagement with policymakers and climate negotiators by translating academic legal research into practical policy insights, briefings and recommendations. Academic legal research experience and a demonstrable record of research publications are essential requirements for this position. Candidates whose professional experience is primarily in legal practice, without substantive academic or policy research experience in areas relevant to technology, climate, environmental or related law, should consider DTID's Legal Advisor or Legal Assistant opportunities instead.

Requirements

Excellent written and spoken English.
Exceptional academic legal research and analytical skills.
Strong record of scholarly writing, editing and publication.
Strong strategic and intellectual leadership capability.
Excellent critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Ability to identify important and emerging legal research questions.
Strong organisational and time-management skills.
Ability to manage large-scale and long-term research programmes.
Ability to lead, mentor and develop highly qualified researchers.
Strong professional judgement and research integrity.
Ability to integrate different disciplines and areas of expertise into coherent research programmes.
Strong stakeholder-engagement and relationship-management skills.
Ability to communicate complex legal and academic concepts clearly to policymakers and non-specialist audiences.
Strong presentation and public-speaking skills.
Ability to develop and maintain strategic research collaborations.
Ability to work independently and provide leadership within a remote and internationally distributed organisation.
Ability to manage competing priorities, budgets and research deadlines.
A collaborative, credible and intellectually rigorous leadership style.
Strong knowledge or research expertise in one or more of the following areas: Technology law and digital regulation, Artificial intelligence law and governance, Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology law, Climate change law and policy, Environmental law and governance, Carbon market law and regulation, Climate finance regulation, Renewable energy law and policy, Natural resource governance, Data protection, digital governance and technology policy, International environmental law, Public international law relevant to climate and sustainable development, Legal frameworks supporting responsible emerging-technology adoption, Academic legal research methodologies, Comparative and interdisciplinary legal research.
Substantial expertise in at least one relevant field and the ability to lead multidisciplinary legal research.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant legal research, reference-management and academic research tools.
Professional proficiency in English.
Significant experience developing and managing academic legal research projects.
A strong and demonstrable track record of peer-reviewed publications, books, book chapters, research reports or other substantial legal research outputs.
Experience designing, planning and delivering independent legal research.
Experience leading multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary research initiatives.
Experience supervising, mentoring or managing researchers.
Experience developing and maintaining academic or institutional research collaborations.
Experience translating academic research into policy-relevant outputs.
Experience engaging policymakers, legislators, international organisations or other senior institutional stakeholders.
Experience developing research proposals and, ideally, securing or managing research funding.
Experience contributing to strategic and operational research planning.
Experience managing research resources, priorities and deliverables.
Experience presenting research findings at conferences, seminars, policy forums or comparable external engagements.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of international climate processes, including the UNFCCC and related policy frameworks.
A PhD in Law or another closely related discipline with a strong legal research component.
Equivalent advanced academic qualifications and an exceptional record of substantive legal research and publication.
Relevant specialist expertise or academic training in areas such as: Technology law, Climate or environmental law, International law, Digital governance, Artificial intelligence regulation, Blockchain or financial technology law, Sustainability and environmental policy.
Knowledge of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish or another international language.
Internationally recognised research leadership or a sustained record of contributing to influential legal or policy research.
Experience within a university, research institution, think tank, international organisation, nonprofit organisation or comparable research environment.

Responsibilities

Lead DTID's legal research agenda across technology law, climate law, environmental governance and related areas.
Supervise Legal Research Officers and provide academic, technical and strategic guidance on research projects.
Develop and oversee high-quality legal research, publications, policy papers, briefing notes and other research outputs.
Identify priority research questions at the intersection of emerging digital technologies, climate policy and sustainable development.
Develop strategic research and knowledge partnerships with universities, research institutions, governments, international organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
Review and approve legal research outputs to ensure academic quality, accuracy and policy relevance.
Lead or contribute to multidisciplinary research projects across DTID.
Translate complex legal research into practical insights for policymakers, legislators, climate negotiators and non-specialist audiences.
Contribute research expertise to conferences, webinars, policy forums, executive briefings and external engagements.
Support the development of funded research proposals and strategic research initiatives.
Contribute to DTID's senior-level research planning and institutional strategy.
Monitor research progress, resource requirements and delivery against agreed priorities.

Benefits

Lead an international programme of academic and policy-oriented legal research.
Shape DTID's legal research agenda on climate, emerging technologies and sustainable development.
Publish and contribute to substantive legal research, policy papers and institutional publications.
Lead and mentor an international team of legal researchers.
Develop research partnerships with academic institutions, governments and international organisations.
Engage policymakers, legislators and other senior stakeholders on emerging legal and regulatory issues.
Work at the intersection of law, artificial intelligence, blockchain, climate action and sustainable development.
Strengthen international academic and professional networks.
Participate in relevant conferences, policy forums, webinars and institutional engagements.
Contribute directly to DTID's research leadership, policy influence and institutional development.