Principal Duties:

Having received renewed support for work on NHRIs, HRP is looking to appoint a fellow to assist in the development of a program of work related to a broad examination of NHRIs, their successes, and ongoing challenges NHRIs face in different political settings. The initial period of appointment is one year, potentially renewable for additional one year appointments. The fellow will be supervised  primarily by HRP's Faculty Director and Academic Director with some involvement of HRP's Executive and Clinical Directors (HRP's Directors).

The fellow will help develop projects and activities related to the NHRI Initiative in consultation with HRP's Directors. Initially, the fellow will be responsible for assisting and seeing to fruition the projects HRP has already devised. However it is should be understood that there will be ample opportunity to develop additional activities, based on the fellow's ideas, expertise, and initiative.

Activities:

Activities anticipated during the first year of the fellowship:

- Convening an academic conference: An outcome from 2008 NHRI meeting was an idea to survey the best (and worst) NHRI practices across a range of topics, to provide a foundation to summarize the collected wisdom and reframe the role of NHRIs as both independent from and part of the governments and civil societies in which they operate. One operational output of this work could be to help commissions interface better with the UN system and other actors regionally and internationally.

The fellow, in consultation with HRP's Directors, would identify topics and expert scholars who would draft papers and participate at
the conference. Topics might include: the role of NHRIs in the international system; the new NHRI International Coordinating
Committee (ICC) accreditation process; NHRI involvement with non-state actors (such as multinational corporations and armed rebel groups); the relationship of NHRIs and various governmental branches (e.g. legislature, judiciary); NHRIs and other entities charged with human rights protection (e.g. gender commissions); NHRIs and elections, and so on. The fellow would also be responsible for producing background papers when appropriate. Additional responsibilities related to the conference may include overseeing logistical arrangements, consulting with support staff on ground arrangements, and so forth.

- Assisting in the production of an edited volume: As an outcome of the conference, the fellow would oversee the logistical and editorial production of a collected volume of essays that would be published in HRP's human rights series with Harvard University Press.

- Possible assistance in other publications: HRP may collaborate with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights-National Institutions Unit (OHCHR) (or work on its own) on issue specific publications, with an eye towards filling gaps in scholarship.

- Travel and participation in international conferences: There is an expectation that the fellow would travel and participate in selected international conferences sponsored by the OHCHR or ICC; selection of such conferences would be in consultation with HRP's Directors, and would be limited to a reasonable number per year.

- Development and supervision of clinical projects: Should the fellow have the credentials, experience, and interest in clinical work, s/he may be invited to develop up to two clinical projects per academic year (in consultation with the Executive and Clinical Directors) related to NHRIs.

Qualifications:

The fellow should hold a J.D. or Ph.D (or the equivalent) and significant research or practical experience on NHRIs. Ideally, s/he
should have publications in the area and preferably be familiar with social science as well as human rights methodologies. Residence in Cambridge is required, although some flexibility may be possible in the second year.

Compensation:

This is a full-time annual (12-month) appointment. The stipend is variable upon experience: a junior fellow (5 years or less from final terminal degree) will receive USD $45K plus health/dental insurance; a senior fellow (over 5 years from final terminal degree) USD $60K plus health/dental insurance.

Application Instructions:

Please email a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, and one writing sample to Mindy Jane Roseman, HRP's Academic Director, at
mroseman@law.harvard.edu. In the subject line of the email, please clearly indicate "NHRI Fellow Application."

Applications may also be submitted via fax at 1-617-495-9393, or sent via regular mail to the following address:

Mindy Jane Roseman
Academic Director, HRP
Pound Hall 401
1563 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
USA

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, though no later than August 8, 2008. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure consideration, as a decision may be made before the application deadline. Due to the expected heavy volume of applications, only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. This fellowship position is intended to start around mid-September 2008.