Volunteer Researcher

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The Society Library is looking for researchers to work on a contract basis to complete a structured knowledge database on the topic of "nuclear energy" for public educational purposes. The topics included in the knowledge base include modeling the U.S. centric, English-based societal discourse regarding nuclear energy safety, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, potential, reliability, byproducts and waste, vulnerabilities, geopolitical significance, ecological footprint, domestic politicization, comparison with other energy solutions, and general marketability.

This database is designed to connect public sentiment, understanding, and expression with technical and industry-specific expertise and knowledge. Therefore, we will be extracting arguments, claims, evidence, and sentiments from a variety of sources, including disparate forms of media which express knowledge at different levels of expertise and subject matter familiarity.

Responsibilities Include (but are not limited to):

• Either manually or computationally aggregating lists of high-integrity sources of information on a variety of nuclear energy related subjects assigned to you, including gathering books, textbooks, web content, news articles, scholarly works, online videos, documentaries, podcasts, and more which feature pertinent knowledge or sentiments.
• Either manually or computationally (using our tools) deconstructing sources of information; deriving arguments, claims, and evidence from deconstructed media sources for input into a database.
• Either manually or computationally clustering and categorizing qualitative sentiments, arguments, and claims.
• Either manually or computationally inputting structured data in a knowledge base.
• Performing due diligence research, fact-checking, and building logical proofs.
• Work with SME and Master Cataloguer to ensure high-integrity topic coverage and knowledge representation.
• Upholding the Society Library’s virtues and values in all research activities and work-related conduct and communications.

At a minimum, we prefer that you have the following:

• High level web research, advanced search techniques, and logical processing skills
• Expertise in searching technical and scientific resources
• Be effective at iterative search functions, can analyze/synthesize/distill complex information, and maintain high-integrity record-keeping
• High level attention to detail and accuracy in all work performed
• While topic knowledge is helpful, it is not required to effectively source data

We would love if you also have most of these qualifications:

• Have experience with knowledge graph databases, debate or argument mapping, data visualization, or topic cataloguing
• Have experience sourcing and searching databases, open data lakes, and libraries
• Experience collaborating with team-members in a deadline-driven, process-oriented environment
• Proven ability to work in a rigorous, fast-moving work environment
• Strong problem-solving skills, dedication, and patience allowing you to complete and rigorously review every stage of challenging project work
• Ability to drive results while striving for consistency and process compliance

You will be given additional consideration if you:

• Have subject matter expertise in nuclear policy, nuclear physics, or adjacent subjects would be preferred
• Have an existing network of SME in nuclear policy, nuclear physics, or adjacent subjects would be preferred
• Have data science or programming expertise and skills

About The Society Library

The Society Library is a 501(c)3 collective intelligence nonprofit organization that produces knowledge products designed to augment and improve understanding and decision-making about social and political issues. These knowledge products include: libraries of structured knowledge, models of societal-scale deliberations, decision-making models and protocols, and educational meta-literacy and media literacy programs.