START-UWT is Looking for Hourly Help!

Position: Terrorist Ideology Project –Research Assistant
Division: Unconventional Weapons and Technology Division, START
Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Rank: Hourly
Position Salary: $15/hr
Additional Salary Info: This position is not eligible for benefits.
Start Date: August 30th, 2016

General Project Description: There is little debate that, along with creating focal points for participants' grievances, an ideology can operate as a set of important motivating concepts. These include, but are not limited to, explanations of the circumstances under-girding grievances, identifications of culpable parties and their allies, and frameworks for the redress of injustices and the formulation of a new social, political, or historical order.

Terrorism researchers have long examined ideology as a compelling impetus for recruitment, as a means of organizational fusion, and as a justification of various violent activities (whether against outsiders or against members themselves, through suicide bombings). However, debate continues as to the precise roles and impact ideologies have in supporting and promulgating terrorist behavior. Moreover, it is yet to be resolved how the manifold roles ideology may play interact with varying terrorist milieus (e.g., ethno-nationalist, religious, revivalist), as well as with differing organizational structures (e.g., hierarchical, cellular, loosely aggregated).

The Terrorist Ideology Project (TIP) is geared to address this puzzle and set these questions into context for continuing academic and professional terrorism analysis. TIP is pioneering an empirically-grounded, longitudinal set of ideological data and analytical instruments that will promote systematic studies on the dynamic relationship between terrorist behaviors, terrorist organizations, and their associated ideologies.

Specific Position Description: The Terrorist Ideology Project relies on a body of collected ideological artifacts. These artifacts act as the basic data through which the project can study hypothetical relationships between a militant group’s ideas and its behaviors. In order to make sure these artifacts are prepared for use during later stages of the project and for use by future researchers, the project requires an hourly assistant to act as curator.

The selected individual would be responsible for the following tasks:
- Developing a structure for the artifact library, consisting of categories and subcategories that provide a relational foundation for user queries and collection reporting
- Developing an artifact collection auditing template, which will serve automated reporting purposes
- Developing a manual for database use and database in-fill, detailing how a user can query, search and aggregate artifacts or meta-data on artifacts for easy reference
- Developing a manual for depositing new artifacts in the database
- Reviewing, editing and ensuring the accuracy of artifact meta-data information; with particular attention to ensuring that meta-data accurately reflects categories and relationships found in the functional library
- Populating the library structure with all artifacts and associated meta-data collected to the current moment

Minimum Qualifications:
- Possess or is completing a bachelor’s degree in a field related to terrorism studies and/or library and information sciences
- Possess at least a 3.50 GPA
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
- Strong writing skills

Preferred Qualifications:
- Previous experience working with cataloged materials; e.g., as a library assistant, archivist’s assistant, medical office aid, etc.
- Previous experience producing technical writing products; e.g., written manuals describing use of work technologies, protocols or processes
- Previous experience studying militant movements and/or terrorist organizations
- Has previously worked at least one complete semester as a START intern

How to apply: Please send cover letter, resume and 2 page writing sample to Herbert Tinsley (htinsley@umd.edu). Please put “TIP Hourly Assistant” in the subject line of your email.
For best consideration apply by August 23rd.

The University of Maryland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.