Legal Consultant - OSINT Admissibility in Legal Processes (Ukraine)

About CIR The Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) is an independent organisation dedicated to exposing human rights violations and threats to democracy. We achieve this through open-source research, digital investigations, capacity-building with local partners, and collaboration with media to amplify our impact. CIR was born out of a determination to expose those spreading harm – online and offline – around the world, particularly in areas of violent conflict, such as Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar. Our projects are at the forefront of efforts to investigate and document human rights abuses, war crimes, harms targeting women and minorities, and influence operations. We work closely with multilateral and national justice accountability bodies. Role details Contract Type : Contractor Contract duration: Until 31 March 2027. Immediate start is available. Hours needed for this role: 0.6 FTE (approximately 12 days per month) Languages : Native-level fluency in Ukrainian is essential. Professional working fluency in English is essential. Location : Kyiv, Ukraine , with requirement for occasional travel within Ukraine. Hybrid working is possible at CIR’s office premises in Kyiv. Closing date: CIR will evaluate candidates on a rolling basis from now until the position is filled. We encourage candidates to apply early as we are aiming to fill the role quickly. About the role The overall objective for this role is to support the admissibility of open-source (OSINT) evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine's domestic legal proceedings. To achieve this, the Legal Consultant will work to increase the ability of legal officials to assess the admissibility of material derived from OSINT investigations for use in domestic Ukrainian war crimes trials. The Consultant will identify, document, and propose solutions to practical and procedural challenges, facilitate the exchange of knowledge between domestic and international partners, and formulate possible recommendations for future methodological and institutional developments. In practical terms, the Consultant’s work will be a combination of training delivery, convening workshops and roundtables for international and Ukrainian legal practitioners, and research into challenges and solutions to make OSINT more admissible in Ukrainian war crimes cases. The Consultant will address practical challenges in the use of digital evidence by focusing on contemporary legal issues such as the reliability, verification, and archiving of OSINT material, or the legal standing of OSINT practitioners in courtrooms. The Consultant will priortise practical real-world assistance that facilitates the admissibility of OSINT in day-to-day Ukrainian courtroom settings, rather than through advocating for legislative change or producing academic-style research outputs. This is an exciting new role in CIR’s work focusing on Ukraine and the Consultant will have substantial scope to shape how they approach their work. They will be supported in their work by a project coordinator, as well as a team of experienced OSINT investigators and trainers. The successful candidate will bring the confidence, interpersonal skills, and experience of Ukraine's domestic legal processes needed to engage authoritatively with justice and accountability mechanisms. Main Responsibilities Design and deliver training programmes and practical exercises for judges, prosecutors, and other legal professionals to advance the effective use and admission of OSINT and digital evidence in war crimes and accountability processes within Ukraine’s domestic legal jurisdiction. Develop guidance, training materials, and practical resources to support the admissibility and effective use of OSINT evidence in Ukrainian legal proceedings. Facilitate the exchange of knowledge between Ukrainian and international legal practitioners by convening roundtables, workshops, or conference events. Identify and document key structural and procedural challenges, developments and successes in the admissibility of OSINT material in domestic war crimes cases in the Ukrainian domestic legal system and make recommendations accordingly. Work with judicial institutions, prosecutors, legal experts, and international and domestic partners to embed OSINT best practices and standards within legal processes, on practices such as chain of custody preservation, evidence verification, and digital archiving. Assist with monitoring programme impact, gathering beneficiary feedback, and continuously refining training and support to meet evolving operational requirements. Facilitate institutional collaboration between CIR and justice and accountability stakeholders, acting as a representative of CIR. Essential Criteria: Experience of OSINT investigations, methodologies, and handling of digital evidence derived from OSINT. Experience of criminal investigations and prosecutions within Ukraine’s domestic legal system, preferably in the field of war crimes and international crimes. Understanding of evidentiary principles, legal processes, and the use of digital evidence in accountability proceedings. Strong written and verbal communication skills, in both Ukrainian and English languages. Desirable Criteria: Experience of digital evidence handling in international or European legal casework. Experience of developing and delivering training curricula, workshops, or practical learning exercises for specialist and non-specialist audiences. Established networks — and experience of managing and building relationships — with relevant government institutions, justice and accountability bodies, international human rights or humanitarian lawyers, or civil society actors. Experience of working within civil society or non-governmental organisations. Educational background in international criminal law, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, or similar. We strongly encourage interested candidates to apply, even if you do not have all the skills and experience listed above. Recruitment Process Please upload your CV with a brief note about your availability and areas of expertise. CIR is an equal opportunities employer. If you require adjustments or additional support to complete this process, please let us know in your application.