Privacy Fellow

at  Wikimedia Foundation

SUMMARY

Wikimedia envisions a world where the sum total of human knowledge is available to everyone.
The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit home of Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and other free educational projects, serves as the hub of a global movement of hundreds of thousands of contributors collaborating to collect and share the sum of all human knowledge with the world.
As Wikimedia pursues a new global strategic direction, our Legal department is tasked with solving many legal questions, including some that no one has fully considered before. We are looking for a privacy-focused lawyer to join our in-house legal department as Privacy Fellow, specializing in Europe. The Privacy Fellow will provide research and drafting on a variety of topics, as well as gain experience in product counseling, data governance, and privacy-related public policy work. The Privacy Fellow will monitor current developments in Europe and around the world to help the legal department adapt to changing regulations and promote people’s ability to participate in knowledge online. This position provides an immersive in-house experience with specific education and mentorship in the areas of internet regulation, data governance, and privacy law.
This position will report to the Wikimedia Foundation’s Senior Legal Counsel.
The position will last until August 1, 2025.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Graduate degree in law, public policy, or related fields and excellent academic credentials. (Equivalent experience will be considered.)
• Ability to work in English.
• Experience working across borders, on matters in non-U.S. jurisdictions, or for clients outside the U.S., particularly matters relating to European law.
• Deep understanding of privacy and other internet law issues and their context in Europe.
• Experience with large and comprehensive research projects, especially on legal topics.
• Ability to adhere to deadlines, and complete work independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail.
• Experience working with a remote team.
  Please note, this role may call for travel, including internationally, and for travel or work on weekends if and when needed, due to conferences, legal needs, etc. This is not a requirement, and alternate arrangements may be made where appropriate.

• Work individually and in teams under the supervision of attorneys on Wikimedia Foundation’s privacy team, on new and developing issues related to privacy.
• Research and offer guidance to the Foundation on existing and developing data protection regimes in Europe, and around the world.
• Assist the privacy team in its efforts to monitor global developments in privacy that may affect free knowledge.
• Manage and administer several ongoing projects under the supervision of the Foundation legal team.
• Work cross-departmentally with colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation to resolve legal questions and provide counsel.
• Availability for meetings during at least some Pacific Time business hours.
• Occasional other legal projects as assigned.