Online Volunteer for Legal Research on Ethical Decision-Making

Job Posting Organization:
Action Lab for Development is an organization dedicated to advancing education, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security, and advocacy to empower entrepreneurs and newcomers while promoting creative economies in Canada. Established in 2024 as an Extra-Provincial Corporation in Alberta, Canada, the organization has been granted special consultative status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2020, reflecting its commitment to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The organization operates with a mission that includes five key objectives: providing tools for creative innovation, enabling networking and training for entrepreneurs, educating about fair business practices, guiding emerging entrepreneurs in understanding social ecosystems, and encouraging youth involvement in volunteering. The organization focuses on areas such as food security, advocacy, and education, aiming to positively impact local innovators and newcomers who face challenges in integration and starting life in a new environment. The organization believes that access to education, particularly in social entrepreneurship, is a powerful tool for these individuals, enabling them to turn their experiences into practical solutions for their communities.

Job Overview:
The Action Lab for Development Association is launching a 12-week research and engagement initiative that explores the intersection of AI, law, and ethics in healthcare. The organization is seeking three online volunteers to support the Legal Research on Ethical Decision-Making, Guiding Personal Life Choices, Illness Outbreak Detection, and Medical Diagnosis Using MoralityCode AI Project. Each volunteer will focus on a specific research stream, contributing to the understanding of how ethical AI can support health monitoring, outbreak detection, and public health interventions while upholding privacy, informed consent, equitable treatment, and ethical decision-making. The initiative aims to generate knowledge, policy insights, and community-focused recommendations, demonstrating how ethical AI can guide public health decisions and empower individuals and communities. Volunteers will engage in various methodologies, including doctrinal legal research and comparative legal analysis, to achieve the project's objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities for each online volunteer are as follows: Online Volunteer 1 will focus on AI Ethics and Responsible Decision-Making Research Support, which includes researching ethical principles related to AI-assisted personal decision-making in healthcare, analyzing ethical dilemmas, developing hypothetical case studies, and preparing a short research paper. Online Volunteer 2 will engage in Legal and Comparative Policy Research Support, conducting doctrinal legal research on healthcare laws, comparing legal frameworks in Canada and the UK, identifying legal gaps, and preparing a research paper summarizing findings and recommendations. Online Volunteer 3 will work on Public Health Applications and Outbreak Detection Research Support, mapping applications of MoralityCode AI in outbreak detection, researching AI tools for public health response, developing hypothetical case studies, and preparing a research paper on practical applications and recommendations. Each volunteer will contribute to the overall goal of responsible AI research in healthcare.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the position include a strong interest in AI ethics, healthcare law, and public health research. Volunteers should possess analytical skills, the ability to conduct thorough research, and a commitment to ethical standards in AI applications. Familiarity with legal frameworks related to healthcare and data privacy is essential, as well as the ability to communicate findings effectively through written reports. Volunteers should also demonstrate a collaborative spirit and a willingness to engage with complex ethical and legal issues.

Educational Background:
Candidates for the online volunteer positions should ideally have a background in law, public health, ethics, or a related field. A degree or coursework in these areas will be beneficial, as it will provide the necessary foundation for understanding the complexities of AI applications in healthcare and the associated ethical and legal considerations.

Experience:
While prior experience in legal research or public health is not mandatory, any relevant experience will be considered an asset. Volunteers should be comfortable working independently and managing their time effectively to meet project deadlines. Experience in writing research papers or reports will also be advantageous.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory for all volunteers, as all research and documentation will be conducted in English. Knowledge of additional languages, particularly French, will be considered a plus, as it may enhance communication and understanding of diverse perspectives in the research.

Additional Notes:
This is a volunteer position, and the duration of the assignment is 12 weeks. Volunteers will work remotely and are expected to commit a reasonable amount of time each week to fulfill their responsibilities. Upon successful completion of the project, volunteers will receive an official Certificate of Appreciation issued by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, recognizing their contributions to responsible AI research in healthcare through Action Lab for Development.