Jose is a former Truth Commission (CAVR) Senior Staff and currently the Coordinator of ETCRN (East Timor Crisis Reflection Network). He was born in Betulari (a sub village) under the foot of Matebian Mountain in the Eastern part of Timor Leste. He was a member of East Timor Students Solidarity Council for resistance in Timor Leste from 1998 – 1999. Jose was a founding member of SATILOS foundation and became General Secretary of the foundation from 1999 – 2002. In addition, he acted as Board Member of Timor Leste's NGO Forum from 2001 – 2002.

Jose joined the small interim office to prepare the establishment of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) in Timor Leste in 2001. In February 2002 when the Commission was officially formed, he became the Coordinator of the Program Support Division, which was responsible for institutional development, community outreach, media liaison and public information. From May 2004, at the end of Commission, Jose became Coordinator of Archives Team which was responsible for the preservation of CAVR archives. When the Commission was dissolved in December 2005 he continued with the Technical Secretariat Post CAVR (STP-CAVR). From 2005 to March 2008, Jose served STP-CAVR as Manager of the Documentation Center. In addition, in 2006 he founded and became Coordinator of the Coordinating Committee Member of the East Timor Crisis Reflection Network (ETCRN). He has been participating in many international conferences on archives, justice reconciliation and community developments in Italy, Germany, Australia and Cambodia.