The Sustainable Development Solutions Network Internship

Deadline: 25 February 2019
Open to: candidates pursuing an advanced degree in economics, statistics, international relations, environmental studies, political science, or any other related fields
Benefits: the internship will be compensated at the standard minimum hourly rate, plus 50% of transportation costs

Description

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.  It is directed by Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, SDG Advocate, and has offices in New York, Paris, and New Delhi.

THE ROLE

Intern, SDG Index Team

6 months full time, April – September, in Paris, France.

The Intern will work in the SDG Index team responsible for producing the flagship report “SDG Index and Dashboards” under the supervision of the project manager. His/her main tasks will be to support the production of the next SDG Index and Dashboards report to be published in July 2019 and to support the production of other SDG indices for Africa, Europe, and Latin America. The intern will contribute to various projects related to the implementation of the SDGs and sustainable consumption and production practices.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1) Provide support for the launch of the 2019 SDG Index and Dashboards and other SDG indices for Africa, Europe and Latin America

  • Contribute to the production of tables and graphs;
  • Help integrate comments from stakeholders’ consultations;
  • Help drafting methodological sections and conduct sensitivity tests;
  • Assist in reviewing draft sections submitted by the production company;
  • Contribute to producing communication materials (infographics, country fact sheets, other) and support the dissemination of the results;
  • Liaise with relevant stakeholders when needed.

2) Carry out research and statistical analyses for various projects related to the implementation of the SDGs and sustainable consumption and production practices

  • Under the supervision of the project manager and in collaboration with the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy responsible for the Environmental Performance Index, provide support in finalizing the new Environmental Impact Index
  • Carry out research and liaise with experts in the field to identify new data sources
  • Conduct research and analysis for projects related to good governance for the SDGs and in particular good governance of land-use systems

Eligibility

Academic background

Candidates should be pursuing an advanced degree in economics, statistics, international relations, environmental studies, political science, or any other related fields. S/he must be enrolled in a certified degree programme (or be able to obtain a Convention de stage from their university), and have the right to hold an internship in France.

Professional background

  • Experience working with data and in statistics would be a plus;
  • Experience in the topic of environment and sustainable consumption would be a plus.

Languages

  • This position requires fluency in English;
  • Fluency in at least one other language would be a plus.

Other skills required

  • Good knowledge of economics and statistics;
  • Knowledge of Excel and other statistical tools for data handling;
  • Knowledge of computer software for the design of graphs;
  • Attention to details;
  • Ability to work in a team environment;
  • Good communication skills, diplomacy with country respondents.

Core competencies

For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Drafting skills, Teamwork and Team leadership, Diplomatic sensitivity.

Benefits

The internship will be compensated at the standard minimum hourly rate, plus 50% of transportation costs.

How to apply?

To apply, please send a cover letter and a CV to Guillaume Lafortune: guillaume.lafortune@unsdsn.org.

For more information please visit the official website.