2013_04 : WWF Science Internships

The following internships are available at the World Wildlife Fund – United States. They are designed typically for graduate students, although some may be appropriate for advanced undergraduates. Projects can be undertaken over the summer (with extensions, as necessary, into the fall semester). Most projects could also be extended over the course of one or two semesters as part of a student’s course work or thesis requirements; advance arrangements would be necessary with faculty advisors. Internships are typically unpaid unless otherwise noted, but facilities, library resources, and computers at WWF headquarters are available. Hours are flexible. To qualify for an unpaid internship, the student must provide documentation that they are receiving credit from their university, or that the work they will be performing is consistent with a course requirement.  

In general, our interns need solid data management and writing skills, self-motivation, an ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Specific skills (required or preferred) are listed with each project, along with the primary contact person.

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume/CV to the contact individual listed for each project, with “INTERNSHIP” and the relevant internship number listed in the subject line.

Internship Description:

Intern sought to help consolidate new knowledge and tools at the business-policy interface for forests and agricultural commodities; build and synthesize evidence that demonstrates ways to capture environmental impacts of forest certification; and, mainstream results by bringing them to the attention of potential users and decision makers. Specific areas of focus may include:

Using standardized methods for measuring carbon and other co-benefits
Role of various voluntary carbon certification schemes e.g. VCS, CAR
Overlaps with existing certification schemes

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy or and/or environmental economics. Position requires excellent research and writing skills, with a preference for demonstrated expertise in policy analysis or framework analysis. Must be able to work efficiently and independently. Experience with agriculture and certification schemes would be a plus.

Stipend: Negotiable
Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15, 2013
Contact: Charlie Parker, charlie.parker@wwfus.org

 Internship Description:

Protected areas are a cornerstone of global conservation strategy. Conservation policy assumes that national parks and other protected areas are permanent fixtures on the landscape, but recent WWF research demonstrates that a contrary phenomenon is affecting protected areas worldwide: Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement, or PADDD. WWF is analyzing patterns, trends, and causes of PADDD, and their implications for the sustainability of conservation efforts. We are looking for a motivated intern to help us continue building our understanding of PADDD.

Internship responsibilities may include data collection on PADDD from existing datasets, popular, gray, and peer-reviewed literatures; administration of PADDDtracker.org (a wiki-style online database that integrates spatial mapping tools to collect and deliver data on PADDD); assistance in editing and producing content for PADDDtracker; development of new promotional material for outreach to the conservation community.

This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with scientists in WWF-US and around the world; gain exposure to a wide range of conservation science and policy issues; and play an important part in contributing to our growing knowledge of the role of protected areas in conservation.

Minimum Requirements:
A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in global protected area systems), and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of GIS, Drupal, database management, reference management databases (such as EndNote or Mendeley), and website management experience preferred. Spanish or other language skills preferred.

Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013 (Minimum 12 weeks)

Stipend: Unpaid internship. Only enrolled students are eligible for this internship and you must be able to receive academic credit from your current academic institution.

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application” to Roopa Krithivasan at roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org.

Internship Description:

Protected areas are a cornerstone of global conservation strategy. Conservation policy assumes that national parks and other protected areas are permanent fixtures on the landscape, but recent WWF research demonstrates that a contrary phenomenon is affecting protected areas worldwide: Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement, or PADDD. WWF is analyzing patterns, trends, and causes of PADDD, and their implications for the sustainability of conservation efforts. We are looking for a motivated intern to help us continue building our understanding of PADDD in the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC).

Internship responsibilities may include data collection on PADDD from existing datasets, archival legal documents, and popular, gray, and peer-reviewed literatures; will include review of legal documents (including microfilm) at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with scientists in WWF-US and around the world; gain exposure to a wide range of conservation science and policy issues; and play an important part in contributing to our growing knowledge of the role of protected areas in conservation.

Minimum Requirements:

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in African protected area systems), and have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Fluency in French necessary. Knowledge of GIS and database management preferred.

Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013. (Minimum 12 weeks)

Stipend: TBD.

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application – DRC” to Roopa Krithivasan at roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org

Despite billions of dollars invested, “getting to scale” remains a fundamental challenge for conservation donors and practitioners. Effective community-based projects often struggle to deliver national-scale results, while a well-recognized “implementation gap” frequently exists between regional conservation plans and action. Occasionally, however, a conservation intervention will have widespread adoption and implementation that transforms the relationship between people and nature across large areas. Understanding why an intervention scales up is essential to evidence-based conservation policy and practice.

Internship responsibilities will include:

Review the peer-reviewed social science literature on “getting to scale”, employing a conservation lens.
Provide support to identify specific conservation interventions which have been scaled up, to better understand the patterns of adoption.
This work will help contribute building our understanding of the social factors that determine spatial patterns and temporal trends in the adoption and implementation of conservation policies and practices.

Minimum Requirements:

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in global protected area systems), and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of GIS and database management experience strongly preferred.

Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013 (Minimum 12 weeks)

Stipend: Unpaid internship. Only enrolled students are eligible for this internship and you must be able to receive academic credit from your current academic institution.

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application: Getting conservation to scale” to Roopa Krithivasan at roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org

Description:

Tropical forests are the store-houses of most of the world’s biodiversity and carbon dioxide, but have also been under the threat of deforestation and degradation for many decades. In response to the rising commercial pressure on forestland, forest certification (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council) was developed as a conservation tool to ensure sustainable management of production forests. To better understand the effectiveness of this policy instrument, we seek an intern to help conduct a preliminary evaluation on the degree to which forest certification may have led to a decrease in the amount of regional deforestation or degradation.

Specific areas of focus may include:

Impact evaluation research design, using spatial counter-factual areas to set up our comparison/assessment
Remote sensing analyses of select countries or sub-national regions, comparing FSC areas, connectivity, and deforestation (degradation) rates. Countries may include Peru, Indonesia, Cameroon, Costa Rica or Colombia
Exploring connections with carbon markets and links to avoided deforestation carbon emissions estimates 
Exploring links to agricultural production and the agricultural-forest frontier with respect to forest conversion and indirect forest loss.

The successful applicant will meet the following requirements:

Interdisciplinary background in relevant fields, such as conservation biology, spatial ecology, spatial statistics 
Excellent GIS and remote sensing skills
Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills 
Ability to work efficiently and independently
Demonstrated knowledge of tropical forests, forest certification, or other forest management approaches preferred
Knowledge of impact evaluation methods preferred
Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.
Stipend: Paid-internship

Duration: May 2013 through August 2013

Hours: Negotiable

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

Contact: Colby Loucks, Colby.Loucks@wwfus.org

Description:

The WWF climate change team seeks an intern to assist in the development and advocacy of strong US action on climate change. The intern will assist with WWF’s Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) around adaptation, emissions reduction, renewable energy and public engagement. They will contribute to the formation and execution of a monitoring and evaluation plan used to measure the effectiveness of the EHCC program as a tool to engage publics, motivate local action and increase support for climate change policy

Internship responsibilities may include research, writing & analysis on various U.S. cities, their climate change plans (with a specific focus on adaptation, renewable energy and public outreach) and local climate advocacy groups; crafting communication materials targeting cities and other audiences; working with local climate advocacy groups and their staff/membership; performing research into news archives; communication with local government staff; compiling database of findings, and working with WWF staff on determining data needs and program assessment strategy.

Requirements for the position include: Interest in climate change, environmental policy, economics, city policy or other related field; interest and willingness to learn about campaigns and public engagement; excellent written and verbal communications skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment, collaboratively and independently; strong interpersonal skills crucial for developing working relationships internally and externally; strong organizational skills; and attention to detail.

Stipend: Unpaid. The intern must receive academic credit through his/her university for their work. Expected to work at least 25-30 hours per week.

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15th, 2013, applications reviewed as received

Contact: To apply send resume and cover letter to lynn.englum@wwfus.org

Description:

Intern sought to help research and advance corporate demand for renewable energy. Companies have significant potential to drive voluntary use of renewable energy; many have set specific goals to increase renewable energy use and are making progress toward meeting them but are also encountering barriers. WWF’s renewable energy work is focused on helping companies overcome barriers to scaling up their use of renewable energy, including addressing awareness, policy, finance and accounting barriers. Internship responsibilities will focus on gathering information and data on corporate renewable energy demand, related goals, and corporate progress in meeting goals. Some research and analysis may also be required on policy and green power programs.

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy, renewable energy, climate change, business sustainability and/or corporate social responsibility. Position requires excellent research and writing skills, with a preference for experience in renewable energy and business engagement. Must be able to work efficiently and independently, remaining flexible to tasks and shifting priorities. Expected to work at least 25-30 hours per week. Flexible schedule.

Stipend: Course credit for full-time student

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

Contact: Bryn Baker, Bryn.Baker@wwfus.org

Description:

Intern(s) sought to work on mapping ecosystem services using InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), an ArcGIS based modeling tool developed by the Natural Capital Project http://www.naturalcapitalproject.org/InVEST.html). Interns will work on one or more of the following:

Compile spatial and other data relevant to ecosystem services in WWF priority sites, especially the Greater Mekong region, the Eastern Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan), Brazil, Mozambique, United States, and potentially other locations.
Parameterize InVEST models using a range of sources, including scientific literature review, Internet searches and contacting experts.
Format spatial data sets for use with InVEST;
Run InVEST models for a range of ecosystem services under current land use patterns and future scenarios, and analyze spatial variation in these services.
Provide feedback on InVEST that will contribute to its further development, and help improve the documentation.
Provide technical support to WWF staff in mapping ecosystem services

This is a great opportunity to gain experience in spatial analysis and ecosystem services. A minimum of two semesters ArcGIS coursework, or equivalent work experience required. Optional but helpful: prior experience with ecosystem services, and advanced spatial analysis skills (including remote sensing). Must be able to work independently (e.g., following up on leads for data sources, troubleshooting technical issues). Graduate students are preferred.

Stipend: Negotiable

Due date for CV and cover letter: Applications reviewed as received

Contact: Derric Pennington (derric.pennington@wwfus.org)

Description:

Intern(s) sought to help consolidate new knowledge and tools at the science-policy interface for ecosystem services; build and synthesize evidence that demonstrates the impact of ecosystem service approaches; and, mainstream results by bringing them to the attention of potential users and decision makers.

Specific areas of focus may include:
evaluating the impact of ecosystem service approaches and capacity building
mainstreaming ecosystem services into public and private sector decision-making 
institutional and policy analysis
scenario development 
connecting ecosystem services to human wellbeing

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy, geography, political economy, economics, organizational development, pedagogy and/or ecology. Position requires excellent research, writing and communication skills. Must be able to work efficiently and independently. Experience with ecosystem services and GIS would be a plus.

Stipend: Negotiable

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15, 2012

Contact: Emily McKenzie, emily.mckenzie@wwfus.org

Description:

Indonesia is at the epicenter of marine biodiversity, providing habitat for 76 percent of known coral species and more than 3,000 fish species, These marine resources are also critical for both livelihoods and food security, supporting more than 120 million people living in coastal areas. Unfortunately, this rich biodiversity is under threat from climate change, over-fishing, pollution, and other pressures related to unsustainable development. Large-scale conservation planning is critical to maintain the integrity of these interconnected marine systems. WWF is initiating a project working with the Indonesian Government to create a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Sunda Banda Seascape, Indonesia. Conservation efforts need to be directed based on the best available information on hand.

WWF-US is seeking an intern to conduct a review of the ecological and social status of the Sunda Banda Seascape, synthesizing existing data and research to inform conservation policy and practice in the region. Internship activities include:

summarize and synthesize existing social, ecological, and biophysical data in the Sunda Banda Seascape
assist with development and maintenance of ecological databases
use existing data, available reports and scientific publications to write a review paper on the SBS

Requirements: The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in natural resource management/ecology/conservation. Position requires strong research and writing skills, as well as demonstrated expertise in handling large datasets in Microsoft Excel. Basic statistical skills and knowledge of Microsoft Access strongly preferred. The successful applicant will be able to work independently, as well as part of an interdisciplinary team. This position requires eligibility to work or study in the United States. This position is based in Washington, D.C.

Stipend: May be available; if not, the intern must receive academic credit through his/her university for their work.

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 1, 2013

Contact: Gabby Ahmadia, Gabby.Ahmadia@wwfus.org

Description:

The Sunda Banda Seascape lies within the center of the Coral Triangle, which covers 647,497,028 hectares (about half the size of the United States) and hosts the world’s highest marine biodiversity. The region is a global conservation priority because it provides habitat for 76 percent of known coral species, more than 3,000 fish species, and many endangered species of marine turtles, cetaceans, sharks, and fish such as the hump-head wrasse.

Unfortunately, the Sunda Banda Seascape and its rich marine biodiversity, is under threat from climate change, over-fishing, pollution, and other threats related to unsustainable development. Large-scale conservation planning is critical to maintain the integrity of these interconnected marine systems. WWF is embarking on a project working with the Indonesian Government to create a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Sunda Banda Seascape, Indonesia. Conservation efforts need to be directed based on the best available information on hand.

To guide this project, there is a need to characterize and classify environmental regions of the Sunda Banda Seascape through Remote Sensing. The classification will inform a Rapid Assessment to be conducted at the end of the year, and these projects will help define critical habitat areas to protect. CSP seeks a Remote Sensing intern to obtain, process, and analyze imagery, oceanographic and climate data that will be used to run a classification analysis for the SBS. The intern will work with WWF staff and other experts to finalize the layers to be included in the classification analysis, obtain these layers, process the data for analysis, and run analyses with the data. The intern will then work with outside partners to help run the classification analysis.

Requirements

Graduate degree or working towards a graduate degree in natural resource management, environmental science, geography, GIS, Remote Sensing, or related field
Proficient with Remote Sensing software (ERDAS, ENVI, MatLab) and analysis
Strong technical and analytical skills
Strong communication and writing skills
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Experience obtaining, processing, and analyzing weather, climate and oceanographic Remote Sensing data a plus
Experience using and current access to MatLab preferred
Ability to write scripts for ENVI, ERDAS, or MatLab preferred

Contact: charles.huang@wwfus.org

Stipend: yes

Deadline: March 31 2013

Description:

Sound science underpins effective conservation. WWF has a wealth of scientific expertise across its offices around the world, ranging from anthropologists to zoologists and encompassing the biological, physical, and social sciences. For these scientists to contribute most to achieving WWF’s mission, they need to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate with each other. A range of services to enable these interactions and facilitate access to the latest scientific information is being provided by the new WWF Conservation Science Network, which is currently undergoing a re-design and is expected to launch October 2012. We are looking for a motivated intern to help us continue to develop and promote the CSN, with an emphasis on maintaining and growing online resources.

Internship responsibilities may include website administration (including adding/editing pages, uploading new content and structuring information across the portal); moderating discussions/forums; synthesizing weekly literature digests and relevant science news items; interviewing scientists across the global WWF network to produce profiles or collect items of interest; planning activities around a website launch; identifying and inviting WWF scientists to participate in network activities; developing new promotional material and increasing outreach; and generally playing a central role in the Science Network team.

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; experience using literature databases; knowledge of social networking; Drupal, HTML and database experience; and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of CSS; background in conservation, and international experience preferred. This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with scientists in WWF-US and around the world; learn about WWF and its projects; get exposure to a wide range of conservation science topics; and play a key role in building a new science community.

Stipend: Unpaid. The intern must receive academic credit or a stipend through his/her university for their work.

Hours: Expected to work at least 15-20 hours per week. Monday-Thursday preferred.

Due date: This internship will remain posted until filled.

Contact: To apply send resume, cover letter and writing sample to kate.graves@wwfus.org.

Description:

For 50 years WWF has committed to delivering science-based conservation results while incorporating the latest research and innovations into our work. The Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Fund advances the science of conservation with three programs: Fuller Fellowships for doctoral and postdoctoral research support of early-career scientists working on issues of exceptional importance and relevance to conservation; the annual Science for Nature Symposium, which convenes world leaders in science, policy, and conservation for presentations and discussions around an emerging scientific issue in conservation; and a bi-monthly series of Science for Nature Seminars that brings distinguished scientists from a variety of fields to Washington, DC to present cutting edge research of central importance to international conservation. The Fuller Science for Nature intern will assist the Fuller program manager with tasks related to all three components, with a primary focus on the 2012 Fuller symposium on conservation crime.

Internship responsibilities may include researching and communicating with symposium and seminar speakers and with fellows; developing website content and other communications materials; assisting in symposium marketing and outreach; helping with symposium logistics; and assisting with workshop planning. The intern will be based in WWF’s Conservation Science Program and will work with program, communications, creative services, development, and web team staff as needed.

A successful candidate will be detail-oriented and have strong research, writing, organizational, and communication skills; and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Experience with websites and social networking is helpful. Background in the biological, physical, or social sciences; background in conservation, and international experience preferred. This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with experts in WWF-US and around the world; to learn about WWF and its projects; and to get exposure to conservation science topics.

Stipend: Unpaid. The intern must receive academic credit or a stipend through his/her university for their work.

Hours: Expected to work at least 15 -20 hours per week. Monday-Thursday preferred.

Due date: This internship will remain posted until filled.

Contact: To apply send resume, cover letter and writing sample to Kate.Graves@wwfus.org.

Description:

Seeking a creative, quantitative student to help us test the relationships between natural ecosystems and human welfare using big, diverse datasets.

Much of human welfare and health is linked to the functioning of the world’s ecosystems, but the nature and strength of these links is poorly quantified and therefore controversial. The Master’s student will help us better understand these links, as part of a newly-funded project at NSF’s new social-environmental synthesis center, SESYNC.

The project will combine several global, freely available datasets (e.g., geo-referenced household and agricultural surveys, biophysical and governance data) to test relationships among human health and welfare, ecological condition, and natural resource governance. We will focus on sub-Saharan Africa and coastal fisheries in the developing world.

The intern will:
– access these datasets and compile them into a common database
– help develop a data retrieval system to ease in analysis and publication
– help select specific research questions within the
– spend time at SESYNC in Annapolis, MD to develop the database with their IT staff and to possibly participate in working group meetings.

The applicant needs:
– exceptional quantitative skills, including data handling, database development, data quality control, programming in R a plus.
– the ability to work independently and to deliver high quality products.

This internship will be based at the Gund Institute at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, with the possibility of spending a week at SESYNC in Annapolis, MD.

Stipend: Unpaid for university credit

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

Contact: Please send cover letter, CV, and contact information for two references to: Brendan Fisher, brendan.fisher@wwfus.org

Description:

There are as few as 3,200 tigers remaining in the wild which require timely and accurate monitoring of their habitats to maintain ecological integrity if we are to achieve WWF’s goal of doubling tiger populations by 2022. Forest destruction and degradation are major drivers of their precipitous decline. An intern is sought to collaborate with the World Resources Institute (WRI) to develop a protocol for automating monthly deforestation reports in and around key Tiger Conservation Landscapes utilizing near real-time alerts compiled by Global Forest Watch 2.0.

The successful applicant will have the following skills:
Excellent GIS and remote sensing skills including spatial statistics.
Python programming skills for automated spatial analysis preferred.
Background in conservation biology and tiger ecology.
Excellent written and oral communications.
Ability to work well independently.

Stipend: Negotiable

Duration: May 2013 through August 2013

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

Contact: Eric Dinerstein, eric.dinerstein@wwfus.org

Description:

The Consumer Goods Forum, a network of more than 400 manufacturers and retailers, recently announced a commitment to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020. That is a remarkable and important commitment to get deforestation out of major supply chains within just 7 years. We seek an intern to assist with an initial assessment of supply chain links between places where deforestation is happening most rapidly, raw commodities being produced from either the timber or the cleared land, and the consumer goods derived from those commodities. The purpose of this assessment is to identify where and through what supply chain inputs, CGF companies could achieve the greatest reductions in deforestation.

Internship responsibilities will include:
Summarizing current global trends in deforestation, 
Assessing the extent to which different commodities are either driving or following on deforestation in different regions 
Identifying which of those commodities are likely to be in the supply chains of CGF companies. 
Creating spatial and network maps that show the current links between deforestation and consumer goods supply chains. 
Estimating the amount of deforestation currently associated with major commodities.

The successful applicant will demonstrate: 
Relevant educational experience that will bear on this project, for example forestry, agriculture, spatial analysis or supply chain analysis.
Excellent research and analytical skills, especially with respect to synthesizing information gathered by reviewing published literature and consulting with experts. 
Excellent writing and speaking skills for reporting results 
Ability to think critically and solve problems creatively. 
Ability to work independently and with others to complete projects.
Ability to make maps and convey information visually is a plus.

Eligibility: Enrolled undergraduate or graduate student who would receive academic credit from their current university or college.

Duration: 12 weeks, flexible between May 2013 and September 2013

Location: Negotiable. Washington, DC or Seattle, WA preferred.

Stipend: Unpaid internship.

How to apply: Please email a cover letter and resume/CV with the subject line “Internship application” to Jon Hoekstra at jon.hoekstra@wwfus.org.

Application deadline: March 31, 2013.

Description: The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is World Wildlife Fund’s initiative to eliminate illegal logging and drive improvements in forest management, while transforming the global marketplace into a force for saving the world’s most valuable and threatened forests. First established in 1991, it is the world’s longest-running forest trade program of its kind, providing assistance to approximately 270 strategically selected buyers, suppliers and producers from across the spectrum of the forest products sector that are committed to demonstrating leadership and implementing best practices in the areas of responsible forest management and trade. The GFTN-North America (GFTN-NA) program engages with leading U.S. and Canadian companies to help them progressively increase the proportion of credibly certified forest products within their supply chains.

GFTN-NA seeks a spring semester intern to assist with the development and dissemination of tools and resources to help wood products buyers reduce the risks of sourcing illegal or unsustainable timber from WWF Priority forest regions. The intern will:

Conduct interviews with GFTN managers and compile information on wood sourcing risks in specific countries to be uploaded to guidance documents for forest products buyers;
Assist with a Continuing Education Unit course to raise awareness among architects and other professionals in the green building sector regarding responsible wood sourcing. 
Research and draft correspondence to selected target US companies regarding responsible wood sourcing from WWF Priority Regions 
Assist with global trade flow research for solid wood products  

The successful applicant will have:  

Bachelor’s degree required; student pursuing a Master’s degree in a related field is preferred, such as forestry, forest products trade, supply chain management, business, natural resource management
Familiarity with forest products, trade flows, market trends, supply chain management, business helpful 
Exceptional research and analytical skills, and attention to detail 
Strong interpersonal and communication skills 
Ability to think strategically and creatively to achieve internship goals 
Strong ability to develop and move tasks and projects forward with independence, while also working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team and organization 
Strong organization and time management skills 
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
Strong interest in conservation and WWF’s mission

Duration: Part-time (20 hrs/wk.) for at least 10 weeks.

Location: Washington, DC

Stipend: Unpaid internship

How to apply: Interested and qualified candidates should send their resume and cover letter to Amy Smith, GFTN-North America at amy.smith@wwfus.org.

Application deadline: The position will remain posted until filled.

 
18. Snow Leopard Modelling & GIS Intern

Internship Description:

The World Wildlife Fund is seeking an intern to work with a team to create a set of maps and statistics that demonstrate the relationship between snow leopard habitat, water provision to people, and climate vulnerability in High Asia and the snow leopard range. These maps will be presented to government, ministers of the environment, and USAID as part of a summit on snow leopards in the fall of 2013. These maps will help refine the dialogue on priorities for snow leopard conservation in the face of climate change, priorities for maintaining water security for human populations, and the relationship between the two.

The job will include acquiring existing GIS data layers from online sources and scientists that have already done work on mapping snow leopard habitat, water security, or climate vulnerability in the region; bringing GIS layers into a common projection and extent for further analysis, and preparing a set of maps. Depending on skills, intern may be asked to do analyses such as area calculations, overlay analyses, or climate vulnerability modelling. He/she will be required to present complex topics succinctly in a visual format and prepare brief write-ups of methods used to prepare maps, data sources, and guidance on interpretation. GIS intern will report to the Landscape Ecologist in WWF’s Conservation Science Program, and also work closely with the WWF Species Program and field programs in Asia.

Minimum Requirements: Proficient in GIS, including raster and vector analysis (preferably ArcGIS) and very good map-making skills required. Strong communication skills, writing, and attention to detail are required. Applicant should have completed or be pursuing a bachelor degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Biology or Ecology, Geography, or Hydrology; though graduate students are preferred.

Duration: June to September 2013

Location: Supervisor is based in New Hampshire. Preferred location is New Hampshire or Greater Boston area, but other locations are negotiable.

Compensation: Internship is unpaid. Applicant should demonstrate that he/she can receive school credit or compensation from another source (grant, work study). Work might be used as the basis for a masters or PhD project.

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application – High Asia” to Jessica Forrest at jessica.forrest@wwfus.org by April 1

Description: While community-based conservation and natural resource management have been part of conservation strategies for many years, too often the scale of these initiatives remain limited. Experience from countries that have successfully put in place large-scale community conservation initiatives point to several key elements and enabling conditions for scaling up. The purpose of this internship is to conduct a desk study comparatively assessing these enabling conditions for scaling up community conservation in approximately 10-14 countries.

Internship responsibilities will include:
Researching literature relevant to assessing national enabling conditions for scaling up community conservation/NRM 
Conducting a comparative assessment of key enabling conditions in approximately 10-14 countries.
Consulting initial findings and gathering inputs from WWF staff and external experts
Writing up an accessible comparative review summarizing findings of the study.  

The successful applicant will demonstrate: 
Relevant educational experience that will bear on this project, for example social science with a particular focus on land/resource tenure and governance. 
Excellent research and analytical skills, especially with respect to synthesizing information gathered by reviewing published literature and consulting with experts. 
Excellent writing skills 
Ability to think critically and solve problems creatively. 
Ability to work independently and with others to complete projects.
Ability convey information visually is a plus.
Eligibility: Preference for enrolled graduate student who would receive academic credit from their current university.

Duration: 8 weeks, flexible between April 2013 and July 2013

Location: Negotiable. Washington, DC preferred.

Stipend: May be available (funding dependent); if not, the intern must receive academic credit through his/her university for their work.

How to apply: Please email a cover letter and resume/CV with the subject line “Internship application” to CeCe Sieffert at cece.sieffert@wwfus.org .

Application deadline: March 31, 2013.