Food & Agriculture Research Intern

Description

The food and agriculture internship with Worldwatch is a unique opportunity to support and participate in research that drives environmental policy. The intern will work closely with the Institute’s food and agriculture staff, as well as outside researchers, to refine and organize information that will contribute to a large, two-year project on agricultural innovations and will culminate in State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet. Responsibilities include: providing research and fact-checking; collecting, organizing, and managing web content; organizing resources and contacts; and analyzing data.

Qualifications

Research Interns have

• Excellent writing and communication skills, preferably experience reporting on issues for newspapers, journals, and other publications.
• Experience with web and library research.
•Ability to self-manage and stay organized while maintaining multiple assignments and deadlines.
• Basic to intermediate facility with spreadsheet software, web design, and blogging software.
• Demonstrated experience in and passion for food and agriculture issues—and for the importance of accurate information and analysis to guide environmental decision-making.
• Demonstrated interest in and ability to synthesizing complex sets of data
• Coursework reflecting interest and knowledge of the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of food and agriculture production. Work for environmental or other sustainability-oriented organizations, and international experience, are pluses.

The work requires attention to detail and an ability to carefully and accurately document authoritative sources for all information gathered. Successful interns are also comfortable contacting experts to track down data and other information. A curiosity about how the environment relates to social, political and economic realities and a capacity to see connections across fields and specialties are critical.

Applicants who are fluent in French and/or Portuguese are preferred.

Compensation: Interns will be paid $10 per hour and will be expected to work 20 to 30 hours per week.

Application instructions:

To apply: Please send resume, cover letter, and two writing samples to Molly Theobald at mtheobald@worldwatch.org. The recruitment process is open until positions are filled.