We’re recruiting interns!

To Apply:

Please send a Letter of Interest and CV to usfs.ip.central.africa@gmail.com with “USFS Central Africa Internship” in the subject line. Please indicate which internship you are applying for in the body of your email. Internships will start in January 2018. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until suitable candidates are found. Finalists will be contacted.

Micro-zoning and Land Use Planning Intern

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, USFS works with various government agencies on the macro and micro- zoning processes at the national level, outlining processes for implementation. This has involved the development of national and regional zoning and land-use planning guides. Zoning is important for setting land use management priorities at different scales. Micro-zoning, for example, outlines different land use zones which have implications for resource and land management within communities and broader landscapes. Zoning is directly linked with land use planning processes, as it helps define management objectives and how different zones or areas of land will be used to achieve them.

Under the DRC’s Ministry of Environment, the Department of Forest Inventory and Zoning (DIAF) is one of USFS’s governmental partners. DIAF is tasked with keeping an inventory of zoning and land use planning initiatives in the country, but currently this inventory does not exist. USFS/IP seeks an intern to help establish a database of macro-zoning, micro- zoning and land use planning initiatives as well as tools and resources that exist to assist in this process.

The intern will work closely with DIAF to establish an inventory framework and database design. In partnership with an agent from DIAF, the intern will also contact various partners and actors in the DRC to collect information about macro, micro and land use planning initiatives and tools that exist and input this information into the database. Finally, the intern will present the results of this inventory at the end of the internship period and submit a report outlining their achievements during their internship.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree (or in process of completing Master’s Degree) in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Rural Development or other relevant field preferred; candidates with Bachelor’s degrees who have highly relevant experience may also be considered
• Good knowledge of forest management, land use management planning and international development
• Experience with engagement of government partners and/or civil society in joint implementation of projects desired
• Travel and/or field experience in Africa preferred
• Good research and analytical skills, including research methods
• Ability to interface and interact with wide-range of actors
• Able to write and communicate clearly in French
• Adaptable and resilient, have a sense of humor and eagerness to learn

Location and Remuneration

The position will be based in Kinshasa, DRC for a 6-month period. Round-trip flight to Kinshasa, housing and transportation costs will be covered during this period of time.

USFS Central Africa Communications Intern

Under the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE), USFS/IP has been supporting the capacity development of the Ministry of the Environment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo (RoC) by providing scholarships for selected staff to complete their master’s degrees. Additionally, under the SilvaCarbon program, USFS/IP works in collaboration with the Carbon Institute to provide targeted trainings for University professors and Government officials on carbon accounting and inventory in RoC and Cameroon.

In an on-going initiative to improve the communications of USFS/IP regional activities, USFS/IP seeks an intern to work in collaboration with the USFS Central Africa Communications Specialist to establish a webpage that showcases current and past scholarship recipients as well as Carbon Institute partnerships and other related capacity development workshops and activities. This may also involve organizing regional and/or country-specific events to bring together scholarship recipients to network and share their stories. Lastly, the intern may also support the Communications Specialist with other related communications activities such as crafting social media posts, design, blog posts, and online event promotion.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree (or in process of completing Master’s Degree) in Communications, Journalism, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Natural Resources Management, Development or other relevant field preferred; candidates with Bachelor’s degrees who have highly relevant experience may also be considered
• Experience with WordPress and/or web design a plus
• Familiarity with social media platform (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) “best practices”
• Strong written and communications skills
• Photography, graphic design or videography skills an asset
• Good knowledge of forest and natural resource management and sustainable development
• Travel and/or field experience in Africa preferred
• Ability to write and communicate clearly in French
• Adaptable and resilient, have a sense of humor and eagerness to learn

Location and Remuneration

The position will be based in Kinshasa, DRC for a 3-month period. Round-trip flight to Kinshasa, housing and transportation costs will be covered during this period of time.