The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), a joint center of Columbia Law School and the Earth Institute, is accepting applications until January 15, 2018 for internship positions for the Spring 2018 semester. Interns are staffed to one or more specific research projects depending on the background and interests of the particular applicant. Select work-study administrative positions are also available, and course credit can be granted in some cases.
CCSI is a leading applied research center and forum dedicated to the study, practice and discussion of sustainable international investment. Our mission is to develop and disseminate practical approaches and solutions to maximize the impact of international investment for sustainable development. The Center’s work is organized around three major areas of research: sustainable investments in extractive industries, sustainable investments in land and agriculture, and sustainable international investment law and policy.
Candidates must commit to at least 10-15 hours per week, but more hours are possible. Continuation into subsequent terms is possible, and in some cases, preferred.
To apply for a Spring 2018 internship, please send a cover letter, CV and writing sample to CCSI’s executive coordinator, Nancy Siporin (NSipor@law.columbia.edu), unless otherwise specified, by January 15, 2018. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Please indicate if you are work-study eligible (preferred but not required). The cover letter should include a distinct list of which internships you are applying for (you may include as many as you’d like).
Spring 2018 internship opportunities are currently available for the following:
Paid Internship: Teaching Assistant for Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development Massive Open Online Course
CCSI teamed up with the Natural Resource Governance Institute and the World Bank to create a 12-week massive open online course on the Good Governance of Natural Resources for Sustainable Development. The 12-week course has introduced thousands of students from around the world to key elements of the governance framework that will help ensure that natural resources translate into sustainable development benefits. The course will be re-launched in February 2018. CCSI is seeking an intern to provide day-to-day administrative and operational support for the course during the upgrade and the re-launch. This will include managing and updating the online teaching platform on a weekly basis, coordinating discussions between students on an online forum, troubleshooting any issues that arise, and directing queries to relevant members of the team. Preference will be given to applicants with strong time management, writing, and communication skills. Fluency in French and/or Spanish desirable.
Paid Internship: Arabic speaking Teaching Assistant for Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development Massive Open Online Course
CCSI teamed up with the Natural Resource Governance Institute and the World Bank to create a 12-week massive open online course on the Good Governance of Natural Resources for Sustainable Development. The 12-week course has introduced thousands of students from around the world to key elements of the governance framework that will help ensure that natural resources translate into sustainable development benefits. The course will be re-launched in February 2018, and will be offered in Arabic for the first time. CCSI is seeking an Arabic-speaking intern to provide day-to-day administrative and operational support for the course during the upgrade and the re-launch. Full fluency in Arabic is a must, and preference will be given to applicants with strong time management, writing, and communication skills.
Paid Internship: Community Agreement Repository
CCSI is developing a repository for community-investor agreements, including benefit agreements and leases, in the context of oil, gas, mining, forestry, and agricultural projects. The repository will facilitate alignment of best practices, comparison of agreements, monitoring of agreements and transparency in general. CCSI is looking for a work-study eligible student to assist with document management, internet research, and other administrative tasks relating to the repository.
Paid Internship: Improving Smallholder Earnings and Livelihoods
CCSI is seeking a graduate student intern to assist with research on a project examining options to increase smallholder earnings and livelihoods in the coffee industry. Responsibilities may include policy, legal, and/or economic research, as well as memo and report writing. Preference will be given to candidates with strong research and writing skills, and candidates with experience or demonstrated interest regarding smallholder incomes, living incomes, the coffee industry, or business models that seek to improve payments to farmers.
Paid Internship: Operations Assistant (Work Study)
CCSI is seeking an undergraduate or graduate work-study student to assist with a variety of substantive operational tasks. The work-study position primarily will entail helping with business and administrative tasks related to the operational functioning of the center, with an opportunity to specialize in one of several areas including business operations, editing, communications, events or workstream support, assisting one of the three CCSI workstreams in Extractive Industries, Land and Agriculture or Investment Law Policy. Preference will be given to responsible, detail-oriented undergraduate or graduate students. Those with long-term availability are preferred. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to CCSI’s Director of Operations, Paulo Cunha (pcunha@law.columbia.edu).
For more information on internship opportunities and how to apply, please visit the CCSI website.
