Internship with The Association for Water and Rural Development – South Africa

Organization: The Association for Water and Rural Development

Position Title: Intern to support an integrated systemic resilience approach to natural resource management in the Olifants River Basin

Location: Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province, close to the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Dates and compensation: The incumbent(s) will be provided with accommodation together with other interns at AWARD and will be provided with transport to and from work. The expected duration is one year or 12 months. March 2015 – February 2016

Application Deadline: March 6, 2015

Description: The internship opportunity: Supporting an integrated systemic resilience approach natural resource management.

In the second year of the research phase, AWARD will continue building an integrated systemic picture of natural resources in the Olifants River Basin to inform natural resource management practices that build resilience. AWARD has commissioned research on drivers of change of the natural resources in the Olifants, ranging from climate change and political economy to mining, agriculture and waste water treatment works, to understand how these drivers affect natural resources, ecosystem services, and human well-being.

The intern will analyze and synthesize some of this commissioned research to be incorporated into an assessment about which natural resources and related livelihoods are vulnerable. AWARD calls this a resilience assessment. The intern will further support the resilience assessment tasks by developing and narrating diagrams showing the casual links between characteristics of the natural resources, ecosystem services and outcomes in the basin and determining the likely impact of various future scenarios.

This support includes desk-top research, scribing for meetings and organizing materials for field visits. The final two aspects of the internship are: reporting regularly on current practices of natural resource management and providing support for organizations governing water resources. This support includes coordinating meetings and workshops, assisting in writing reports, and presenting about the USAID RESILIM-O project at meetings with strategic partners. The successful applicant will work as part of a broader team.

Responsibilities: Tasks for this position may include the following:

• Providing support to the USAID RESILIM-Olifants project team, specifically in Theme 1
  • Assisting with the development of research and resilience assessment
  • Contributing towards the objectives of enhancing resilience in the Olifants River basin
  • Conducting desk-top research
  • Collecting field data, through interviews and the VSTEEP process
  • Coordinating meetings and workshops
  • Organizing materials for field visits
  • Scribing or note taking for planning, meetings, workshop activities and various other activities
  • Minor support on facilitation activities
  • Providing support for the data analysis
  • Supporting the report writing process (deliverables) and presentation of reports
  • Plus any duties as assigned by the project manager or senior researchers

Qualifications:

Microsoft Office proficiency: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; ability to work in teams; show initiative in terms of understanding and responding to research needs; written skills and report writing; interest in the inter-relationships between multiple factors (e.g. social, economic an biophysical).

A master’s degree in natural resource management or a related field or an honours degree with an exceptional academic record is a minimum requirement. Specializing in water resource management, studying towards a PhD degree and/or work experience will be an added advantage, along with an exceptional academic record.

How to Apply: Candidates who meet the above requirements, should forward their motivation letter, detailed CV’s and educational transcripts, including at least three references to: [email protected]

Please clearly indicate in your application the following reference: “Internship: NRM”

Applicants that have not been contacted by the 19th March, 2015 must be considered unsuccessful. Only short listed candidate with be consider