interns

Two paid sustainability internships available – deadline Monday 24 September (5pm)

One Earth (www.OneEarthWeb.org) is hiring two interns (30 years old and under) to work with us in Vancouver, BC, from 1 October 2012 – 15 February 2013 at the One Earth office near Olympic Village.

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline has now passed and the interns have been hired. Thank you for your interest. Please contact us for volunteer opportunities.

Eligibility requirements for these Service Canada internships: 30 years or under on 1 October; post-secondary graduate; out of school; Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person granted refugee status in Canada; legally entitled to work in BC; not receiving EI benefits.

With funding just confirmed, these paid internships are an opportunity to be part of a dynamic team and gain hands-on experience supporting a non-profit organization. One Earth is a ‘think and do tank’ which works with partners in the region and around the world to reduce society’s ecological footprint and increase quality of life. More details are below about the two internship positions and the application process. To learn more about One Earth and its activities see our website: http://www.OneEarthWeb.org.

How to apply: Please send your application by 5:00pm on Monday 24 September to: dagmar@oneearthweb.org with the subject line ‘One Earth internships.’  We welcome earlier submissions. Send an electronic cover letter, resume and your Social Insurance Number (SIN; to check eligibility). See the cover letter guidelines below and indicate whether you would like to be considered for internship position 1, internship position 2 or either. Given the timelines, we will get back to those who have been shortlisted on Tues 25 Sept for phone call or in-person interviews on Wed 26 Sept or Thurs 27 Sept. You need to be available to start during the week of 1 October and commit to 32 hours / week until 15 February 2013. For the first two weeks, we can build in flexibility if necessary.

INTERN 1 (Project Officer – Rethinking the Good Life) – This internship involves research, analysis and synthesis work on transforming production and consumption towards sustainability (e.g., sustainable lifestyles, waste and toxins reduction, supply chains, life cycles, green design, sustainable economies and communities). You will also provide network coordination and support for One Earth’s activities. You will be an integral part of a project that aims to accelerate breakthroughs around sustainable production and consumption in North America. One Earth is the coordinating team for this project, co‐led by The Story of Stuff and The Sustainability Funders. You will contribute to research, information gathering (including “sustainable futures” visualizations), and outreach (such as coordinating webinars, a Planning Team meeting and conference calls for the partner organizations). You will help the One Earth team with fundraising and administration of this systemic change initiative. For this work, you need critical thinking skills, creative problem-solving capability and the courage to challenge conventional practices.

INTERN 2 (Project Manager – We Canada) – This internship involves working on policy engagement at the regional, national and international scales. You will work on policy issues that One Earth is engaged in and support research and policy networks on consumption and production (e.g., Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption, United Nations Environment Program – Regional Office for North America).  You will nurture relationships and develop new connections to further this work area. A key part of your internship is providing support to We Canada, a pan-Canadian volunteer-run, bilingual and non-partisan campaign, established in advance of the recent Rio+20 conference (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012). We Canada consulted with 8,000 Canadians in 16 cities across the country to identify their priorities for sustainable development. You will play a role in finalizing the documentary film being made to showcase the campaign. You will work with volunteers and organizations across the country to follow up on the policy priorities championed by We Canada including fair trade purchasing, carbon pricing and moving beyond Gross Domestic Product to ‘measure what matters.’

These responsibilities will be further defined based on the interns’ interests and experience, as well as evolving needs identified by the One Earth team.

In a 2 page (max.) cover letter, please explain why the internship is of interest and how you can contribute to One Earth’s work. You will want to address the following, providing examples of the traits as relevant:

  • Key traits we are looking for: excellent verbal and written communication skills; self-starter; sustainability knowledge (ideally a background in sustainable consumption and production – SCP – or some aspect of SCP); capacity in research, analysis and synthesis; ability to support network development; policy experience; social media / website experience; fluency in English (ideal: also French language skills, especially for position 2); attention to detail; exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.
  • Are you interested in internship position 1, internship position 2, or either?
  • Are you eligible? (Service Canada funding): 30 years or under on 1 October; post-secondary graduate; out of school; Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person granted refugee status in Canada; legally entitled to work in BC; not receiving EI benefits.
  • When would you be available for an interview on Wednesday 26th or Thursday 27th, if short-listed? Please provide times.
  • Please provide your social insurance number (SIN) so that we can confirm eligibility.