Research Assistant

About the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is one of the world’s leading centres of research and innovation. It provides practical solutions to the growing challenges and opportunities of integrating environmental and social priorities with economic development. We report on international negotiations and share knowledge gained through collaborative projects, resulting in more rigorous research, stronger global networks, and better engagement among researchers, citizens, businesses, and policy-makers.

To learn more about IISD, visit https://www.iisd.org/.

Project Background and Internship

The State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI) is an international transparency and capacity-building project, launched in 2008 and led by IISD, which aims to improve strategic planning and sustainable development outcomes related to voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) by providing in-depth, credible, and needs-based information related to VSSs (https://iisd.org/ssi/). In 2018, the SSI launched a new project entitled Leveraging Sustainable Markets for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development, aiming at facilitating poverty reduction among marginalized commodity producers by enabling more strategic and proactive entry into value-added sustainable markets for developing countries.

In a series of in-depth studies, the SSI provides global and regional reports and policy briefs on deforestation prevention, forest preservation, and biodiversity.

The SSI team is looking for a current student or recent graduate to support research on policies related to data collection and analysis on policy measures that have been established in selected countries in the Americas to prevent deforestation and preserve forests and their biodiversity.

Assignments and Tasks

1. Conduct research on policy measures that have been established in selected countries in the Americas to prevent deforestation and preserve forests and their biodiversity.

• Conduct research and data collection on policy measures that have been established in selected countries from 1992 onwards.
• Classify the measures found, following the established system.
• Provide the main characteristics of the measures found, along with their objectives, scope, geographical coverage, and implementation level.
• Enter the data into an established database.
• Collaborate and coordinate with team colleagues and partners.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Profile

Undergraduate or graduate students of international relations, international studies, sustainable development, environmental studies, economics, finance, or related disciplines.

Supervision

The selected candidate will report to the Lead II of the Sustainability Standards Workstream at IISD and/or the person designated by her and work in collaboration with other members of the IISD Standards team. The position is home-based, so the intern will be expected to participate in weekly online calls to follow up on work.

Qualifications

• Interest in IISD’s mission and related projects on sustainable development and agriculture
• Sound research, analytical, and writing skills
• Well organized and independent, with demonstrated initiative
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and other software for data analysis and visualization (optional)
• Native Spanish and fluent in writing and speaking in English.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be in possession of an authorization or work permit for Canada.
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate master’s, or Ph.D. degree program with an educational establishment during the dates of the prospective internship.
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institutional record.

Term and Location:

The contract is for 4 months (ideally from May 1 to August 31, 2024). We expect the selected candidate to work 20 hours per week. The student should be based anywhere in Canada preferably be located in Montreal, Quebec, Vancouver, or Ottawa

Compensation: CAD 21.13 - 24.18 per hour, depending on experience and education.

Application deadline: Sunday, April 21, 2024.

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Canada.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include the following:

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A cover letter (one page)
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional; right-click to download)

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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