Please note that this internship program is only open to students studying at universities based in Switzerland. 

About IISD

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 120 people, plus over 150 associates and consultants, come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

Overview of the IISD Geneva Internship Program

The IISD Geneva Internship Program offers students studying in Switzerland the exciting opportunity to acquire direct practical experience with IISD’s office in Geneva.

IISD’s Geneva office has teams focused on the following main areas:

• Economic Law and Policy (ELP): Our team of international lawyers, financial analysts, financial modellers, researchers, communications specialists, and policy analysts focuses on areas of international economic policy-making essential to sustainable development. These areas include investment, trade, taxation, infrastructure, public procurement, finance, agriculture, mining, and sustainability standards. Our work covers international processes ranging from negotiations at the World Trade Organization to those at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, as well as regional and multi-country frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Energy Charter Treaty. Our team also provides capacity-building support, technical assistance, and other advisory services to governments. We are the host for the secretariat of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development and manage the Secretariat International Support Office for the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.  More info.
• Energy: Our team of economists, engineers, policy analysts, communications specialists and advocates provide practical guidance in two key areas. Our Global Subsidies Initiative(GSI) works to help shift public and private financial flows away from fossil fuels and into clean energy. Our sustainable energy supply and just transition teams work to help countries reduce and phase out fossil fuels in socially responsible ways that are consistent with a 1.5° limit in average global temperature increase. We do this through international processes—including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Goals and the G20—as well as long-standing programs of in-depth national work in Canada, India and Indonesia and South Africa. More info.
• Resilience: Our team of climate experts works with governments, civil society and communities to help them manage climate-related risks, address vulnerabilities, build adaptive capacity, and craft, implement, monitor, evaluate, and learn from their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). They also conduct research on the nexus between nature and security, along with related work on issues at the nexus of environment, conflict, and peacebuilding. IISD is home to the newly launched Nature for Climate Adaptation Initiative, focused on gender-responsive and socially inclusive nature-based climate solutions, and also serves as the secretariat for the National Adaptation Plan Global Network, which aims to enhance national adaptation planning and action in developing countries through the development of knowledge products, the facilitation of peer learning and exchange, the provision of technical assistance, and the coordination between donors and country representatives to help ensure that bilateral programs align with a given country’s NAP priorities. More info.
• Communications: All of IISD’s teams with significant Geneva-based work—Economic Law and Policy, Energy, Resilience, and Communications—are engaged in ongoing communications and engagement activities targeted at policy-makers, international organizations, policy research communities, media, and the general public. Core communications activities include the development of outreach products (articles, newsletters, press releases, op-eds, infographics, and videos), the management of social media platforms, media relations and monitoring, and the development and implementation of communications plans and strategies. Depending on project needs, they may also include event management, webinars, data visualization, and the exploration of innovative communications tools.
• Project Management l Monitoring & Evaluation: The project managers at IISD are responsible for overseeing the smooth delivery of projects by managing the logistics, operations, budget, timeline, and scope of grant agreements; reporting deliverables to donors; and supporting partner outreach tracking. They maintain regular contact with the accounting and contracting teams to monitor project spending and procurement and with IISD experts and contractors to assist in keeping work on track and on time. Our monitoring and evaluation team oversees the monitoring of project activities, evaluating these activities relative to their intended impacts, and reporting to funders.
• Tracking Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The IISD Tracking Progress Program runs a range of initiatives dedicated to supporting the achievement of the SDGs globally. One such project is the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem, co-convened in partnership with the SDG Lab at UN Geneva. The project engages a range of stakeholders from UN entities, non-governmental organizations, academia, governments, and the private sector in knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation to accelerate implementation of the SDGs. The Tracking Progress team is also home to IISD’s Earth Negotiations Bulletin team, which reports on international environmental negotiations, and to the SDG Knowledge Hub, which features policy briefs, news reporting, and guest articles on subjects related to the achievement of the SDGs.

Timelines and Duration

• IISD is seeking interns for Fall 2023 (September to December).
• The deadline to apply is June1, 2023*
• Internships are for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 4 months (or more upon university approval) for 15 hours a week during the term time and a maximum of 40 hours a week during university vacation.
• If the internship is an official part of your course credit, working hours can be full-time, contingent upon a joint agreement with the university.

* Selected candidates will not be contacted for an interview until after the deadline date.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for an internship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a master’s level (MA, MSc, LLM, etc.) or Ph.D. degree program with a university based in Switzerland during the dates of the prospective internship.
• Be fluent in English speaking and writing.
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institutional records.
• Have a valid Swiss residence permit (student B permit, regular B permit, C permit) or hold Swiss citizenship.

Additional consideration will be given to any past professional experience. It will be considered an advantage if applicants can demonstrate an academic or professional experience that is relevant to the focus area of the IISD team to which they are applying; professional competence in any languages in addition to English, especially French or Spanish; and a written statement of support from academic supervisors or professional referees.

Only applications made via our online platform are accepted and all applications must include a cover letter and a CV both in English.
Your cover letter should specify one IISD Geneva program with which you would like to seek an internship and why.