Summer Field Internship - Peru

Conservation International Board Member Byron Trott has generously provided Conservation International with funding to support immersive field based summer internships for US based students. These internships will provide selected students with a unique opportunity to experience the hands-on conservation work in our programs and provide exposure to management and leadership skills in a non-profit organization.

For the summer of 2015, Conservation International is offering a communications focused summer internship for a student in our Peru country program.  Reporting to the Communications Coordinator, CI Peru is offering an opportunity to develop hands-on experience to support the delivery of key institutional and programmatic communications.   Based on the successful implementation of communication strategies promoting our exciting work in the Alto Mayo Basin, we are looking for support in updating and producing new materials for a bi-lingual audience. This internship will be based in CI’s Lima office and will include an opportunity to travel to the Alto Mayo basin in the San Martin region of Peru.  

The headwaters of the Alto Mayo basin play a crucial role in supplying fresh water to major cities of the region. Despite being part of the national system of protected areas, the Alto Mayo region is highly threatened by ongoing deforestation. To mitigate the negative effects of deforestation and support management, CI is working with the Peruvian National Park Service and other strategic allies in the area to reduce the threats while designing and implementing water resources initiatives, developing green business, working alongside local and indigenous communities.

Interns will engage directly with CI’s multi-disciplinary team in Peru, building their own understanding of our approach to conservation and human well-being and applying their skills to develop critical communication materials to build global awareness and support.  The selected intern will not only gain experience in living and working in another culture, but will have the opportunity to improve Spanish language skills, design and writing skills and increase their knowledge in conservation and environmental issues.

The internships will include a one week orientation at Conservation International Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Conservation International will cover all travel expenses including, travel to Peru, accommodations, and food.  Interns must supply their own health insurance and sign a volunteer waiver.

Internship Duties

• Develop, catalog, and identify current communications material including photo, video, and stories to leverage for awareness and development purposes
• Update the CI Peru website
• Support the translation of key documents for the website and factsheets from Spanish to English
• Design new communication pieces according to CI’s brand guidelines
• May  travel to support the implementation of communication actions in the field, such as workshops, school fairs, festivals, or awareness campaigns
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Current student pursuing a college degree in a related field, including communications,  journalism, marketing or graphic design
• Fluency in English and Spanish
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite
• Willingness to learn and adapt to a variety of cultural situations, including respect for local and/or indigenous communities’ traditions 
• Independent and able to thrive in challenging situations
• Basic knowledge of climate change, water resources and green economy issues preferred
• Basic working knowledge of Sharepoint preferred
• Must have personal laptop available for use

? The selected student must have a valid US passport, commit to the full internship period from June 22, 2015 to August 7, 2015 and sign a volunteer waiver release. Please note that a yellow fever vaccine for this internship is highly recommended. 

To Apply:  Submit your resume, cover letter expressing interest and two recommendations/reference letters by March 29, 2015.