Research Associate Internship

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

In line with its Country Programme Document CPD 2023-2027, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jordan is focused on climate action and resilience, promoting decent employment and sustainable income, eradicating poverty, enhancing gender equality, and facilitating responsible production and consumption.

UNDP works with the government and partners towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Jordan. UNDP delivers direct policy and technical support to provide effective solutions to the development challenges including lack of socio-economic opportunities, exclusion, climate action and disaster risk reduction, vulnerability, and marginalization. In partnership with the Government of Jordan and other developmental partners, UNDP promotes a resilience-based approach that ensures sustainability, coherence, and complementarity of results in support of Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision and achievement of the country’s development agenda.

In this context, and as part of the Green Pathways and Inclusive Growth (GPIG) portfolio, UNDP is implementing a number of projects that aim at enhancing green growth and promoting the diversification of sustainable livelihoods through supporting technical skills building, SME growth, and entrepreneurship. UNDP works closely with businesses, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, women and youth to enhance growth and income opportunities and to facilitate the transition into greener and more sustainable business practices.

Setting and Reporting

The Research Associate intern will work under the overall supervision of Green Pathways and Inclusive Growth Programme Analyst and in close collaboration with pillar’s team.

Description of Responsibilities

Duties of Intern

• Support in research activities generating insights on thematic priorities areas of inclusive growth such as youth, women’s socio-economic empowerment, local economic development, green economy, social entrepreneurship, innovation, inclusive livelihood pathways and SDG impact acceleration in addition to circular economy and implementing 9Rs principles in urban and coastal settings.
• Conduct field visits to collect information through UNDP monitoring tools and attend coordination meetings as needed.
• Assist with the implementation of relevant activities for the Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator Project and support in the coordination of mentor matching, training calendars and post-cohort feedback surveys for participating SMEs.
• Prepare background notes and minutes for meetings with government counterparts, donors, civil-society and private-sector partners, and track follow-up actions.
• Consolidate feedback and findings from different activities and interventions to inform learning and progress.
• Support UNDP in data entry, project documentation and information archiving as needed.
• Assist in developing success stories and conceptualizing, best practices, presentation content, and advocacy material to serve as communication tools with multi-stakeholders.
• Support in raising awareness and driving SDG 2030 Agenda in support of the UNDP strategic programme priorities SDGs and how the pillar’s projects contribute to targeted SDGs, human security, through success stories, articles, media, key messages and dissemination materials.
• Support in conducting research requested for the development or proposals and concept notes in coordination with other pillars and central team.
• Work closely with the project team including the access to finance focal point on the drafting of concept notes or slide decks to pitch new green-finance partnerships with banks and impact investors.
• Conduct background research on marine spatial planning, sustainable fisheries, or coastal livelihoods.
• Help with literature reviews or policy scans relevant to the blue economy.

Other Activities:

Support the organization of internal and external meetings and events involving UNDP staff and external gender equality practitioners (e.g. conferences, launch of events for publications, internal presentations);

Support admin work such as, but not limited to, managing field visits logistics, preparing Terms of Reference, following up on recruitments, following up on consultants’ payments and managing documentation and archiving for both livelihoods and blue economy related projects

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools;
• Online navigation.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in Arabic and English are required; ability to write clearly and concisely.

Qualifications

Education:

Applicants to the internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements under Public Administration or other relevant subjects is required.

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

(a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);

(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);

(c) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;

(d) Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.

A person who is the child or sibling of a UNDP staff member is not eligible to apply for an internship at UNDP. An applicant who bears any other family relationship with a UNDP staff member may be engaged as an intern, provided that they must neither be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor be placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member.

For purposes of this policy, “child” means: (i) the adult child of a staff member; (ii) the adult child of the spouse of a staff member (stepchild); and (iii) the spouse of an adult child of a staff member or the child of a staff member’s spouse (son- or daughter-in-law). “Sibling” includes the adult child of both or either parent of a staff member and the adult child of the spouse of a parent of a staff member (that is, also half- and stepsibling).

Language requirements:

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English is required and Arabic is an asset.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Duration of Internship Programme and Working Hours

• Internship assignments vary in length according to the academic requirements of the intern, as well as the needs of UNDP. Assignments normally last a minimum of six weeks and a maximum of six months. An internship may last up to nine months if the intern can demonstrate that it will award them an educational credit for a course.
• Internship assignments completed as part of national service obligations, or a postgraduate professional traineeship program may last up to 12 months.
• This Internship is available on full-time basis, five days a week from Sunday to Thursday

Stipend

• Where an intern is engaged in-person and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to an in-person internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station, must be paid by the receiving office.
• Where an intern is engaged remotely and is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, Government, foundation or scholarship programme, a remote stipend intended to help cover expenses related to the internship, such as internet connections or other means to remain in contact with the receiving office, must be paid by the receiving office.
• The amount of the stipend for in-person and remote internships will be set for each duty station. The monthly stipend rates of both remote and in-person internships will be published annually by the Bureau for Management Services’ Office of Human Resources (BMS/OHR). The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and will be pro-rated for part-time internship arrangements.
• Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, Government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, Government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.
• No other payments of any kind, or advance on the stipend due, will be made to an intern by the receiving office in connection with an internship agreement, except for any reimbursements made to an intern under paragraph 33 of the present policy.
• Interns will accrue combined sick and annual leave at the rate of 1 ½ days per month, which will be prorated to the nearest half day for part-time internships. Any accrued leave days not used by the end of the internship will be forfeited. Any unjustified absences during the internship period exceeding a total of nine days or as prorated for part-time internships, will be deducted from the monthly stipend.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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