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Asia Foundation - Call for Interns
Deadline: February 1, 2007
The Asia Foundation’s Mongolia office is recruiting faculty and students for an exciting program entitled: Securing our Future: Mongolia Natural Capital Conservation and Environmental Security Program. This program was launched in December 2006 and is comprised of elements that will build a body of ecologic knowledge and understanding, and engage citizens in order to promote responsible resource use in Mongolia.
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit international non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help to improve governance and law, economic reform and development, women’s empowerment and international relations. Drawing upon 18 offices across Asia, and over 50 years of experience, the Foundation collaborates with private and public sector partners to support leadership and institutional development.
How to apply
To apply to any of the three programs described below, please send a current copy of your resume or CV with a cover letter describing your relevant educational and professional experience. In addition, please provide in a separate document a brief description (up to 500 words) of how you envision yourself contributing to the project for which you are applying. Please send these materials to General@Asiafound.mn by February 1, 2007.
The Asia Foundation will cover in-country travel expenses and modest meal and lodging expenses. Applicants are responsible for securing medical evacuation insurance and travel funding to and from Mongolia. The Asia Foundation will provide, if requested, letters of support in order to apply for supplementary funding from other sources after applicants have been selected to participate in the programs.
River Ecologists (3 persons)
Role: Serve as a team of scientific experts and advisors that will assist in developing a watershed and river monitoring program in Mongolia. Team goals are to: 1) interpret previously-collected data in Mongolia (biological, habitat, and chemical), 2) train volunteers, teachers, and students to use scientific river monitoring protocols, 3) verify identification of collected macroinvertebrates, 4) archive invertebrate collections, 5) work with other scientists to help establish tolerance values for benthic macroinvertebrates, and 6) model the scientific research process for participants.
Qualifications: Masters or PhD candidates in river ecology, river biogeochemistry, aquatic entomology or a closely-related field. Strong skills in communication, teamwork, organization, and leadership. Interest in working with volunteers, teachers, and students. Ability to do moderately demanding physical work (lifting, hiking, etc.), and travel for extended periods of time through rough back-country conditions.
Counterpart Coordination: The experts and advisors will work closely with staff and researchers at The Mongolian Aquatic Insects Survey (MAIS) Lab, The Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, the National University of Mongolia and other Ulaanbaatar-based institutes.
Timeframe: May through August 2007.
Venues: Ulaanbaatar, and cities and towns across Mongolia, as well as fieldwork in a number of sites to be determined.
Watershed/River Ecology Educators (3 persons specialized in upper elementary through the secondary level)
Role: Work with Mongolian teachers and curriculum specialists to develop a watershed education program for Mongolian schools that includes a strong river assessment component, and aligned with current scientific protocols in Mongolia.
Qualifications: At least 5 years of experience teaching watershed education and river assessment methods to school children. Proven skills in curriculum development and leadership within the educational community. A commitment to promoting environmental literacy in students. Ability to do moderately demanding physical work (lifting, hiking, etc.) and willingness to travel into Mongolia’s countryside for several days at a time.
Timeframe: June through October (availability for this full-time is not essential)
Venues: Ulaanbaatar, and cities and towns across Mongolia.
River Monitoring Interns (4 Masters or undergraduate students)
Roles: Assist river ecologists and volunteers in the lab and in the field to implement the pilot river monitoring program. The students will work closely with Mongolian and expatriate staff to create a watershed education curriculum.
Qualifications: High achievement and strong interest in science. Interest in exploring careers in river ecology or natural science research. Strong skills in communication, organization, and teamwork. Ability to do moderately demanding physical work (lifting, hiking, etc.) and willingness to travel for extended periods in the countryside and back-country.
Timeframe: late June through August
Venues: Ulaanbaatar, and cities and towns across Mongolia, as well as back-country field work.
Contact the Asia Foundation
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications by February 1, 2007 to General@Asiafound.mn.For a copy of the Program Paper that describes the Securing our Future program in greater detail please write to: General@Asiafound.mn. For information on the Asia Foundation and its Mongolia programs please log onto www.asiafoundation.org.
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Last Updated: December 19, 2006