Internship

Internship position on ecosystem services

In this internship at FSD in Wageningen you will bring nature into decision-making through ecosystem services valuation and help organise international conferences on ecosystem services.

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is looking for an intern to support our work on the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) and the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP).

About FSD

FSD is a not-for-profit research & consultancy foundation coordinating projects like the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP), the Ecosystem Service Valuation Database (ESVD) and the Dutch phenological network Nature’s Calendar. FSD supports the conservation and sustainable use of natural ecosystems through building knowledge and stimulating awareness of the ways in which people depend on nature.

Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD)

The ESVD is the largest publicly available database with standardized monetary values for all ecosystem services and all biomes on all continents. It aims to provide a comprehensive, trustworthy, up-to-date and easily accessible database with state-of-the-art information on the monetary value of all ecosystem services. Ultimately, our goal with the ESVD is to contribute to averting biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation as well as bringing ecosystem services into decision-making,to be used in research and in policy-making. We do projects with governments, financial institutions such as the ASN Bank and international organisations such as the FAO. For more information visit esvd.info.

Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP)

ESP connects ecosystem services scientists, policy makers and practitioners all over the globe, working together in various working groups and national networks on all continents. ESP regularly organises world and regional conferences and provides many services to further enhance the application of ecosystem services for nature conservation, ecosystem restoration and sustainable management. For more information, please see www.es-partnership.org.

Internship tasks

ESVD

The ESVD has seen major updates in the recent years, showing that there is a demand for a database like the ESVD. With this growth, we must ensure and improve the quality of the database as well as the applicability of the database for possible users. Your main tasks include assisting with a quality check of the database, implementing the IUCN ecosystem classifications, adding data to the ESVD and finding studies for our repository. In addition, you will be doing data analysis in Excel and helping with product development. You will also be working on a project for the Dutch Ministry of Environment and for a project in North-Macedonia.

ESP conferences

We are currently preparing the 4 th ESP Europe Conference, 10-14 October 2022, Heraklion, Greece. This conference will take place in a hybrid format and is expected to attract over 500 participants. As an intern, you will support our team with the conference organisation. Your main tasks will include preparing important conference materials, communication with delegates, updating the conference website, managing the digital event platform and other related tasks. You will support the conference in real time through the digital platform, and also have the opportunity to join some of the plenaries and sessions.

ESP and FSD web management

The ESP website is in constant development. We add news items, vacancies and upcoming events, and often update our other pages. As an intern, you will help with all activities above. This gives you the opportunity to gain experience with the widely used CMS WordPress and to gain skills in crafting newsworthy texts.

Required knowledge and skills

  • Ambitious person with a drive to learn and to improve the world
  • Good textual and communicative skills
  • Good quantitative and data analysis skills
  • Advanced level of understanding of Word, Excel, Outlook and Power point
  • Able to work independently and proactively
  • Eye for detail
  • Experience in working with people from different backgrounds and countries
  • Languages: English
  • Education level: MSc student

What we offer

  • Opportunity to learn more about ecosystem services and natural resource management
  • Access to a large network of ecosystem service specialists
  • Opportunity to gain valuable experience in bringing science into practice
  • Opportunity to get experience with conference organisation and web communication
  • Working in a dynamic and high-paced working environment at a small NGO where you get a lot of responsibility and where not everything is set in stone
  • A remuneration of €250,– per month based on a 40 hours workweek (possibly changed)
  • Last but not least, a great feeling of doing something which benefits nature!

Logistics

Preferable starting date is September 2022. Internship time and weekly hours are open for discussion, but we prefer someone who can work for at least 4 months (based on a 40 hours workweek) and at least 4 days a week. The internship is based in Wageningen.

More information and application