Assistant for Economic Transition

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is looking to recruit an Intern to work closely with colleagues in the Economic Transition team which is working on spreading the awareness of the need for a drastic economic transition, for example by translating degrowth demands into concrete policy shifts. We are looking for a highly motivated science loving self-starter, eager to learn and contribute to the EEB’s work. We offer a 6-month paid internship contract (convention d’immersion professionnelle) to work remotely while being a resident in Belgium and/or based in the EEB office in Brussels if the covid-19 situation allows.

Within the Economic transition team, the intern will first and foremost work with academics from the worlds of modelling, ecological economics and degrowth, support its work to provide scientific evidence for the need for system change and concrete policy options.

More specifically, the successful candidate is ready to help with:

• Implementing and managing projects that provide scientific evidence for a wellbeing/post-growth economy including coordination with relevant EEB colleagues, external partners, participation in workshops, contribution to other project deliverables and reporting;
• Doing policy-relevant research on topics relevant for providing evidence for an economic transition;
• Supporting the drafting of policy papers on the big economic questions of our times;
• Support the development and roll-out of communication activities relevant to getting scientific evidence out in collaboration with the communications team;
• Assisting with any other relevant activities that may arise during the internship period (such as support the work of EEB’s Economic Transition Working Group, including liaising with EEB members and helping organise working group events);
• Attending meetings and events and report relevant outcomes to colleagues.

Qualities and experiences required for the post:

• A relevant academic degree at Master level
• Familiarity with ecological economics or the degrowth academic community
• Strong analytical skills
• Being comfortable with working with modellers
• Strong coordination, organisation and networking skills
• Some project management experience
• A basic grasp of the functioning of EU institutions
• Interested/engaged in the topic of economic transition from a research/academic angle
• Be a team player, accountable, and able to work autonomously
• Speak and write English fluently, with fluency in other EU languages being an asset
• Prepared and able to work in a fast-moving working environment
• Interest in working in an environmental NGO and in an international working environment.
• Subscribes to the EEB’s values.

The EEB offers:

• A 6-month contract (possibility to extend to 8 months for a non-Belgian resident) – “convention d’immersion professionnelle” paid internship around 1150€ net/month with the opportunity to learn more about functioning of a non-governmental organisation
• An opportunity to work for a worthy cause
• A stimulating, international work environment in an attractive office in the heart of the EU quarter with a dynamic team committed to changing the political narrative
• Regular feedback from your supervisor and support to develop your professional skills.

Application process:

Please email your application in English to [email protected] including a CV and cover letter and the answer to the following questions (max. of 250 word each):

1. Explain why you have the necessary skills to implement and coordinate a project that provides critical knowledge for an economic transition? Please provide some concrete examples.
2. How would you try to translate rather radical economic change ideas to an audience of EU commissioners on finance, economy or trade?
3. Explain how you could be of value in this project: https://www.locomotion-h2020.eu/

Please ensure to mention in your cover letter how you meet the essential qualifications and skills for this internship position. Clearly mark: “Intern Economic Transition” in the subject of your email. Please confirm that you have not been employed on a convention d’immersion professionnelle (CIP) contract in the past and that you are not enrolled in a university.

Place:                                       Home office but resident in Belgium/EEB office in Brussels if the situation allows

Deadline for Application:            7 May 2021

Interviews first round:                 17 – 21 May 2021

Proposed starting date: Beginning of June

The EEB is an equal-opportunities employer.

Due to limited staff resources and numbers of CVs anticipated, only candidates selected for interviews will receive a reply.

Please read our recruitment privacy statement before applying: https://eeb.org/eeb-recruitment-privacy-statement/.