The Centre for Development Finance (CDF) announces some very exciting internship opportunities for this summer.  If you’re looking for something more long term, word has it that CDF will likely be releasing postings for BoP related full time positions in the coming weeks… check back for more information!

Total Immersion Programme in Finance and Development (TIP/FD) - Summer 2009

CDF invites internship applications for the Summer 2009 IFMR “Total Immersion Program in Finance and Development (TIP/FD).”

Description of the program follows and application requirements follow below and in this CDF TIP document, and to apply please use the following link.

The TIP F/D provides undergraduate and graduate students interested in microfinance, development finance, and economic development an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in working on issues relating to access to financial services for urban and rural poor in a developing country. Interns will participate in a structured, two-week course directed by leading researchers, IFMR Centre Research Associates, and practitioners from the Indian government, microfinance institutions (MFIs), and NGOs. The course will be followed by eight weeks of work on a CDF projects which will consist of either field-based research, policy/sector wide studies or data analysis.  Past interns have completed stand-alone projects or worked to initiate, implement, and scale-up existing projects or pilots at the Centre.

The list of summer internship projects can be found online here and in this CDF Project Descriptions document. Interns may also be placed on another of CDF’s ongoing projects.

Internships are unpaid, although CDF will assist with housing and food or provide a small stipend of up to Rs 10,000/month toward living expenses. All interns are encouraged to obtain funding to cover international travel and personal expenses during the internship period.

This year, the TIP/FD will take place between June 8 and August 14, 2009. Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2009, although we encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible to ensure the best matching of interests and skills.

Positions of Particular Interest to the TCI Readership: RIG: Understanding BoP Consumer behavior in Rural India: (two interns)

The interns will play a leading role in the development and testing of market research tools for rural BoP consumer segments in India.  Priority sectors will include energy (decentralized renewable energy, cooking and lighting solutions), water, and sanitation.  Interns should be prepared to spend a significant amount of time in rural areas and should have experience in marketing, market research, and/or ethnographic research.  Competitive applicants will have or currently be pursuing a relevant masters degree and possess a strong interest in market-based solutions to poverty reduction. Applicants with working knowledge of one Indian language preferred.

RIG: BoP Business Development & Technology Deployment: (one intern)

Building upon a current collaboration with the World Resources Institute and CDF, the intern will play a leading role in distilling key insight into business development and technology deployment in the BoP energy sector in India. As part of this broader effort, the intern will focus on critical challenges to demand aggregation in rural markets. Competitive applicants will currently be pursuing or have recently completed an MBA, MPA, or MPP and possess a strong interest in market based solutions to poverty reduction.

ESF: India’s Renewable Energy Landscape (one intern)

Working closely with CDF’s Rural Infrastructure and Governance (RIG) and Environmentally Sustainable Finance (ESF) groups, the intern will map policy landscape for renewable energy in India.  As part of this broader effort, the intern will develop a comparative assessment of state level renewable energy policy in India.  Additionally, in conjunction with RIG and ESF staff members, the intern will develop a specific research question that adds value to CDF’s work in the renewable energy space. Competitive applicants will currently be pursuing or have recently completed a relevant graduate degree and have a strong interest in environmental policy.

Candidates interested in these positions are requested to copy when they submit their applications.