Organization: UNHABITAT – United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Location: Nairobi
Grade: Internship – Internship
Occupational Groups:
Scientist and Researcher
Innovations for Sustainable Development
Closing Date: 2024-07-25
Work Location
In-person, Nairobi, Kenya
Expected duration
6 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is mandated by the UN-General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat works with varied partners including cities, central governments, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular, Goal 11 of “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. The recruited Urban Mobility Programme Support Intern will work under the direct supervision of the Lead of the Urban Mobility team. UN-HABITAT’S WORK ON URBAN MOBILITY Within UN-Habitat’s Urban Basic Services Section, the Urban Mobility team works on diverse projects striving towards achieving sustainable mobility in urban environments. This is especially relevant in a rapidly urbanising world, where the response to increased demand for access to economic opportunities and vital services is often car-based urban development, tailored to and encouraging private car ownership, and a rapid increase in the global two- and three-wheeler fleet. The impacts of this approach are concerning: transport-based emissions make up a quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions, traffic-related accidents are the leading cause of mortality among young people, and congestion results in a significant loss of national and local GDPs. In addition, emerging mobility technologies such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) concept, hydrogen powered mobility systems, Autonomous Vehicles, and Advanced Air Mobility present both opportunities and challenges for cities in the global south. On one hand, these technologies offer the potential to leapfrog traditional infrastructure limitations, providing innovative solutions to longstanding issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and inadequate transportation networks. However, there are also significant challenges to address, including affordability, digital divides, and concerns over job displacement in sectors like transportation. UN-Habitat’s programmes, notably the flagship programme People Centred-Smart Cities ensures that deployment of technology and innovation is used to ensure sustainability, inclusivity, prosperity and human rights in cities. The urban mobility team’s broad project portfolio includes developing roadmaps for sustainable urban mobility, for example, in Tanzania; initiating the transition to low-carbon urban mobility through the SOLUTIONSplus project in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Europe; and the Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) objective is to mitigate climate change while improving access to sustainable energy under affordable and reliable conditions. The team supports building the capacity of local and national authorities to stimulate sustainable urban mobility, and, through its projects around the globe, significantly contributes to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in line with the New Urban Agenda, with a focus on leaving no-one behind. This knowledge and good practices are promoted at a local, national, regional and international scale through workshops, conferences and public outreach events. Responsibilities UN-Habitat’s Urban Basic Services Section is seeking a motivated and passionate Innovative Mobility Research Intern to join the team in supporting the normative works on emerging mobility technologies and trends and programmes on smart mobility. The selected intern will have a vital role in conducting research, collecting and analysing data, and compiling and visualising the information and knowledge. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to ongoing international cooperation projects and gain practical experience in sustainable mobility solutions that can contribute to implementing the New Urban Agenda, Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The recruited Urban Mobility Programme Support Intern will work under the direct supervision of the Lead of the Urban Mobility team. Supporting the team’s broad set of activities and projects, the Intern’s principal tasks will be as follows: • Conduct research on future trends for urban mobility and emerging mobility technologies such as Mobility-as-a-Service concept, hydrogen powered mobility systems, Autonomous Vehicles, and Advanced Air Mobility; • Assist with literature reviews and analysis on the impact of the future trends and emerging mobility technologies on urban mobility, mainly focusing on cities in the Global South. • Undertake desktop research on the latest academic and policy pathways towards and best practices for innovative mobility technologies, and produce written briefs and reports that feed into the team’s ongoing projects; • Support the team in the development of analyses reports, communication materials, presentations, maps, illustrations, tables and graphics; • Support staff in literature review, knowledge piece development, and project development activities; • Any other tasks as assigned related to urban mobility.
Qualifications/special skills
Applicants must at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements: a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent), c. Have graduated with Bachelor’s degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent. Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite). Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Preferred areas of study: Transport Planning; Civil Engineering; Urban Planning/Design; Computer Science/Information Technology; Data Science; Environmental Science, Mechanical Engineering; Innovation Management; Business Administration, Public Policy, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering Transport Geography, or Urban Geography; or another field deemed relevant. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Explain how your experiences and/or interests align with the theme of future trends in urban mobility and emerging mobility technologies like Mobility-as-a-Service, hydrogen-powered mobility systems, Autonomous Vehicles, and Advanced Air Mobility. For this role, proficiency in gathering information and data from diverse sources across various mediums, and adeptness in structuring and organizing them coherently is imperative. Kindly elaborate on how you fulfill this criterion, citing examples from your experiences. Can you interact well with people of various social and cultural backgrounds in an occasionally stressful environment?
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Additional Information
Not available.
Intern Specific text
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.