Horizon Scanning - Data Analysis Internship null

Your role

The intern will work with the team of Accelerator Lab Malaysia in implementing horizon scanning, collective intelligence, and innovation methodologies as well as surfacing insights from various data sources to help the UNDP Country Office and development partners, such as the Government of Malaysia to prioritize most effective and durable SDG solutions. The internship is envisioned as contributions of new sources of evidence and insights that complement the whole-of-society efforts in Malaysia towards achieving SDGs and Top 25 in the Human Development Index within the next 10 years. In this work, the intern and the Lab team work closely with thematic policy and programmatic pillars in the UNDP Country Office:

• Inclusive Growth and Prosperity
• Governance
• Nature, Climate, and Energy as well as cross-cutting functions such as Gender, Monitoring and Evaluation, and SDG Finance.

The intern will assist in the following duties and responsibilities:

Horizon Scanning and Foresight

• Analyze, visualize, and communicate emerging development trends, data, technologies, and issues with a particular focus on the edges and “below the radar” Work collaboratively in tapping into new sources of evidence and insights, analyze and visualize patterns in unstructured sources of data explore partnerships with private, civil societies, media and local communities as new data sources for UNDP’s development work Develop a structured and accessible horizon scanning system that can be integrated into the current way of work and foresight process such as Country Program Document formulation. 60%

Innovation and Participatory Practices

• Support in implementing design-thinking, innovation, and participatory practices in the Country Office and development partners. Assist in documenting lessons learned and what works for innovation playbook. 30%

Program and Project Support

• Assist in data analysis, liaison with data providers, and logistics arrangement Share findings in blogs, newsletters, internal learning events, and documentation. 10%

About you

Required skills and experience

Education

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

• Currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; (OR) currently enrolled in a Master’s degree; (OR) have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies; (OR) enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.
• Field of study: All academic backgrounds are welcome, but preference will be given to candidates with data analysis training, e.g. journalism, social sciences, data science, engineering, knowledge management, business intelligence, or equivalent.

Language requirements

• Fluency in Malay and English is required;
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

 Competencies 

• Interest and motivation to be the next generation of development practitioners;
• Strong curiosity and openness to work in an interdisciplinary team;
• Creativity in sourcing and consolidating data while addressing biases and ethical considerations;
• Experience in working on the ground with local communities;
• Outgoing and proactive, initiative-taking person with a goal-oriented mindset;
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently;
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Data and information literacy skills basic programming skills (for example R or Phyton)
• Familiarity with machine learning, social media analytics, and sentiment analysis is an advantage.

Compensation and benefits

UNDP will provide a stipend of RM 637.50 monthly in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship policy. All expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern or her/his sponsoring entity;

• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in a health insurance plan;
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Interns are expected to work full time but flexibility is allowed for education programs;
• Interns need to obtain financing for subsistence and make their own arrangements for internship, travel, VISA, accommodation, etc.

Training & development

Interns at the UN receive valuable training and development opportunities, enhancing their educational experience through practical assignments. They deepen their understanding of the organization's goals and principles while working in an international environment, networking with professionals, and providing assistance in their areas of expertise.

Career progression

An internship at the UN provides valuable exposure to high-profile conferences and decision-making processes, offering hands-on work experience and the chance to contribute to important projects. While it doesn't guarantee employment, it can lead to opportunities in General Service or consultancy positions. Candidates aiming for higher-level roles should wait six months post-internship, ensuring they meet the educational and work experience criteria for those positions.

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• careers.un.org
• careers.un.org/job-level
• youtube.com.