Kopernik

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

A Kopernik fellowship provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurial individuals of the highest caliber and potential to work with our partner NGOs and assist with the implementation and monitoring of projects disseminating appropriate technology.

What some of our previous fellows have said about their experience:

Sally Bolton (Timor-Leste, 2011): "As a Kopernik Fellow I developed a wide range of new skills. My role encompassed socioeconomic research, doing translation, being an interpreter, becoming a monitoring & evaluation specialist, creating blogs, photographing projects, doing graphic design, being a media wrangler, assisting as a customs broker, undertaking supply chain management, fomenting new business relationships, and of course being an off-road adventurer. Being located in Oecusse and away from the Kopernik team, I really valued learning how to manage these tasks on my own, while I knew I could rely on the Kopernik team to assist when I needed it." 

Sergio Pancorbo (Uganda, 2011): "Kopernik gave me the opportunity to connect the world I came from with the world that needs the most help. I arrived with my economics training and some professional experience, but I had to find creative solutions every day to apply what I had learned in a classroom to a real world context. I led project evaluation for the distribution of Solvatten purifiers with a team with local residents and also developed a professional impact report to improve on Kopernik's existing programs. I left Uganda full of new ideas and rich in hands-on experience."

Michael Woon (Timor-Leste, 2010-1): "The fellowship is a job that does require certain organisation and communication skills. But more important than training, the job needs someone who is driven and detail oriented, and inquisitive and adaptable, and of course very social. All the work is through people, as the path to sustainable projects is for all the capacity and all the management to be done eventually by the local partner. Every fellow is put in a different situation and will probably face different scenarios. I don't think a similar experience to a Kopernik ffellowship exists, and a fellow will have to do a lot of thinking and decision making on his/her feet. All the fresh experiences gained from all the different parts of the program become skills that he/she can use in the future (it's not unlike starting a business, but of course not quite as crazy). The fellowship definitely 'builds character', to quote."

We are currently seeking fellows for: 

• Kenya: Assist the implementation of  two projects that address the lighting needs of rural families and schools as well as the burden of water transportation in the community.
• Timor-Leste: Kopernik has delivered Q-drums, water purifiers, solar lights, and biomass stoves to more than 5,500 people in the Oecusse enclave. We aim to benefit the entire population with continued monitoring and implementation of training sessions.
• Indonesia: There are two different fellowships in this location, one responsible in producing a high quality video that captures the stories of our Indonesian local partners and end-users and the other responsible for writing up a detailed case-study for our project in Bojonegoro in East Java. 

See more details about these fellowships here.

Are you an ideal candidate for a Kopernik Fellowship? We seek the best people from a variety of backgrounds: 

• A bachelors degree is a must, graduate studies help
• A proven passion for international development is imperative
• Leadership skills, an entrepreneurial mind and motivation are essential
• Appropriate technology experience or local language skills are a huge plus
• Candidates must commit for a minimum of three months

What you will achieve as a fellow:  

• Gain leadership experience by running project
• Learn hands-on project implementation skills
• Improve your analytical skills by conducting impact assessments
• Prove your organizational skills by setting up a tech fair to demonstrate new technology to communities
• Train others how to use and disseminate new technology
• Design interviews and surveys to capture user feedback on Kopernik technologies
• Most importantly, you’ll improve lives, make new friends and know that you’ve made lasting positive change

To learn more about the fellowship, please contact us at kopernik@kopernik.info

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR POST GRADUATE STUDENTS

Volunteer positions are open to highly entrepreneurial post graduate students with a strong commitment to solving development challenges in an innovative way. We accept applications on a rolling basis for the following positions:

Communications

Are you a talented writer? Have PR and marketing experience? We want you!

Graphic Design

We’re looking for help on designing our outreach materials.

Fundraising

Organize your local group and choose a project to raise funds towards.

 School Outreach

 Help us reach out to schools and develop information materials for students.

 Technology Spotter

 Help us find new innovative technologies that could improve lives.

HOW TO APPLY

Send an email to kopernik@kopernik.info with the subject line "Get involved". Please include your resume and brief cover letter explaining why you are interested and qualified.