Summer Internship - Washington, DC Area

Position: Public Health Research Intern (Summer 2012) in Washington, DC Area

Date: May 29, 2012 through August 17, 2012 (negotiable)

About the Company:

Vestergaard Frandsen has been a family-owned company for more than 50 years, and operates under a unique “humanitarian entrepreneurship” business model that is dedicated to creating and deploying technologies that improve the health of people in developing countries.

Backed by research in the lab and in the field, our disease-control products include cutting-edge PermaNet® 3.0 bed nets, ZeroVector® Durable Lining, and ZeroFly plastic sheeting; award-winning and widely used LifeStraw® and LifeStraw® Family water filters; and innovative frameworks to reach those in need, like our LifeStraw® Carbon for Water campaign, and the integrated CarePack®, which combines anti-malarial and water filtration tools with HIV testing and prevention. Thanks to our robust product portfolio, more than half a billion people in the developing world will enjoy a brighter and healthier future.

Our staff design, develop, test, refine and support the distribution of these products to NGOs, aid agencies, faith-based organizations, ministries of health, and socially responsible companies. We work closely with those distributing our products to ensure that beneficiaries are satisfied; our presence in the field is a point of pride, and is essential to understanding the needs of the end users of our innovations..

Our headquarters are in Switzerland, with regional offices in Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the UAE, the US, and Vietnam ensuring a global reach.

We are driven by an abiding desire to lessen the disease burden on those populations most vulnerable to preventable illness. We have aligned our business objectives with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, and are active participants in global fora where communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS are discussed and targeted. Vestergaard Frandsen is not content with “business as usual,” and has been at the forefront of innovation of disease prevention in the developing context.

About Our Office:

We are the North American regional office for Vestergaard Frandsen based in Arlington, VA just outside Washington, DC . The full-time staff of the office include: a Regional Director, who is responsible for public health sales and partnerships in North America; a Regional Manager, who is responsible for public health sales and partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean; the Concept Development Manager and Director for VF’s climate business unit; an Assistant Finance Manager who keeps Vestergaard Frandsen running in the Western Hemisphere; and an Area Manager who focuses on domestic sales and partnerships and government relations.

In line with company culture, the DC office is open and collaborative, with ideas and input (sometimes unsolicited!) flying fast and furious across the open-floor plan space we share. Everyone takes their work seriously, but rarely does an hour go by without someone cracking a joke. We approach our often challenging work with a sense of humor and appreciation for the humanitarian mission of the unique company for which we work. We also host Vestergaard Frandsen’s incredibly varied and interesting foreign staff, who often stop by on their way to meetings across the country. Our office is never boring, and a small headcount means all staff, including interns, shoulder significant responsibilities. We’re looking forward to bringing an intern for the second year into our office.

You Are:

• Available in the Washington, DC metro area for the duration of the internship for at least 40 hours a week.
• A citizen or legal resident of the US with eligibility to work.
• A bright, motivated graduate student majoring in public health, health administration, development studies, or a similar field, preferably working toward a dual degree MBA/MPH, MBA or MPH (exceptional junior and senior undergraduates are also welcome to apply).
• Independent, confident, motivated, meticulous with excellent follow-through.
• Able to demonstrate a successful track record of achievement at previous internships and jobs.
• Interested in public health, finance in development, social entrepreneurship, or international issues (experience in these areas is a plus).
• A very strong writer and researcher and can handle and give constructive feedback
• An expert in Microsoft Office, a web-savvy researcher and exhibit strong writing skills
• Graceful under pressure and can handle tight deadlines.
• Not afraid to ask questions and can maintain a professional manner with high-level guests.
• Able to work well within a variety of contexts and cultures and have a sense of humor.

What We Offer:

The work you do could have significant real-world implications because you will be helping ensure that our products help people who need clean water, protection against malaria, and preventive health services. A big component of your job will be intensive research and analysis, particularly on the donor landscape for safe water interventions. You will examine funding structures, evaluate existing projects, and make recommendations. You will review and update the current body of donor profiles and track funding flows; evaluate government and philanthropic donors based in the US; identify new donor partners; and schedule and participate in introductory meetings with partners along with other staff from the office. In addition to research, you’ll help plan side events for the UN General Assembly ministerial week, when Vestergaard Frandsen will partner with various stakeholder groups; create documentation for upcoming donor stakeholder meetings; cover meetings on Capitol Hill; and and help cement further domestic humanitarian aid and disaster relief partnerships. We want to work with you to design an internship experience that is as rewarding to you as it is us.

Compensation:

We offer college credit, reimbursement of business-related expenses, a performance-based stipend at the end of the summer (up to $3,000 based on performance), and the occasional nice lunch out on the town.

How to Apply:

Email Paul Chen at pqc@vestergaard-frandsen.com the following:

• Cover letter (why you want to work here, and what you’d like out of the internship)
• Resume/CV
• 1-2 page writing sample related to a health topic (it can be an essay for class or an article)

If considered, you’ll be asked to provide:

• Two recommendations from a professor, supervisor and/or guidance counselor
• Certified copy of your transcript

• Must have in-person interview in Arlington, VA

The deadline for applications is February 29. All final decisions will be made by March 16. Please, no calls or snail mail applications. Only emailed correspondence will be considered. Please email us if you have any questions.