Internship: Track II Mediation Unit

Summary of Position
The Track II Mediation Unit of Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is seeking an intern for fall 2009, beginning early September.  The position is unpaid.  We are requesting a 20+ hour per week minimum commitment. The internship duration is a minimum of three (3) months, and we prefer candidates who can stay six (6) months.

Search for Common Ground’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict—away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. We design and implement multifaceted programs that aim to resolve conflict and prevent violence, and we seek to help conflicting parties to understand their differences and act on their commonalities. 

The Track II Mediation Unit uses tools such as mediation, people-to-people exchanges, and shuttle diplomacy to help parties solve conflicts. We operate under the premise that instead of confronting each other as the enemy, parties should sit together and face a shared problem of how to have better relations. Some of the programs the unit currently supports include the US-Syria Program and the US-Iran Program.

Intern duties are wide-ranging and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct research on Syria, Iran, relations with the United States, and other related news and events;
• Contribute to research and writing projects, including funding proposals, monthly program updates, and country analyses;
• Assist with travel, visas and meeting logistics;
• Represent Search for Common Ground at conferences and meetings;
• Provide website content and contribute to regular updating based on material received from the field;
• Assist with other administrative tasks related to the support of the Track II Mediation Unit.

The ideal candidate will exhibit:

• Interest in and knowledge of US-Syrian, US-Iranian relations, the Middle East and North Africa;
• Interest in conflict resolution;
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills;
• A self-starting, enthusiastic and flexible attitude;
• Attention to detail;
• Comfortable in fluid, dynamic environment that can change rapidly;
• Ability to work independently;
• Arabic, Farsi and French language proficiency a plus.

Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to:
Ben Gass, Program Assistant, Track II Mediation Unit at bgass@sfcg.org

In your cover letter, please clearly state why our program is of interest to you, what you can bring to it, and what you hope to gain from it.  Also, please include the dates of your availability and the number of hours per week to which you can commit.