Internship on Household Survey Data Harmonization

Job Posting Organization:
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations, established in 194

• Its mission is to contribute to the economic and social development of the region by designing, monitoring, and evaluating public policies. ECLAC provides advisory services, expertise, and training to governments, and supports regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. The organization operates in various countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on enhancing the region's development through research, policy analysis, and capacity building. For more information, visit their website at www.eclac.org.

Job Overview:
The internship-position" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">internship position is located within the Statistics Division of ECLAC in Santiago, Chile, and is expected to last for a duration of 4 months, depending on the needs of the Office. The intern will work under the supervision of the Chief of the Social Statistics Unit, focusing on adapting scripts for the production of standardized survey databases to free software, specifically R. The role involves reviewing existing scripts programmed in STATA, adapting them to R using a new processing system developed in the Unit, and analyzing differences between the current and new databases produced in R. Additionally, the intern will be responsible for ensuring the consistency of data series by applying the defined procedures. This position is ideal for candidates who are looking to gain practical experience in data harmonization and statistical analysis within a prominent international organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The intern will undertake several key responsibilities, including:

• Reviewing existing scripts programmed in STATA to understand their functionality and purpose.
• Adapting these scripts to R, ensuring that the new processing system aligns with the Unit's standards.
• Analyzing and identifying discrepancies between the databases produced in STATA and those generated in R, documenting any differences found.
• Ensuring the consistency of data series by applying the defined procedures and methodologies.
• Collaborating with team members to enhance the overall data processing workflow and contribute to the development of best practices in data management.
• Participating in meetings and discussions related to the project, providing insights and feedback based on the analysis conducted.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must meet one of the following criteria: (a) be enrolled in or have completed a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). While professional work experience is not required for the UN Internship Programme, candidates should have a field of study closely related to the internship they are applying for. Proof of enrollment or completion of the relevant academic program must be provided with the application.

Educational Background:
Candidates must be either students in the final year of their first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), or enrolled in or have completed a Master’s or Ph.D. Programme. This educational background is essential to ensure that the intern possesses the necessary theoretical knowledge and skills relevant to the tasks they will undertake during the internship.

Experience:
While no professional work experience is required for this internship, candidates should have relevant academic experience or coursework that aligns with the responsibilities of the position. This could include coursework in statistics, data analysis, or related fields that would provide a solid foundation for the tasks involved in the internship.

Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English is mandatory for the internship, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Additionally, fluency in spoken and written Spanish is also required. Knowledge of another official UN language, such as French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or any other, is considered an advantage and may enhance the candidate's profile.

Additional Notes:
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations, meaning that all costs related to travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may need to obtain the appropriate visa and work authorization. It is crucial for successful candidates to discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. Furthermore, it is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, processing, or training.