Assistant Project Officer

Description

• Hosting organisation: CNRS Foundation, hosting the Ocean Sustainability Foundation.
• Contract type: Internship - Full-time, 35 hours / week.
• Employment period: 6 months: from September 2026 to March 2027.
• Remuneration: Legal internship stipend, ≈650 EUR / month.
• Location: On-site (Paris, France).

About IPOS

Hosted by the CNRS Foundation, the OSF gathers a team of ocean scientists and experts catalyzing their efforts towards the implementation of the International Platform for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS). IPOS is a global initiative aiming to provide decision-makers with transdisciplinary evidence bases with practical policy options for sustainable governance of the ocean. IPOS was officially launched at UNOC3 in June 2025 in Nice, with the support of a growing number of States, 60+ scientific institutions, and several international organisations. IPOS is officially recognized as a UN Ocean Decade Contribution, in coordination with the IOC-UNESCO.

Responsibilities

Overall, the mission is to support the IPOS management team in the ramp-up phase. This will include various project management tasks and missions critical to the launch of IPOS operations. As example: participating in drafting thematic notes and reports, preparing high level meetings and delivering their summaries, and participating in strategic thinking to ensure the IPOS success.

Particularly, the intern will contribute to the delivery of the IPOS Action Requests including:

1. MOSAIC (Meaningful Ocean Spatial planning through an All-society Inclusive Co-design). The intern will support the implementation of a multi-stakeholder ocean governance initiative aimed at strengthening inclusive Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) processes in South Africa.
2. PAMAR (Panama Mangrove Conservation Action Request). The intern will support a policy-focused action request aimed at strengthening mangrove conservation and sustainable coastal governance in Panama.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Conducting background research on ocean governance, stakeholder engagement, international best practices comparisons, and related topics for each Action Request.
• Supporting the development of project deliverables, including stakeholder mapping, engagement strategies, and synthesis reports.
• Supporting the organisation of workshops, consultations, and multi-stakeholder meetings, including agenda preparation, background documentation, note taking and follow-up.
• Assisting with project monitoring and reporting, and contributing to project management, administrative, and financial tasks in coordination with the relevant teams.

Ideal Candidate Profile and Eligibility

• Student enrolled in a Master's program in the field of environmental sciences and/or political sciences (social and human sciences).
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage projects.
• Organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written proficiency in French and English. Spanish proficiency would be a plus.
• Bonus: Good knowledge of the international landscape of actors engaged in ocean sustainability and governance. Familiarity with key ocean sustainability challenges and governance frameworks, institutions and processes designed to address them.

Working Conditions

• Position based at the Paris headquarters of the Ocean Sustainability Foundation, with possibility to do a few days of home office per month.
• Mandatory participation in information meetings, consultations, and training sessions decided by the Foundation.

Application Process

The OSF is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Interested candidates are invited to share their curriculum vitae and a cover letter to pierre.karleskind@ipos.earth, copying lucas.becquet@ipos.earth.

Deadline to apply: July 31st, EOD. Expected start: September 14th.

More information: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ipos-assistant-project-officer-ugcPost-7477271162796900353-k5V5/