SEI is seeking an intern to support the project Behavioural Service Design to reduce household food waste in collaboration with the public sector. The project is led by Fiona Lambe, Research Fellow at the Development Policy and Finance Team (DPF) at SEI Headquarters.
Food waste is a significant societal issue, with urgent efforts required to reduce waste at the household level, where the majority of waste occurs. Despite this, there is a lack of public sector led interventions aimed at reducing food waste. In addition, demand-side interventions are rarely empirically tested and often rely on stated (what people say) rather than revealed (what people do) behaviours. To address these gaps, this three-year, Formas-funded project aims to:
- identify interventions that can help households reduce their food waste by combining service design methods with behavioural science
- empirically test these interventions in real-life settings
- establish the underlying behavioural mechanisms in household food waste behavior change, including barriers and opportunities for such changes
In collaboration with project partners at Gothenburg Region (GR) and the Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences, we are currently interviewing households about their food waste behaviours. Insights gained will guide the co-design of potential interventions to support behaviour change aimed at reducing food waste. During the autumn, we will conduct a series of prototyping workshops with households and staff from GR to develop these interventions.
What you will do
The intern will work with closely with the project team, contributing directly to the following tasks:
- support the planning and implementation of the prototyping workshops, including documenting the process and outcomes, and liaising with the partners at GR
- contribute to a report on the prototyping process
- assist with communication activities related to the project.
Who you are
We are looking for a candidate currently studying in fields such as design (e.g., service design, transition design, industrial design), behavioural science, environmental psychology, sustainability studies or similar, with a keen interest in the role of behaviour in complex sustainability challenges.
You should be curious and open-minded, with strong analytical and communication skills, and are comfortable working collaboratively in a transdisciplinary environment. You should have experience in qualitative research methods. We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, with a natural ability to coordinate and drive tasks forward. Fluency in both Swedish and English (written and oral) is required. This internship could also serve as the basis for a master’s thesis.
Skills and experience
- currently enrolled in a master’s programme
- excellent analytical and communication skills
- fluent in English and Swedish
- experience in communication activities such as outreach, web and social media
- experience with qualitative research methods; familiarity with design methodologies such as prototyping is an advantage.
How to apply
We are reviewing applications on an ongoing basis so please submit your application as soon as possible, however no later than 1 May, 23:59 CET.
We only accept applications through our recruitment system; please apply online using the button below and submit the following in English:
- A cover letter addressing:
- your strengths related to the application text.
- how the internship relates to your studies and future plans.
- what kind of insurance you are (fully) covered by if you are granted the position of intern here at SEI
- A CV including one reference (name, affiliation and contact details)
Location
The internship is based at SEI HQ in Stockholm. An in-person internship involving office visits 1-2 times per week is preferred but an online internship may also be discussed. All travel costs to and from the Gothenburg area will be covered by the project.
Questions?
For questions regarding the research aims of the internship, please contact Fiona Lambe, Research Fellow and project lead: fiona.lambe@sei.org.
For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Filippa Klintberg, HR Specialist: filippa.klintberg@sei.org.
Internships at SEI
We aim to attract competent and skilled university students for our internships. Our goal is to support the intern’s development by providing a valuable learning experience in a professional setting. Please note that SEI HQ only offers unpaid internships. Applicants must be fully funded and insured by external sources throughout their time at SEI HQ.
All SEI recruitments are based on respect for the individual regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, age, union representation or political opinion, functional variation, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, nationality and marital or parental status.
Contact person
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