Internship: Water, Forests & Resilience in Bolivia

Are you a hydrology or water management student who wants to make science matter? IUCN NL is looking for an enthusiastic MSc or advanced BSc student in Hydrology, Water Management or a related field, to contribute to our Roots of Resilience program in eastern Bolivia.

The Chiquitano Dry Forest in eastern Bolivia is one of the largest and best-preserved tropical dry forests in the world. Yet this unique ecosystem is under increasing pressure. Cattle ranching, soy production, and recurring forest fires are driving deforestation, threatening both biodiversity and the water resources that around three million people depend on.

Developing a water-forest nexus model for Roots of Resilience

Together with Bolivian partners Probioma and UCB-IHDRA, IUCN NL is working to better understand the connections between forests, water, and biodiversity through the Roots of Resilience program. By generating scientific evidence where knowledge gaps still exist, the project aims to strengthen local decision-making and improve water and forest governance.

As part of the project, a water-forest nexus model will be developed for three municipalities. This model will map community water sources and identify the forest areas that help protect them, providing a scientific foundation for local action plans and sustainable land-use decisions.

This internship is perfect for someone who enjoys working with hydrological models and environmental data and is equally interested in the challenge of translating scientific findings into practical recommendations for communities, policymakers, and local governments.

As an intern, you will support IUCN NL by:

• Contributing on the implementation of a water-forest nexus model, working with tools such as WEAP, wflow and InVESTSeasonal Water Yield​;
• Contributing to scenario modelling to understand how deforestation and land-use change and how climate change affects water availability and flows in the region​;
• Interpreting model outputs for policy briefs and community action plans​.

Your contribution

Through your work, you will help bridge the gap between scientific research and real-world action. Your contributions will support:

• Blended knowledge approaches that combine modelling outputs, maps, and local knowledge to inform communities, water committees, and local governments;
• Better-informed land-use decisions through the co-development of forest and water management action plans with local stakeholders and agribusiness actors;

What we offer

• Training in the wflow hydrological model (depending on your start date);
• The opportunity to work on a real-world conservation challenge with tangible impact;
• A monthly internship allowance of €350 gross (based on a full-time internship of 36 hours per week);
• Reimbursement of travel expenses for 2-3 office days per week in Amsterdam;
• An internship duration of 3-4 months ;
• The possibility to combine the internship with a thesis or graduation research project, while contributing directly to the Roots of Resilience programme.

About IUCN NL

IUCN NL is the Dutch National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest and most diverse network for nature conservation. From our office in Amsterdam, we work with a team of about thirty experts on the preservation and restoration of nature and biodiversity, with special attention to areas of high natural value and communities that depend on them. Together with our 41 Dutch member organisations, including nature organisations, scientific institutes, and the government, we strive for a just world in which nature is valued and protected.

Diversity and inclusion

IUCN NL strives for a diverse and inclusive organisation and encourages qualified students from all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to the well-being of our employees and are dedicated to prevent and eliminate misconduct, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, lack of integrity, and financial irregularities.