Data Science Internship

in the Geospatial Analysis Unit at the

OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation
comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to
promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based
international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental
challenges.

The Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) works together with national,
regional and local governments to strengthen regional, urban and rural policies. The Statistics and
Territorial Analysis unit at the CFE supports evidence-based policies to improve people's well-being
and sustainable development in all regions and cities through designing and producing new indicators,
visualisation tools and analyses, and promoting the use of territorial indicators in all phases of
policymaking.

We are looking for a motivated Data science student with a solid quantitative and programming profile
to support the work of the Geospatial unit of the OECD. The successful candidate will contribute to the
production of territorial indicators for the OECD Regional, Metropolitan and Municipal databases –
including related projects connected to regional, local, urban and rural development – through the use
of both conventional and unconventional data sources and methods.

Who can apply?

• For OECD member country nationals;
• Students enrolled in a full-time graduate degree programme (for the entire duration of the
internship) in data science, computer science, engineering, economics, or related fields (at least
Master’s equivalent);
• Problem-solving abilities: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to tackle quantitative
problems, formulate research questions, and design appropriate methodologies for analysis.

• Programming skills: Strong programming skills in languages such as Python, or R. Knowledge of

version control with Git. Data visualisation with Power BI.
• Knowledge of web scraping, machine learning, geospatial analysis, web app development, NLP,
and time series analysis would be a key asset. Familiarity with GIS softwares (QGIS, Google Earth
Engine) and Python/R geospatial packages.
• Have strong interest for economics and the use of data for public policy;
• Communication skills: Have a good command of English, good drafting and communication skills;
• Initiative and learning mindset: Self-motivated and eager to learn new geospatial technologies,
data science techniques, and stay up-to-date with advancements in the field.

• Available for a minimum period of six months – starting as soon as possible, from April 2024;
 • Enjoy working in a multicultural and international team environment.

What do interns do?

Interns work on OECD projects jointly with a team of experienced economists, data scientists and policy
analysts, who are committed to ensuring that the internship is a highly formative experience. Examples
of work entrusted to interns include:
• Collecting, managing (including quality control), organising and analysing data, including with
advanced data and econometric tools;
• Contributing to the production of databases, visualisation tools, working papers, OECD
publications, technical annexes, briefs, presentations and other related documents;
• Carrying out literature reviews and desk research;
• Participating in meetings and seminars.

Contract duration, workplace and contribution to living expenses

The duration of the internship is typically for a period of six months (renewable up to twelve months) on
a full-time basis (40 hours/week). Your posting can be partially remote, with at least three days at our
headquarters in Paris (France). The OECD provides no salary for interns, but you will receive a
contribution to living expenses of about EUR 1 000 per calendar month worked.

How to apply?
Send the following documents to alexandre.banquet@oecd.org:
o your CV
o a cover letter
o If possible, a sample of written code or a repository of a project involving substantial
data analysis
o If possible, a writing sample of recent academic work in English

The selection process

• Shortlisted candidates might be invited to take a written test, administered remotely, to assess their
drafting skills and their ability to elaborate on simple economic and policy issues related to the work
of the unit. Candidates might also be asked to submit a quantitative test to assess their coding skills
in R or Python.
• The final step of the recruitment process will consist of an interview with a few members of the unit.

The OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities provides comparative statistics, analysis and capacity building for local and
national actors to work together to unleash the potential of entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises, promote inclusive and
sustainable regions and cities, boost local job creation, and support sound tourism policies.
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