Technical Programming Intern

iDE is an international nonprofit dedicated to combating poverty in the developing world not through handouts, but by helping rural households access the tools and knowledge they need to increase their income and improve their health and well-being. iDE has 40 years of experience and programs in 11 countries in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia, and Central America.

IDE's vision, to catalyze the power of entrepreneurship to allow millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty, is ambitious and bold. We need a person who is, first and foremost, passionate about this vision.

Our technical work takes a market-based, multi-sectoral approach to empowering rural communities. We design and scale sustainable solutions across Agriculture (boosting smallholder crop yields and market access) and WASH (delivering climate-resilient water and sanitation products) and Nutrition (improving household food security and health outcomes through diversified, market-driven food systems). This foundation is deeply integrated with Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Women’s Entrepreneurship, ensuring women and marginalized groups are active leaders and business owners in local value chains.

The Global technical teams offer strategic guidance and support across the global portfolio to drive integrated, climate-resilient, and inclusive market programming.

Technical Documentation & AI Integration

The primary focus of this internship is to modernize our global technical assets and leverage generative AI to streamline project design. To do so, you will:

• Collaborate across sectors to support the comprehensive review and update of our written technical best practice guidance documents, called Approaches, spanning Agriculture, WASH, GESI, Women’s Entrepreneurship, and Nutrition.
• Align and adapt the updated best practice documentation to interface with Gemini AI, configuring templates and prompts to effectively leverage these assets for rapid, high-quality proposal writing.

Tool Development & Optimization

• Support the review, restructuring, and updating of programmatic budgeting tools to ensure accurate financial modeling for complex, multi-sector projects.
• Design and build a cross-sector assessment tool that enables global teams to evaluate, track, and design new projects that successfully integrate best practices across all core sectors.

Knowledge Management & Analysis

• Work in close collaboration with Technical Managers to understand and evaluate the team's current data management and software tool approaches.
• Propose updated data, version control, or code management structures for maintaining and tracking key tools for the global portfolio.
• Improve algorithmic processes and data practices to strengthen learning and efficiency across the global portfolio.

• Currently pursuing a degree in international development, Business, Computer Science, Economics, or a related technical discipline. 
• Proficiency in writing technical documents, building spreadsheet-based tools, cross cultural collaboration and relevant tool creation.
• Demonstrated interest in or experience with generative AI workflows, prompt engineering, or Large Language Model (LLM) alignment (specifically Gemini AI).
• Excellent writing and analytical skills with the ability to synthesize complex, multi-sector programmatic information into structured documentation.
• Ability to navigate large volumes of technical info and distill it into clear, systemic logic for tool development.
• Fluent in English.

• Demonstrates empathy, humility, authenticity, and respect in the workplace.
• Willingness to ask questions and seek feedback.
• Excellent problem-solving and creative thinking abilities.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize effectively.
• Desire to work in fast-paced environment and across multiple time zones and languages.
• Excellent verbal, intercultural and interpersonal communication skills.
• Enthusiastic with a sincere interest in the mission of the organization.

The physical demands described here are representative of those the employee encounters while performing the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is performed primarily in a remote environment.
• Normally required to see at far and close range, and communicate verbally through listening and speaking.
• Frequently required to sit, use hands and fingers to handle and operate objects, devices and controls. Occasionally required to walk, reach with arms, lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Regularly operates telephone, computer, software and printer, copy machine, and similar office machines.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The position is fully remote.

Other:

• Equipment used: must have access to a computer and internet
• Variable Work Hours/Shifts

iDE takes pride in our talented and diverse workforce. Minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Hiring, promotion, and compensation of employees are conducted without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or age.

Time commitment (hrs/wk): At least 15-20 hours per week

Anticipated length of engagement: ideally 3 months with the possibility of extension depending on the mutual interest of the candidate and the organization

This is an unpaid internship.