[kictanet] Nokia Research technical intern in Kenya

[Benjamin Makai]

Sambaza
====
 
Nokia Research is looking for a technical intern to work on a project in the US and Kenya during 2010.

Self-help groups are a large-scale phenomenon in Africa.
Participation varies by country, typically from 50-90% of the total population.  These groups, called "chama" ("association" in Swahili), help their members save and borrow in a rotational manner.  Chama also offer a way for people to exchange skills or barter tasks.  This aspect of skill exchange is the focus of the project.

The project is to help design and to implement a method for self-help groups to better learn about and exchange skills within a group and between connected groups.  The method will use IVRs and SMS to act as a communication channel.

The applicant must be a current student at a US college or university and have a strong computer science background.  Advanced undergraduates, Masters, and early PhDs are encouraged to apply.

Publication of results will be strongly encouraged.  Presentation of work at a Nokia Lab in the US will be required at the end of the internship.

Facility with Django/Python, Perl, basic bash and cron scripts, basic Unix system administration, and MySQL are required and will be evaluated as part of the application process.

Scope of the internship:
- January: two week visit to Kenya to meet the team and to better understand how self-helps group work in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Feb-May/June (end of your term): begin project development (5-10
hours/week)
- June-Aug (three months): finish implementation, and field test prototype in collaboration with social scientists in Kenya
- Sep-Dec:  prepare academic paper on work (5-10 hours/week)

Please only apply if you can travel to Kenya in January and during the summer, and can be an intern during the spring and fall semesters.

Applicants should sent a succinct, single-page cover letter and a CV to Jonathan Ledlie (jonathan.ledlie at nokia.com) by Friday November 20.
Please send two reference letters and a copy of your transcript with your application.  The intern will be selected by December 11.

The internship is paid.  Both trips to Kenya will be paid for.
Housing in Kenya will be arranged and paid for.




      
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