WBG Pioneer - Geospatial Data Analysis Intern

The World Bank Group's Internship Program offers undergraduate and postgraduate students a high impact learning experience in global development. The intern will support the Trade Policy and Facilitation Unit by compiling and preparing geospatial datasets and operating a quantitative spatial model to assess spatial economic impacts of logistics and trade policies.

Responsibilities

• Compile, clean, and structure the geospatial data required to parameterize and run the quantitative spatial (“cities”) model, extending it from the city level to the national and regional levels
• Assemble and process key spatial inputs — including road and transport networks, population grids, terrain data, port and trade-node locations (e.g., PortWatch), and travel-time layers — into model-ready formats
• Run the spatial model with the prepared data to assess the spatial economic impacts of logistics infrastructure, trade facilitation measures, and trade policies, in coordination with DEC, Transport, and external partners
• Construct population-weighted accessibility and remoteness indicators to key trade nodes and correlate them with granular socio-economic data
• Produce maps, interactive dashboards, and other visual outputs to support diagnostics, model validation, and dissemination
• Contribute to note writing, presentations, and other analytical and dissemination products, and document data sources, methods, and code for reproducibility

Requirements

• Candidates must be currently enrolled in, or in the final year of, a postgraduate (master’s/PhD) program
• Candidates must have 0–6 years of relevant professional experience
• Academic background must align with the requirements outlined in the job description
• Demonstrated interest in development work and the World Bank Group’s mission
• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in diverse, team-based environments
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities within tight deadlines
• Proficiency in English; additional languages may be required depending on the role
• Academic background in economics, geography, data science, urban/regional economics, or a related quantitative field, with a focus on spatial or geospatial analysis
• Demonstrated experience in geospatial and remote-sensing analysis, including proficiency with QGIS/ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine, and Python and/or R
• Ability to compile, clean, and work with large, complex geo-referenced datasets, such as road networks, population grids, satellite imagery, and household survey data, and to structure them as inputs for quantitative spatial models
• Familiarity with quantitative spatial or accessibility modeling, and interest in linking transport connectivity and infrastructure to trade and welfare outcomes, is an asset
• Working knowledge of French is an asset

Skills

• Geospatial Analysis
• Remote-Sensing Analysis
• QGIS
• ArcGIS
• Google Earth Engine
• Python
• Data Cleaning
• Spatial Data Organization
• Quantitative Spatial Modeling
• Accessibility Modeling
• Spatial Economics
• Urban Economics
• Economic Research
• Trade Policy Analysis
• Logistics Data Analysis
• Satellite Imagery
• Household Survey Analysis
• English Language Proficiency

Languages

English