Engineers In Action is a non-profit organization which hires full-time Bolivian engineers to develop partnerships with North American organizations to do basic infrastructure projects in rural indigenous communities in Bolivia. EIA primarily partners with EWB chapters from the US and Germany but we also have partnerships with Canadian Rotary Clubs, and the Center for the Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds (CREW) at the University of Oklahoma. Interns will be working with our engineers to develop and facilitate EWB, CREW or Rotary Projects throughout Bolivia.
You will be working with one of the first (if not THE first) organization that was specifically created to support and encourage EWB projects in a specific country. An internship with EIA will allow you to build upon your experience with EWB or other overseas work, and facilitate those experiences for dozens of more young engineers. In addition, because your work will allow EIA to develop and facilitate more projects, your internship will mean that additional communities in Bolivia will have potable water, sanitation or irrigation and lives will be saved.
You will be living and working with the poorest of the poor. Bolivia is the poorest country in South America, and we are beginning to focus on projects in the 30 poorest counties in Bolivia. And yet Bolivia is a stunningly beautiful country with amazing hard working and welcoming people. This experience will change your life forever.
EIA is open to receiving applications from anyone who is interested in applying. However, preference will be given to those who meet these standards:
- A minimum of 6 month commitment, although we are open to commitments of up to one year.
- Engineering School Senior or Graduate
- Good to Excellent Spanish Language skills
- Can drive and will get an international license
- Drives Manual transmission vehicles
- Has Administrative skills
- AutoCad/MicroStation/GIS
- Practical surveying knowledge preferred
- Preferred, but not limited to civil, environmental, chemical, agricultural, mechanical or electrical engineers. However, others will be considered.
- Can raise their own money for support. EIA is a newer organization, without any large corporate or Foundation support. Our fund raising is focused on providing for the salaries for our Bolivian full-time engineers and for vehicles. Consequently, preference will go to those applicants who can raise their own funding. EIA will help you in your fund raising providing you with brochures, web access, and information which you can use to pass on to potential donors.
- Interns must also be willing to work in very adverse conditions. Depending upon which project you will be working on, you may be high in the cold Andes Mountains, or low in the hot Upper Amazon River Basin of Bolivia. You will travel some by public buses between cities. You will spend some time with work teams at the sites, in sleeping bags and sleeping on the ground. Our offices are functional and adequate, but not nice and plush. The work often requires very long hours, but there will also be time for recreation and sight-seeing.