The Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) is now accepting applications for the 2009 Summer Internship Program. The CSLS Summer Internship Program offers the opportunity for students and recent graduates to gain full-time practical work experience at one of Canada’s leading non-profit, national, independent economic research institutions. The CSLS seeks to contribute to a better understanding of trends in and determinants of productivity, living standards, and economic and social well-being through research.

Who Should Apply? - General Qualifications

• Be a university student or recent graduate of an economics program.
• Have a strong record of academic achievement.
• Have an excellent command of English, both written and verbal.
• Have strong quantitative skills, especially in the use of Microsoft Excel.
• Have a good general knowledge of economic issues.
• Be adaptable and able to work in a demanding environment.

General Terms of Internship

• Competitive compensation.
• Duration of internship is flexible, but usually lasts from May to September.
• The intern will work out of the CSLS office in downtown Ottawa just off Parliament Hill.

To apply, please send

• cover letter explaining your interest in economics and why you would like to work at the CSLS,
• resume (including all relevant computer skills),
• names and contact information for two references,
• transcript(s) of all of your university grades (either official or unofficial), and
• Writing sample, preferably a full research paper, which should be an example of your research and writing abilities in economics.

Please send all application documents by e-mail to andrew.sharpe@csls.ca.

Receipt of applications will be acknowledged.

Examples of Past Research Projects to Which Interns have Contributed

Over a dozen interns have worked at the CSLS since the Centre was founded in 1995. Here are selected examples of projects which interns have co-authored.

• The Valuation of the Alberta Oil Sands
  Alex Murray, Dalhousie University and University of British Columbia, Summer 2008
• The Impact of Interprovincial Migration on Aggregate Output and Labour Productivity in Canada, 1987-2006
  Daniel Ershov, University of Ottawa and the London School of Economics and Political Science, Summer 2007
• Five Deaths a Day: Workplace Fatalities in Canada, 1993-2005
  Jill Hardt, University of Ottawa, Summer 2006
• The Apprenticeship System in Canada: Trends and Issues
  James Gibson, McGill University and the Institut d’etudes politiques, Summer 2005
• The McKinsey Global Institute Productivity Studies: Lessons for Canada
  Matt Kellison, University of Ottawa and Queen’s University, Summer 2004

Experience of Interns in Their Own Words

Working at the CSLS is a rare chance to gain hands on experience in a broad range of economic fields. Expectations are high and new employees are required to adapt quickly to the CSLS work environment. A work term or internship with the CSLS, however, is an opportunity to improve your analytical abilities and an introduction to practical economic research.

-Fraser Cowan, 2008

At the CSLS, I had the opportunity to take on meaningful research projects with real-world importance and policy implications. I was given significant independence in my research, but always under the guidance of highly competent (and highly amiable!) colleagues with years of experience from which I could learn. An internship at the CSLS is a great opportunity for anyone looking for experience in applying classroom economic theory to important real-world problems.

-Alex Murray, 2008

My internship at the Centre for the Study of Living Standards gave me the opportunity to acquire skills that are of great value in both the job market and graduate studies. By working on various research projects, I have perfected my analytical and writing skills. I also learned about working with large data sets. Since work is almost exclusively done in teams, this internship helped me develop teamwork skills. Finally, the CSLS being a small organization, it facilitated good relations with co-workers and superiors, and made me feel I was an important part of the Centre.

-Simon Lapointe, 2006