Overview
STEM Trainee Jobs in Maputo, Cidade de Maputo, Mozambique at UNOPS
Title: STEM Trainee
Company: UNOPS
Location: Maputo, Cidade de Maputo, Mozambique
Job Highlight
The STEM Trainee will work at the critical intersection of sustainable energy, clean cooking policy, and renewable energy financing in Mozambique. The Trainee will gain hands-on experience supporting SEforALL and partners’ work in Mozambique. By combining direct involvement in national energy access projects with targeted professional development, the Traineeship will build the technical expertise and soft skills necessary to catalyze a successful career in the global sustainable energy sector.
About The Project Office
Sustainable Energy for All has a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. Hosted by UNOPS, we work at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organizations worldwide to end energy poverty, double energy efficiency, significantly expand renewable energy and combat climate change.
Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. We promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Since then, our CEO has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.
About The Group
As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of nine global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), sustainable energy (SEforALL) humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR.
Role Purpose
Under the supervision of the Programme Manager, Gender & Youth, the STEM Trainee will support SEforALL’s key energy access initiatives in Mozambique. The role focuses on technical project assistance, supporting the operationalization of renewable energy financing mechanisms, and strengthening visibility and stakeholder engagement in Mozambique’s energy transition efforts.
Functions / Key Results Expected
The STEM Trainee will be a part of a Mozambican cohort, with the traineeship focused on the following areas:
Each trainee will be assigned to support a specific SEforALL or partner initiative in Mozambique under the technical supervision of relevant SEforALL or partner personnel. Trainees will be expected to participate in daily assignment activities and authorised site visits where appropriate.
Clean Cooking Working Group Facilitation & Operations:
- Coordinate logistics for working group meetings, including scheduling, participant invitations, and meeting materials;
- Prepare meeting agendas, take detailed minutes, and track action items and follow-ups for energy dialogues;
- Assist in compiling research inputs, including data collection and stakeholder mapping as required by the working group; and
- Support the development of presentations, talking points, and briefing notes for working group meetings and international forums (e.g., COP 31 and energy transition dialogues).
PURE Facility Pilot Support:
- Conduct research on the PURE ecosystem in Mozambique by mapping operators and productive use applications;
- Assist in analyzing data on PURE costs, barriers, and economic impacts to support the design of support mechanisms;
- Support the development of awareness-raising and knowledge-sharing materials for PURE operators; and
- Collaborate with the project team to refine facility design and support mechanisms for the pilot.
Geospatial Energy Planning & Data Analysis:
- Support data collection, cleaning, processing, and validation related to electrification, clean cooking, and PURE;
- Contribute to geospatial analysis, data visualization, and the development of dashboards and analytical tools;
- Support planning data management to ensure workflows, datasets, and documentation are well-organized; and
- Collaborate with technical teams to ensure data quality, consistency, and accessibility.
Monitoring & Evidence-based Insights:
- Support the production of analytical briefs, maps, and insights to inform programme decisions and stakeholder engagement; and
- Support project partners in data processing exercises to highlight project impact and inform electrification workstreams.
Communications & Social Media:
- Create and publish engaging digital content, including posts, videos, and graphics, to promote project and organizational visibility; and
- Collaborate with SEforALL teams to create visual stories and posts across social media channels (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn) for advocacy and stakeholder outreach.
Training components and learning elements to include, but not limited to:
- Undertake soft skills training sessions to support professional development of STEM Trainees:
- Career development (including resume development, interviewing, networking, and mentorship); and
- Communications and social media training.
- Undertake technical training sessions to enhance technical understanding of the energy sector with a focus on PURE, geospatial planning, and clean cooking, including:
- Knowledge of working group facilitation, stakeholder mapping, and international energy transition frameworks;
- Appropriate use of geospatial analysis tools, data visualization dashboards, and PURE ecosystem mapping;
- Familiarity with data management frameworks (cleaning, validation, and documentation standards); and
- Introduction to the PURE and clean cooking landscape in Mozambique and the design of energy support mechanisms.
Education Requirements
Required:
- Applicants should be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduated from such studies within three (3) years prior to their application, in a STEM field (i.e., sciences, renewable energy, engineering, data science, geographic information systems, or related areas).
Experience Requirements
Required:
- Applicants are not required to have prior work experience
Desired:
- Prior experience in energy, engineering, finance, communications or related fields would be an advantage.