How to apply for Volunteers & Interns

About Clear Solutions

Clear Solutions partners with community health worker organisations to provide cost-effective anti-diarrheal treatments. The charity works to reduce child deaths from diarrhoea through ORS and zinc. This is a remote volunteer or internship opportunity for people who want to support that work directly.

About the role

You will contribute to research on the health-system impact of ORS and zinc and related interventions. You can also apply tech skills in Android, Open Data Kit, R, Python, QGIS, or Google Workspace Apps Script. Other tracks include operations, legal and governance, communications, or fundraising and grant writing.

A typical day

A typical day depends on your track. You might work on a research task about ORS and zinc, write code in R or Python, prepare a communications piece, or draft a grant application. You would check in with the team via fortnightly or monthly calls and respond to written feedback on your work.

Who Clear Solutions is looking for

• Has skills in at least one of the listed areas: Android, Open Data Kit, R, Python, QGIS, Google Workspace Apps Script, operations, legal and governance, communications, or fundraising and grant writing.
• Can commit to fortnightly or monthly calls and work toward milestones with written feedback on iterations.
• Is comfortable working fully remote and self-directed.
• Has an interest in health-system research or charity operations related to ORS and zinc.

Tips for this application

• Apply through one of the three stated routes: project match, skills match, or open proposal. Pick the one that fits your background best.
• If you apply via skills match, name the exact tools from the job post that you can use, such as R, Python, QGIS, Open Data Kit, Android, or Google Workspace Apps Script.
• If you apply via project match, describe a specific project you could do that relates to ORS and zinc research, operations, legal and governance, communications, or fundraising and grant writing.
• If you apply via open proposal, state what you want to work on and how it connects to Clear Solutions' work with community health worker organisations.
• Mention your availability for fortnightly or monthly calls and your ability to meet milestones with written feedback.

What to cover in your cover letter

State which application route you are using: project match, skills match, or open proposal. Name the specific skills you bring from the list in the job post. Explain how your work would support research on ORS and zinc or one of the other tracks. Confirm you can engage via fortnightly or monthly calls and work toward milestones.

Research before applying

• Read the Clear Solutions website at clearsolutions.global to understand how they partner with community health worker organisations.
• Learn what ORS and zinc are and why they are used to treat diarrhoea in children.
• Look up Open Data Kit, QGIS, R, Python, and Google Workspace Apps Script if you plan to apply through a skills match.
• Find out what health-system impact research means in the context of ORS and zinc so you can speak to it in your application.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Which track do you want to work in: research, tech, operations, legal and governance, communications, or fundraising and grant writing?
• What experience do you have with ORS and zinc, diarrhoea treatment, or community health worker programmes?
• How would you use a specific tool such as R, Python, QGIS, Open Data Kit, Android, or Google Workspace Apps Script for this work?
• How will you manage milestones and written feedback on iterations while working remotely?
• What is your availability for fortnightly or monthly calls, and how long can you commit to the volunteer or internship role?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not apply without choosing one of the three stated routes: project match, skills match, or open proposal.
• Do not claim skills in tools like R, Python, QGIS, Open Data Kit, Android, or Google Workspace Apps Script if you cannot use them.
• Do not ignore the requirement to engage via fortnightly or monthly calls and provide written feedback on iterations.