Applying
Applying

Internship program

Our Young Professionals Program offers internship for recent African graduates.

One Acre Fund’s Young Professionals Program is a paid internship program that offers recent African graduates meaningful work and training opportunities at a growing, mission-driven organization. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and positions are posted on our website as they become available.

How to Stand Out

  • Show strong alignment with our mission and a clear interest in creating impact for smallholder farmers.
  • Go beyond listing qualifications and demonstrate real examples of leadership, initiative, and problem-solving from your experience.
  • Use specific stories to demonstrate impact (in academic, work, volunteering, or extracurricular activities) rather than general statements.
  • Show how your values and skills connect to the internship role and the broader organization’s culture.

Launch Your Career

We're always on the lookout for the next generation of leaders. Strong preparation can help you submit your best application when you find a role that matches your interests and experience.
View open internship listings here

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Frequently Asked Questions

Our standards are high, but we're interested in the whole person, not just an academic record. We're primarily looking for university graduates, fluent in English and the country’s local language, with a wide range of experience. Strong candidates are able to learn quickly, take feedback well, and demonstrate a passion for our mission.

The job description for interns vary. However, all interns can expect to receive substantive work assignments working on high-impact projects that support One Acre Fund's operations. For example, past interns have: 

  • Coordinated early-stage research on soil health, livestock, and drought resilience
  • Evaluated ways in which we can better inform government partners on our impact in the communities in which we work
  • Worked on projects that help reduce financial waste and inefficiency across our operations

You can bookmark our job openings page to keep an eye on any internship opportunities as and when they’re available. Please note that we only accept applications submitted via the online application form available on our website.

Would you like to be notified when applications are open? Subscribe to our careers newsletter.

Our internships typically last three months, with the option of extending this by an additional three months based on the need within the team and the intern’s performance. In the past, if there has been an opening or team need, high-performing interns that have demonstrated strong initiative and leadership qualities have received full-time offers.

While some of our interns are based in a capital city location, the majority are based in our non-capital city offices and headquarters (i.e. our field offices). Location placement is determined based on the team assignment.

All interns will attend a one-week onboarding program at their country’s field headquarters. Interns meet clients and our field staff, and generally become better acquainted with our work. Additionally, each intern is assigned an onboarding buddy who helps them integrate quickly into their team, and a manager who they speak with one-on-one on a weekly basis.

More than 4,000 talented graduates apply each year for a limited number of slots, and the selection process is very rigorous. Candidates can expect to complete a psychometric test, written essays, take-home exercises, and interviews. Candidates typically move through these stages over a period of two months.

We pay our interns a modest stipend that covers their housing, transportation and communication costs.

Interns are placed in their respective countries based on their citizenship. As we are not able to sponsor a visa for interns, applicants must have existing rights to work in their respective countries.

We will notify you if you have not been selected to progress past the first stage. You must submit your correct email address at the time of applying. Failing to do so will mean we cannot process your application or provide you with updates. Unfortunately, given that we typically receive more than 4,000 applications for each cohort, we are not able to give you specific feedback about why your application did not progress.

Please do so using our intern recruitment process feedback form. Any submitted feedback is kept strictly confidential.

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