Consultancy: Research on Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices in Mining and Mineral Processing of Copper and Cobalt in the Democratic Repub
Location: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with more than 30 years of experience working to solve today's greatest sustainable development challenges. IISD seeks a consultant to conduct research and draft a chapter of a study on the progress and remaining challenges in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) implementation in the copper and cobalt mining and mineral processing industries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The study is the second phase of IISD's research on Chinese ESG standards in critical mineral value chains and will assess the ESG practices of selected Chinese-invested mining and processing operations, identify progress and gaps, and examine how Chinese regulatory frameworks, DRC mining governance, and international sustainability standards interact in practice.
Responsibilities: analyze legal and regulatory texts, policy documents, academic literature, and industry reports; conduct stakeholder interviews (virtual and in person) with government agencies, industry, mining companies, and civil society, including potential fieldwork such as mine-site visits or visits to affected communities; participate in inception discussions; conduct desk-based research; prepare a detailed chapter outline; draft a ~2,000-word chapter in APA 7th style with full citations; revise the chapter based on reviewer comments; and participate in review meetings.
Deliverables: inception note, annotated chapter outline, summary report of stakeholder interviews, first draft, and final draft. Contract starts November 1, 2026, with the final draft due May 15, 2027.
Requirements: a master's degree in law, social sciences, public policy, environment, development studies, or a related field (or equivalent experience); authorization to work in the DRC; at least 4 years of relevant professional experience in the DRC in mining governance, mining policy, ESG management, or sustainable development; demonstrated research and policy-recommendation experience; experience conducting multistakeholder consultations; experience building relationships with government, civil society, or community groups; strong analytical and writing skills; working knowledge of policy research methods; proficiency in Microsoft Office/Teams and Microsoft 365; and fluency in English and French.
Application deadline: October 19, 2026 4PM CST
HOW TO APPLY:
Submit a technical proposal (maximum 5 pages: understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology and research approach, proposed chapter outline, work plan and timeline, relevant experience), a financial proposal (daily rate and estimated level of effort for the entire consultancy), and supporting materials (CV, two relevant writing samples, and optionally contact information for references) via https://iisd.bamboohr.com/careers/937. All applications must be submitted in English. Incomplete and late proposals will be automatically disqualified. Application deadline: October 19, 2026, 4PM CST.