40 hours per week
Amsterdam
500,- per month
Internship Opportunity: Build an Educational Intranet Platform for Gambian Schools
Make an impact with your code.
At MRC Holland we find it important to give back to the community. This is why the majority of our profit is donated to the MRC Holland Foundation, an independent charity supported exclusively by the company. The foundation invests in global projects aimed at contributing to a better world. The MRC Holland Foundation’s current primary focus is investing in the education system of The Gambia, with special attention to the rural areas of the country. Our goal is to make sure every child in The Gambia has good educational opportunities. To date, the foundation has built over 4,530 new classrooms for schools offering basic education. In addition, a total of over 4,000 students of the University of The Gambia and the Gambia College have received a scholarship so they could continue their studies after high school graduation.
Learn more about the way the foundation operates in this video:
Are you a hands-on Computer Science student, passionate about socially relevant technology projects? Join us for 6 to 9 months to help build an offline-capable, Linux/Python-based educational intranet platform that will transform computer labs across Gambian schools.
Many school labs in The Gambia lack internet and usable digital content. Our project solves this by developing a content-rich intranet, powered by open-source technologies and hosted on Synology NAS devices. These devices will serve local networks of Windows or Raspberry Pi-based student stations.
You will be working on two key subprojects, under the supervision of a Senior Software Engineer:
Develop management software to complement the Synology NAS web interface. After initial manual setup (e.g. DHCP, DNS, AD, shares, webserver), your tool will support operations like rebooting and updating content — all designed for ease-of-use by field engineers.
Build a student-facing website using Python and Django CMS. This web portal will provide access to videos, PDFs, eBooks, and other learning materials — all fully offline-capable. The system should be intuitive, robust, and easy to navigate.
You’ll contribute to the system design, technology selection, and implementation. You’ll work closely with a Senior Software Engineer for guidance, but you’ll also have the freedom to take initiative and shape your own project.
Education
Core Competencies
MRC Holland is a medium-sized, flexible organization, where many people from different cultural backgrounds work, and where independence and professionalism are of paramount importance.
Location: During your internship with the MRC Holland Foundation, you will work onsite at the MRC Holland office in Amsterdam West and partly remotely (hybrid).
Internship stipend: €500 net per month
Travel allowance will be provided if necessary.
We are closed between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Please use the apply button to submit your motivation letter and curriculum vitae, and indicate your internship availability period. For any questions, please use the contact form. We strive to inform you the outcome of your application within two weeks. For more information on our company and products, see www.mrcholland.com.