Intern - Sustainable Development

Work Location

New York; This internship is designed to be in-person and full-time (35 hours) but can be adjusted based on request by the successful candidate.

Expected duration

6 months with the start date in January 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

The position is located in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) / Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development (OISC), Operational Activities Policy Branch (OAPB). Daily responsibilities will depend on the work programme for the internship period which includes official meetings and negotiations among Member States, preparation of official reports of the Secretary-General and substantive preparations requiring research, data and information collection and analysis. Additional tasks should be expected on short notice due to the nature of support to senior officials of the UN system and Member States. Duties may include, but are not limited to: • Conduct research on relevant topics in sustainable development and operational activities for development of the UN development system; • Analyze qualitative and quantitative data and prepare data visualizations and infographics based on tables, figures, statistical results; • Support the development and roll-out of surveys on operational activities for development of the UN development system; • Assist in the organization of high-level panels and seminars for the General Assembly and ECOSOC and prepare summaries of their outcomes; • Support informal consultations on intergovernmental legislation; • Follow various intergovernmental meetings in ECOSOC and the General Assembly and prepare draft summaries of intergovernmental discussions and consultations, upon request. This internship is designed to be in-person and full-time (35 hours) but can be adjusted based on request by the successful candidate.

Qualifications/special skills

• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). • Applicants must be computer literate and have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint. Must have excellent drafting skills in English, ability to synthesize and extract essential information on short notice, and ability to work independently with limited supervision and overall guidance. The successful applicant must be detail oriented, diligent, and deliver high-quality outputs. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.