Internship - Institutional Affairs

Internship 1706

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 196 Member Countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.

Title: Internship - IAF
Directorate: Institutional Affairs
Sub-Directorate:
Duty station: Lyon
Duration (in months): 6.00
Estimated starting date: 4 May 2026
Level of security clearance: Basic
Deadline for applications: 25 March 2026

INTERPOL’s Internship Programme welcomes candidates from any of our 196 member countries.

INTERPOL actively encourages applications from women and nationals of member countries that are currently unrepresented among our staff (please click on this link to access the list of countries). Candidates from these countries are particularly encouraged to apply.

INTERPOL’s recruitment process is merit-based hence all hiring decisions are made considering the applicant’s qualifications and the needs of the Organization.

The Programme attracts talented students or recent graduates to the Organization and provides them with:

- A better understanding of the Organization’s goals and objectives and how international police cooperation is organized
- An insight into how an international organization operates
- A framework to enhance their educational experience through practical work assignments, thereby developing skills which are useful for their career and future employment
- Experience of working in a multicultural, multidisciplinary and multi-ethnic environment, contributing to the development of mutual understanding, trust and tolerance

All the relevant information about our Internship Programme may be found on our official web site.

As of 1 January 2025, the internship allowance is EUR 700 and a transport subsidy of EUR 30 per month. An additional housing subsidy of EUR 170 per month will be provided to eligible interns.

Interns are required to be subscribed to a health insurance coverage for the entire duration of the internship. However, they are eligible to request enrolment in the Organization’s health insurance coverage at no additional cost.

Please note INTERPOL does not establish or endorse internship agreements with universities or academic institutions. Internship arrangements and communication are made solely between INTERPOL and the individual selected for the internship.

Candidates are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the conditions of internship and the requirements prior to applying for this internship.

OVERVIEW

The Executive Director Legal Affairs (EDLA) assists the Organization in achieving its aims by ensuring that all its activities and programmes are conducted in accordance with INTERPOL’s legal framework. The core mission of EDLA consists in the provision of substantive and impartial legal advice to the Secretary General, to the bodies of the Organization and to other Executive Directorates of the General Secretariat, in order to promote and develop the rule of law in all aspects of INTERPOL’s activities. EDLA defends INTERPOL against claims arising from its activities and programmes.
Within the Executive Directorate Legal Affairs, the Institutional Affairs Directorate (IAF) supports the Organization through the provision of legal services on various aspects of its governance and internal administration.

The pillars of the IAF Directorate’s activities are:

1. Institutions and Norms, Secretariat to governing bodies: which includes activities such as interpreting internal legislation and decisions relating to INTERPOL’s Constitution, implementing rules of procedure of policy-making organs and ensuring compliance with public international law and legal standards of international organizations;
2. Privileges & Immunities, Relations with Host States, External Relations: which includes activities such as preparing, drafting and/or negotiating agreements with Member Countries related to privileges and immunities, assisting prospective Members with their application to join and implementing procedures for these applications, and ensuring the protection of INTERPOL’s distinctive signs; and 3. Employment law : which includes activities such as providing daily legal services to the Human Resources Management Directorate on the implementation of a Human Resources strategy, and defending the Organization’s interests in the context of staff disputes before INTERPOL’s internal dispute mechanisms and the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization.

To support the Institutional Affairs Directorate, the selected interns will:

▪ Assist in drafting legal deliverables (legal note, legal analysis, memorandum, report or draft legal agreement);
▪ Assist in doing research; ▪ Carry out any other duty assigned by the supervisor.
This call for internship is aimed at filling 2 vacant internship positions in IAF.

REQUIREMENTS

▪ Be a national of one of the INTERPOL’s 196 member countries.
▪ Have attained the legal age of majority in the country of nationality

Training/Education Required

▪ Be enrolled in a, or have graduated from, a law Degree (L.LB., J.D, or an equivalent degree) within the past one year on the date of submission of their application.
▪ Membership of a legal bar of one of INTERPOL’s member countries will be an asset.
▪ Studies of international criminal law will be an asset.

Specific Skills

▪ Working knowledge of Microsoft Office tools
▪ Discretion, diplomacy, tact and rigor

Languages

▪ Professional fluency in English is required.
▪ Working knowledge of any other INTERPOL official working language (French, Arabic or Spanish) will be considered an asset.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND ASSESSMENT METHOD

Application Process

Only applications submitted in response to a specific internship vacancy will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received, we are unable to answer individual queries.
A completed online application is required and should include a cover letter including:
▪ Your motivation to join the INTERPOL internship programme ▪ Your interest in and your assets for this specific internship opportunity
▪ Your expectations for this internship

Assessment Method

All applications will be assessed against the requirements indicated in this call for internship. Applicants who meet these requirements most closely will be contacted by the hiring manager directly for further consideration and assessment. INTERPOL does not discriminate on any grounds and candidates will be treated under conditions of equality.

Security Clearance

A confidentiality vetting inquiry will be carried out on behalf of the Organization prior to confirming any selection. By accepting this offer, you give the Organization expressed consent for completing this inquiry.
If selected, you will be required to produce a certificate of non-criminal records (including spent and unspent sentences pronounced by justice) from your country of nationality and from any other country in which you have resided for more than 12 months in the past five years. If you are considered at a further stage of the selection process (interview) we advise you to familiarize yourself with the procedure for requesting such documentation in the concerned countries so that, if accepted, your arrival to the Organization is not unnecessarily delayed.