WBG Pioneer -Design Thinking Intern

WBG Pioneer -Design Thinking Intern

Job #: req37647 Organization: World Bank Grade: T3 (No-fee) Location: Sofia,Bulgaria Hiring Manager:Mahreen Sohail

Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 8/13/2026 (11:59pm UTC)

Description

WBG Pioneers, the World Bank Group’s Internship Program, offers undergraduate and postgraduate students a high impact learning experience at the heart of global development. Participants gain hands on experience in a diverse and dynamic environment, contribute fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, and connect with international professionals working to end poverty on a livable planet.

WBG Pioneer

VPU Context:

The Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) enables the World Bank Group to achieve its mission of ending extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet by delivering transformative information and technologies to its staff working in over 150+ locations. For more information on ITS, see this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=VTFGffa1Y7w

Unit Context:

The WBG Corporate Solutions Department (ITSCO) is focused on the digital transformation of essential corporate services to ensure WBG operations are seamless, resilient, and future ready. Uniting digitalization roadmaps, experience design, process optimization, application delivery, systems management, and technology modernization across some 170 products and services, the department links business ambition with operational excellence—from intuitive employee experiences and precision payroll to data-driven decision making, intelligent automation, and AI enablement. The Corporate Digital Acceleration unit (ITSCA) accelerates digital transformation for corporate business functions through design thinking, digital innovation, rapid prototyping, reimagining processes, and AI enablement, e.g. AI-first work digitalization strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support user research team to conduct qualitative and quantitative user research studies

• Help design and facilitate design thinking workshops and design sprints

• Support the Design Thinking team in documenting and automating best practices and standard operating procedures

• Research industry best practices and apply these to research and workshop design

• Create reusable templates to support the Design Thinking team’s toolkit

• Design AI-first processes to support streamlined digital corporate functions

• Work closely with other colleagues in the Digital Acceleration unit to bring insights from different practices

• Other support tasks as required

Selection Criteria

• Candidates must be currently enrolled in, or in the final year of, an undergraduate program

• Candidates must have 0–6 years of relevant professional experience

• Academic background must align with the requirements outlined in the job description

• Demonstrated interest in development work and the World Bank Group’s mission

• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills

• Effective written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work effectively in diverse, team-based environments

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities within tight deadlines

• Proficiency in English; additional languages may be required depending on the role

No-Fee Internship Eligibility

This position is offered under the WBG Pioneers No-Fee Internship Track. Students may be offered a no-fee STT appointment provided that they either: (a) are enrolled in a Master's, PhD, or similar graduate program during the entire internship (or are in the fifth year or higher of a degree program in countries where higher education is not divided into undergraduate and graduate stages) and provide an official letter from their university confirming that the internship fulfills academic requirements for at least one term of study; or (b) are enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies and receive a stipend from their university at least equivalent to the minimum STT T1 fee level in effect at the start of the assignment, as confirmed by an official university letter.
Note: Please limit your applications to a maximum of three positions. Applications exceeding this limit will not be considered.

WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.