Work Location

Flexible (Hybrid, all remote, or in-person)

Expected duration

2-6 months. Desired start date is 15 October 2026, or sooner.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duration of the internship is for six (6) months. This internship is UNPAID in person and full-time (35 hours per week), on the United Nations premise working arrangement from (New York, USA). This internship is designed to be full-time and in-person but can be adjusted based on the needs of the successful candidate to part-time (20 hours per week) and/or remote. This internship is in the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA), Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch (WMDB). ODA provides substantive and organizational support to various United Nations bodies in the area of disarmament. The Office is mandated to provide objective, impartial and up-to-date information on disarmament issues and activities to Member States, States Parties to multilateral agreements, intergovernmental organizations and institutions, departments and agencies of the United Nations system, research and educational institutions, civil society, especially non-governmental organizations, the media and the general public. WMDB provides substantive support in the area of the disarmament of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological weapons). It supports and participates in multilateral efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation of WMD and in this connection cooperates with the relevant intergovernmental organizations and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, in particular the IAEA, the OPCW and the CTBTO PrepCom. For more information, please refer to: https://disarmament.unoda.org/. The Political Affairs intern works under the overall guidance of the internship coordinator and direct supervision of a staff member in the Branch to which they are assigned. Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background, the intern's assigned tasks, and the internship period. The intern shall undertake the following duties which may include, but are not limited to:

Provide assistance in drafting and preparing official documents, summaries, talking points, speeches, remarks and web content;
Attend and summarize conferences and meetings;
Conduct research, including document, media and internet searches;
Provide assistance during conferences and meetings;
Fulfill other duties as required.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must meet one of the following conditions:

Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or,
Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent). Interested candidates must be pursuing or pursued their degree in areas related to this Job Opening. In addition, interested candidates must:
Be computer literate in standard software applications including MS Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point);
Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and,
Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views 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 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. 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. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Information

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Applicants who have previously served six months, in total, as an intern in one or more UN Common Systems cannot be engaged as an intern. Applicants who are children, siblings, and sons or daughters-in-law (including stepchildren, half-siblings, or stepsiblings) of an active staff member in a UN Common System cannot be engaged as an intern. In your Motivational Statement, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that the start and end dates are flexible. A complete online application is required. reviewed. The Motivational Statement must also include:

Title of degree you are currently pursuing.
Graduation Date (When will you be graduating/have graduated from the programme?)
Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.

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.

Intern - Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs