🇺🇸 Internship in the United States 🕊️ Civil Affairs Research and Policy at UN Peace Operations 📊

This position is located in the Civil Affairs Team in the Policy and Best Practices Service, Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training, Department of Peace Operations. The internship covers many aspects of the Peacekeeping Policy and Best Practices Service's work, from policy research and drafting to data analysis and communication products.

🏛️ About the Division

The Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (DPET) is mandated to develop and disseminate the policy and doctrine guiding the work of Peacekeeping Operations. In addition, the division has the responsibility to evaluate, at the request of the heads of the departments, how those policies are being applied, gather lessons learned and best practices, and use that information to guide the development, coordination and delivery of standardized training, so as to complete the learning cycle. DPET is also responsible for developing and maintaining strategic cooperation with various UN and external partners.

The Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS) is part of DPET and provides support to both the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Its core function is to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations through the exchange of good practices between missions, the development of guidance material that reflects lessons learned, and thematic policy support in selected areas, and it also leads several reform processes.

📊 Responsibilities

📚 Assist in research and drafting related to Civil Affairs policy, guidance and surveys of practice, including local peacebuilding, community engagement, local conflict dynamics, Youth, Peace and Security, Community Liaison Assistants and Quick Impact Projects

📝 Assist in preparing reports, concept papers, policy documents, talking points, articles, newsletters and other materials related to the work of Civil Affairs

🔍 Assist in capturing lessons learned, identifying good practices and documenting guidance gaps from Civil Affairs components in peacekeeping missions

📢 Assist in developing communication and advocacy products that help explain Civil Affairs' contribution to mandate implementation, including visual products, presentations and impact stories

🗒️ Attend conferences, meetings and consultations, take notes and prepare summaries or readouts as required

🎪 Assist in servicing conferences, meetings, workshops and other events

🗂️ Assist with project management and coordination of team workstreams

🖊️ Proofread and copy-edit team documents and knowledge products

📈 Assist in data collection, data analysis, information management and database management

🤖 Explore and propose the use of AI tools, including summarizing reports, extracting insights from qualitative data or automating workflows

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✅ Qualifications and Special Skills

🎓 Be enrolled in or have completed a graduate school programme, meaning a second university degree or equivalent or higher, or be enrolled in or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree programme, meaning minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent

📚 A field of study closely related to the type of internship you are applying for is required, while professional work experience is not required

✍️ Experience in research, drafting reports, and preparing, editing or translating policy documents and communication products is desirable

🎪 Experience in supporting the organization of events is desirable

📊 Experience working with databases, data visualization software such as Power BI, and strategic communications is desirable

🤖 Knowledge of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools or methods is an advantage, particularly where relevant to data analysis, content summarization, database management or policy research support

🗣️ Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship, and 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.

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📋 The Details

📍 Duty station: New York, United States

🏠 Work location: flexible, meaning hybrid, all remote, or in person

📅 Expected duration: 6 months, with the desired start date 1 September 2026 or sooner

🕐 The internship is designed to be in person and full-time at 35 hours per week on United Nations premises in New York, and it may be adjusted based on the needs of the successful candidate and the Division to part-time at 20 hours per week and to remote work

⏳ A full-time internship is for an initial period of two months and a part-time internship is for an initial period of four months, and internships may be extended up to a maximum of six months depending on the needs of the Division

🏢 Department or office: Department of Peace Operations

🗂️ Job family: Political Affairs

📌 Category and level: Affiliate Personnel, Internships, I-1

🆔 Job opening ID: 281053

⚠️ Conditions of the UN Internship Programme

💶 This internship is unpaid, and 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

🚫 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

🛂 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 or employment authorization

♀️ The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

📩 How to Apply

A complete online application is required. In your motivational statement, indicate when you would like to start your internship, noting that the start and end dates are flexible, and include the title of the degree you are currently pursuing, your graduation date, why you are the best candidate for this specific internship, and your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme. In your online Personal History Profile, include all past work experiences, IT skills and three references.