The United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) is recruiting a Digital Communications Intern for the Chinese Language Unit of its Social Media Section, with Vienna, Austria as the work location. The internship runs for 3 to 6 months starting on 1 February 2027, interns are not financially remunerated, and fluency in Chinese is essential. Applications close on 29 October 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the full job opening and gathered every duty, requirement and condition in one place.
What the Job Opening Says
📌 Position: Digital Communications Intern
🏛️ Department/Office: Department of Global Communications
🧩 Unit: Chinese Language Unit, Social Media Section, Outreach Division
📍 Work Location: Vienna, Austria
🏢 Working Arrangement: In person in Vienna, with a full-time schedule encouraged
⏱️ Expected Duration: 3 to 6 months
🚀 Start Date: 1 February 2027
🗣️ Language Requirement: Fluency in Chinese
🆔 Job Opening ID: 285799
🗂️ Job Family: Public Information
🏷️ Category and Level: Affiliate Personnel, Internships, I-1
🪪 Recruitment Type: Intern
💼 Remuneration: Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations
⏳ Deadline: 29 October 2026
Inside the Chinese Language Unit of the Social Media Section
The internship is located in the Chinese Language Unit of the Social Media Section, Outreach Division, Department of Global Communications. The Section is responsible for the Department's social media activities and for the integration of its social media platforms.
This is not a side activity inside the Department. The job opening states plainly that these platforms are critical components of the Department's overall communications strategy.
The Platforms the Section Works With
The Section's work covers major social networking and content-sharing platforms, including:
🐦 X
▶️ YouTube
📺 Bilibili
🎞️ Kuaishou
The presence of WeChat, Weibo, Bilibili and Kuaishou on that list is what shapes this particular internship: the Chinese Language Unit works on the platforms where Chinese-speaking audiences actually are.
Why Fluency in Chinese Is Essential
Fluency in Chinese is essential for this internship. The intern will support research, monitoring, analysis and other project-based activities related to Chinese-language social media platforms.
Beyond spoken fluency, the job opening asks for more: strong analytical and writing abilities in Chinese are essential.
Full-Time, In Person, for at Least Three Months
The Department encourages candidates who can ideally commit to a full-time schedule for a minimum duration of three months and who can work with the team in person in Vienna.
The expected duration is 3 to 6 months, with the internship starting on 1 February 2027.
Who You Report To
Within delegated authority, the Digital Communications Intern will report to the designated Public Information Officer. The duties below are carried out under their guidance and supervision.
Research and Content Preparation in Chinese
The first project-based duty is research and compilation. The intern will conduct research and compile basic information, including:
📝 Text
🖼️ Images
🎬 Videos
📐 Infographics
This material supports the preparation and production of Chinese-language social media materials.
Social Media Analytics: Engagement, Audience and Content Performance
A substantial part of the role is measurement. The intern will monitor and analyze statistics related to social media performance, across four groups of metrics.
Engagement metrics:
👍 Likes, shares, comments, reposts and saves
🔗 Click-through rates on links in posts
⏯️ Video views, watch time and completion rates
Audience analytics:
🧭 Demographics such as age, gender, location and language
📈 Audience growth
🕒 Audience activity, such as peak engagement times and device usage
Content performance:
🔊 Post reach and impressions
🏆 Top-performing posts based on engagement
🧪 Content types and their effectiveness
Platform-specific metrics:
🧷 Metrics particular to each individual platform
Documenting United Nations Events and Activities in Vienna
Vienna is one of the main United Nations duty stations, and the internship reflects that. The intern will conduct research and document highlights from special events and activities promoting United Nations mandates in Vienna, for reference in communications and social media-related projects.
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Communicating the SDGs, Climate Action and Peacebuilding to Chinese-Speaking Audiences
One duty is explicitly strategic. The intern will research and analyze approaches to communicating United Nations priorities on Chinese-language social media platforms, including:
🎯 The Sustainable Development Goals
🌱 Climate action
🕊️ Peacebuilding
The job opening adds a focus for this analysis: particular attention to younger and broader audiences in the Chinese-speaking world.
Video Research and Basic Post-Production
Video work is part of the internship. The intern will support research and basic post-production activities related to short-form and long-form video content for social media platforms, as assigned and under supervision.
Observing Meetings, Agendas and Notes
Two duties give the intern exposure to how the Department works day to day:
👀 Attending meetings as an observer, where appropriate, to gain exposure to the work of the Department and relevant communications activities
🗒️ Supporting the preparation of meeting agendas and meeting notes, under the guidance and supervision of the Public Information Officer
What "Project-Based" Means Here
The job opening describes the internship as project-based, and states that it is intended to provide opportunities for practical experience, learning and professional development.
Interns contribute to assigned projects and activities under the guidance and supervision of the Public Information Officer. If you are comparing this placement with other routes into the field, our guide to how internships abroad for students really work sets out the main options and what each one actually pays.
Academic Requirements of the United Nations Internship Programme
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, 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 level or equivalent)
The job opening restates this requirement in a second place: applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), a Master's or Ph.D. programme or equivalent, or must have completed a Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. programme.
A Field of Study Related to the Internship
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 you are applying for is required.
Proving Your Academic Status
Applicants are asked directly whether they meet any of the criteria above. If yes, you must indicate which one and attach proof to the application.
The job opening also notes a later step: you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.
Interest in the United Nations and the Ideals of the Charter
Alongside the academic criteria, the Department asks for a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
It also asks for a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
Communication: What the Department Is Looking For
The first competency listed is communication:
🗣️ Speaks and writes clearly and effectively
👂 Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately
❓ Asks questions for clarification and exhibits interest in having two-way communication
🎚️ Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience
📣 Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed
Teamwork: What the Department Is Looking For
The second competency is teamwork:
🤝 Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals
💡 Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise, and is willing to learn from others
📋 Places team agenda before personal agenda
✅ Supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position
🧮 Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings
Creativity: What the Department Is Looking For
The third competency is creativity, which matters in a unit producing social media content:
🧠 Offers new and different options to solve problems
🔄 Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas
🎲 Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas
🪄 Thinks "outside the box" and takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things
Software and Technical Skills Expected
Applicants must be computer proficient. The job opening lists the following:
🖥️ Familiarity with MS Office applications, for example Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
🎨 Working experience with PC-based graphic design and video editing software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, iMovie and Adobe Premiere
🧰 Additional knowledge of web and social media tools such as Drupal, Canva and Trello is an advantage
📊 Ability to design PowerPoint presentations, surveys and polls is desirable
✍️ Strong analytical and writing abilities in Chinese are essential
Language Requirements Beyond Chinese
English or French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this advertised internship, fluency in Chinese is required.
Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations (Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese, Kiswahili or Hindi is desirable.
How to Apply
A completed online application is required, made up of a Cover Note and a Personal History Profile. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Your Cover Note must include:
🎓 Degree Programme: what you are currently studying
📅 Graduation Date: when you will graduate, or when you graduated from the programme
🏅 Why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
🇺🇳 Your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme
In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include:
💼 All past work experiences
💻 IT skills
📇 Three references
Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted. Potential candidates will be contacted by the hiring manager directly for further assessment and consideration.
Applying Through Inspira and How Applications Are Evaluated
Applications are made through the online recruitment platform, Inspira. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the platform, and can refer to the Manual for the Applicant, accessible by clicking on the "Manuals" hyperlink on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants is conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application, according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations, including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, and administrative issuances and guidelines.
Two points are worth noting before you submit:
🚫 No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted
🔍 Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application
When the Job Opening Closes
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal are removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. For this internship, that is 29 October 2026.
Who Cannot Apply
One restriction is stated explicitly: applicants who are children or siblings of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations.
A Generic Job Opening
The job opening notes that it is generic, and that further notice about any non-selections will not be issued due to the nature of the advertisement. In practice, that means you should not expect an individual rejection message.
Costs: Interns Are Not Paid by the United Nations
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.
There is also an equipment note for remote arrangements: interns will need to provide all necessary hardware (computer), software and internet connection in case of performing the internship remotely.
Visa and Work Authorization
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. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
The job opening also carries the United Nations' standard note for placements in the United States: for internships in the United States of America, interns who are not United States citizens, permanent residents or not currently in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa status will be required to obtain a G-4 visa. If already in the United States on another non-immigrant visa status other than G-4, interns are responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa and, if required, employment authorization allowing them to undertake the internship.
Diversity, Inclusion and Reasonable Accommodation
At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs.
The Organization states that it is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect, and that it recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
Three further points are stated in the job opening:
🌐 Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible
⚖️ The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs
🏢 The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment
United Nations Considerations and Integrity Checks
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity.
Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The job opening defines each term:
📕 Sexual exploitation: any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including but not limited to profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another
📗 Sexual abuse: the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions
📘 Sexual harassment: any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator's working relationship
Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Authority of the Secretary-General
The job opening also sets out the terms that apply to appointments. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity.
By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by them to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations, under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
No Fee at Any Stage of Recruitment
The job opening carries the United Nations' standard warning in capital letters: the United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, whether at application, interview meeting, processing or training. The Organization also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
That rule is a useful filter well beyond this one listing, and it is one of the checks we describe in how we verify every opportunity before it is published. You can browse more internship opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Digital Communications Intern in the Chinese Language Unit do?
The intern supports research, monitoring and analysis for Chinese-language social media platforms. Duties include compiling text, images, videos and infographics for social media materials, analysing engagement and audience statistics, documenting United Nations events in Vienna, researching how to communicate the SDGs, climate action and peacebuilding to Chinese-speaking audiences, and supporting basic video post-production.
Where is this United Nations internship based?
The work location is Vienna, Austria. The Department encourages candidates who can work with the team in person in Vienna, and part of the role involves documenting special events and activities promoting United Nations mandates in the city.
How long is the internship and when does it start?
The expected duration is 3 to 6 months, starting on 1 February 2027. The Department encourages candidates who can ideally commit to a full-time schedule for a minimum duration of three months.
Is the UN DGC Digital Communications internship paid?
No. Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations, and costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.
Is fluency in Chinese required?
Yes. Fluency in Chinese is essential, because the intern works on research, monitoring and analysis related to Chinese-language social media platforms. Strong analytical and writing abilities in Chinese are also listed as essential.
Who is eligible to apply to the United Nations Internship Programme?
Applicants must either 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 at minimum bachelor's level. A field of study closely related to the internship is also required.
Is professional work experience needed?
No. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. The requirement that does apply is a field of study closely related to the type of internship you are applying for.
Which software and technical skills are expected?
Applicants must be computer proficient, including familiarity with MS Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and working experience with PC-based graphic design and video editing software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, iMovie and Adobe Premiere. Knowledge of Drupal, Canva and Trello is an advantage, and the ability to design PowerPoint presentations, surveys and polls is desirable.
What must the Cover Note include?
The Cover Note must state your degree programme, your graduation date, why you are the best candidate for this specific internship, and your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme. A completed online application with both the Cover Note and the Personal History Profile is required, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Can relatives of United Nations staff members apply?
No. Applicants who are children or siblings of a staff member are not eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations.
Which other languages are useful for this internship?
English or French are the working languages of the United Nations. Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations, meaning Arabic, French, Russian or Spanish, or of Portuguese, Kiswahili or Hindi, is desirable.
Will I hear back if I am not selected?
Only successful candidates will be contacted, because of the high volume of applications received. The job opening is also generic, which means further notice about any non-selections will not be issued.
What time does the job opening close?
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal are removed at 11:59 p.m. New York time on the deadline date. For this internship, the deadline is 29 October 2026.
Does the United Nations charge an application fee?
No. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview meeting, processing or training, and it does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Deadline
⏳ 29 October 2026
Link
🔗 Job opening and application (Apply Now): https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/285799?language=en
