The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is looking for several interns for its Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS) in Vienna, Austria. The internship lasts six months, is full-time, can be done in person or remotely, and is unpaid. Applications close on 02 November 2026. Youth Works Hub read the complete job opening and collected every duty, requirement and application step below.
What the Job Opening Says
📌 Position: Intern (Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling)
🏛️ Office: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
🧩 Section: Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS), Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch (OCB), Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA)
📍 Work Location: Vienna, Austria (in person or remotely)
🏢 Duty Station: Vienna
⏱️ Expected Duration: Six months
🕘 Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours a week, 5 days a week
🆔 Job Opening ID: 286361
🗂️ Job Family: Drug Control and Crime Prevention
🏷️ Category and Level: Affiliate Personnel, Internships, I-1
🪪 Recruitment Type: Intern
🚫 Remuneration: Unpaid
⏳ Deadline: 02 November 2026
UNODC and the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime
UNODC is the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the protocols attached to it. Two of those protocols are the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol, and they are the subject matter of this entire internship.
What UNODC Is Mandated to Do
UNODC is mandated to promote global adherence to the Protocols and to assist Member States in their efforts to implement them effectively. That mandate is the backbone of the Section where the interns will sit.
Technical Cooperation on Trafficking and Smuggling
To support Member States, UNODC provides technical cooperation. According to the job opening, this cooperation covers:
🔎 Assessing and strengthening national responses to the crimes
🛡️ Prevention of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants
🕵️ Investigation of the crimes
📑 Prosecution of the crimes
🌐 Developing international cooperation
🛟 Respecting the rights of migrants and victims of trafficking
Where the Internship Sits: HTMSS, OCB and DTA
The internship positions are located in the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS) of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch (OCB), which belongs to the Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA) of UNODC in Vienna.
Several Interns, Several Teams
The Section is looking for several interns for its different teams. The job opening names the focus areas of those teams:
🧰 Delivery of technical cooperation
📜 Normative and policy work
💡 Knowledge development and innovation
🗣️ Survivor engagement and partnerships
What the Section Does Every Day
The Section works to advance the international agenda on countering trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants in all UN-related inter-agency and intergovernmental processes and fora. It also supports activities relating to legislative assistance to UN Member States upon request.
Building and Sharing Knowledge
The Section further works to develop and disseminate knowledge on trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants. It does this through the publication of thematic and technical tools.
Who You Report To
The Intern reports to a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer in the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, UNODC.
Substantive, Organizational and Logistic Support
The interns will provide substantive, organizational and logistic support to the daily work of the Section. The job opening adds that interns will focus on some of the tasks listed below, depending on which team they join.
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Background Research on Countries, Trends and Legal Frameworks
The first listed task is analytical. The intern will:
📚 Perform background research and analysis on country situations, trends, legal frameworks and concepts relating to human trafficking and migrant smuggling
🔭 Assist in identifying areas for knowledge development and perform research on emerging and cross-cutting issues
Technical Assistance Projects and Training Material
Technical assistance is delivered through projects and activities at regional and national level. The intern will:
🗺️ Assist in technical support to the planning, implementation and monitoring of regional and national technical assistance projects and activities
🎒 Support the preparation of training material for technical assistance activities, such as capacity-building workshops
Case-Law, Legislation and UNODC Online Platforms
The intern will assist in collecting and analyzing case-law and legislation, as well as managing information on relevant UNODC online platforms.
Intergovernmental and Expert Group Meetings
The intern will assist in the preparation and holding of intergovernmental meetings. The job opening gives two examples: the Working Groups on Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants, and thematic expert group meetings. The task also covers briefings, discussions and other events.
Drafting Submissions, Guidance Notes and Communication Materials
Writing is a large part of the role. The intern will:
✍️ Contribute to the drafting of official UNODC submissions or related guidance notes
📝 Assist in preparing briefing notes, statements, presentations and communication materials
Inter-Agency Fora and Liaison With Member States
The intern will also work on UNODC's relationships with other bodies:
📡 Assist in strengthening the involvement of UNODC in inter-agency fora
📞 Assist in liaising with offices within the United Nations, other external organizations and Member States
Weekly Press Clippings
One recurring task is named exactly: the intern will compile weekly press clippings on the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons.
Global Action Against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants
The list of tasks closes with an open item. The intern will carry out other tasks related to the implementation of the UNODC Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants, as requested.
Unpaid, Full-Time and Open to Home-Based Work
The job opening states clearly that internships are UNPAID and full-time, at 40 hours a week over 5 days. The internships can be done either in person in Vienna or home-based. The Special Notice repeats that interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations.
Who Can Apply: Academic Requirements
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, you must meet one of two requirements:
🎓 Graduate school: be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
📖 Final year of a first degree: be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent)
Official written proof from the university supporting one of these possibilities must be attached to the Inspira application.
Field of Study
Applicants must have studies in criminology, law, political or social sciences, including psychology and international relations, or in a related field.
Skills the Section Expects
The qualifications list asks for:
🧠 Sound analytical skills
🖋️ Good drafting ability
💻 Computer skills, especially MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
🖱️ Computer literacy in standard software applications
Commitment to the United Nations and Cultural Awareness
Two further requirements concern values and attitude:
🕊️ A demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter
🧭 A demonstrated ability to interact successfully with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to try to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for this internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. The six official languages of the United Nations Secretariat are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Costs, Visas and Work Authorization
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of the 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 or employment authorization, and successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
If you are comparing placements abroad, our guide to paid internships abroad for students explains the difference between employer-paid internships and Erasmus+ funded traineeships.
What a Complete Application Contains
A completed online application is required, made of three parts:
📨 Motivation Statement
👤 Candidate Profile
🧾 Proof of enrolment and/or graduation
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Because of the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.
What the Motivation Statement Must Include
The Motivation Statement must cover six points:
🏫 Degree programme: what you are currently studying
📅 Graduation date: when you will graduate or when you graduated from the programme
🖥️ Computer skills and software that you are proficient in
⭐ Your top three areas of interest, chosen from the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Menu of Services (the PDF is linked in the Links section below)
🏆 Why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
🌱 Your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme in general and in this assignment in particular
Choosing Your Top Three Areas of Interest
The job opening points to the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Menu of Services 2026 as the document to use when you list your top three areas of interest. The PDF is linked in the Links section below.
What Your Online Candidate Profile Needs
In your online Candidate Profile, be sure to include:
💼 All past work experiences
🛠️ IT skills
👥 Three references
Do not forget to attach your proof of enrolment or graduation.
How to Apply
Submit the online application. Include the Motivation Statement covering the six points above, complete the Candidate Profile with your work experience, IT skills and three references, and attach the official proof of enrolment or graduation.
No Fee at Any Stage
The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process: application, interview meeting, processing or training. It also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. Our note on how we verify every opportunity explains what we check before an internship reaches you, and you can find more internship opportunities like this on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling internship paid?
No. The job opening states that the internships are unpaid and that interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions.
Where is the internship and can it be done remotely?
The internship is located in the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section in Vienna, Austria. The job opening says it can be done either in person or home-based.
How long does the internship last and how many hours a week?
The expected duration is six months. The internship is full-time, with 40 hours a week over 5 days.
Who can apply?
You must be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme, or be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme at minimum bachelor's level or equivalent. Official written proof from the university must be attached to the Inspira application.
Which fields of study fit this internship?
The job opening asks for studies in criminology, law, political or social sciences, including psychology and international relations, or in a related field.
What must the Motivation Statement include?
It must state your degree programme, your graduation date and the computer skills and software you are proficient in. It must also list your top three areas of interest from the Menu of Services, explain why you are the best candidate for this internship, and explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme and this assignment.
Where do I find the areas of interest to choose from?
They are in the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Menu of Services 2026. The PDF is linked in the Links section of this page.
What goes into the online Candidate Profile?
Include all past work experiences, your IT skills and three references. Attach your proof of enrolment or graduation as well.
Which languages do I need?
Fluency in spoken and written English is required. English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat, and knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.
Will I need a visa to intern in Vienna?
Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship takes place may need a visa and work or employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the offer.
Will I be contacted if I am not selected?
Because of the high volume of applications, only successful candidates will be contacted.
Does the United Nations charge a fee to apply?
No. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Deadline
⏳ 02 November 2026
Links
🔗 Job opening and application (Apply Now): https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/286361?language=en
🛰️ UNODC website: https://www.unodc.org
📄 UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Menu of Services 2026 (PDF): https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2026/Publications/Menu_of_Services_2026.pdf
