The Archives Management Unit of the UN Library & Archives Geneva is recruiting an Archivist Intern for a placement in Geneva. The internship lasts 3-6 months, is unpaid, and closes for applications on 10 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the whole job opening, and every duty, requirement and condition is set out below.
Job Opening 286228: The Essentials
📌 Position: Intern - Archivist
🆔 Job Opening ID: 286228
🏛️ Department/Office: United Nations Office at Geneva
🗂️ Job Family: IMA
🏷️ Category and Level: Affiliate Personnel, Internships, I-1
🪪 Recruitment Type: Intern
📍 Duty Station: Geneva
🗺️ Work Location: Geneva
⏱️ Expected Duration: 3-6 months
💶 Remuneration: Unpaid
Where the Internship Sits: Archives Management Unit
The internship is located in the Archives Management Unit, Institutional Memory Section, UN Library & Archives Geneva. The intern reports to the Chief of the Unit.
What the Placement Offers
The job opening describes the internship as an opportunity to:
🗃️ Experience archival processing and reference work at the UN Library & Archives Geneva
🌐 Develop further a basic understanding of the issues on the agenda of the UN
🧭 Gain a general knowledge of the different international organizations and other actors in international Geneva
Metadata for the UN Archives Geneva Platform
The intern contributes to providing metadata in the UN Archives Geneva platform.
Reference Services in the Reading Room
The intern also participates in the reference services in the UN Archives Geneva Reading Room.
Taking Part in the Unit's Wider Activities
Beyond metadata and reference work, the intern participates in the activities of the Archives Management Unit, depending on interest and capacities.
The Task List: Four Items
The intern is involved in a variety of tasks including:
🖋️ Archival description
🪑 Presence in the reading room
📦 Archives re-boxing
🤝 Other activities with the team depending on interest and opportunity
Archival Description
The first listed task is archival description, listed alongside the intern's contribution of metadata to the UN Archives Geneva platform.
Presence in the Reading Room
The second task is presence in the reading room, listed alongside the participation in the reference services in the UN Archives Geneva Reading Room.
Archives Re-Boxing
The third task is archives re-boxing.
Other Activities with the Team
The task list ends with other activities with the team depending on interest and opportunity, so the listed duties are examples of the work rather than a closed list.
Browse more internships and traineeships on Youth Works Hub →
Academic Requirements: Two Routes
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 degree or equivalent)
No Professional Experience Required, but the Field of Study Must Fit
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.
The job opening restates the academic condition this way: 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.
Proof of Eligibility: Indicate Your Criterion and Attach Proof
The application asks: "Do you meet any of the above criteria?" If yes, you must indicate which one and attach proof to the application. The job opening also notes that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.
Desirable Experience: Archival Processes, News Articles and Social Media
Two kinds of experience are listed as desirable:
🗄️ Experience in archival processes
📰 Experience in drafting news articles and/or social media posts
English Required, Another UN Language an Advantage
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship:
🗣️ Fluency in spoken and written English is required
➕ Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage
The Six Official UN Languages
The job opening lists the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat:
🔤 Arabic
🔠 Chinese
📖 English
💬 French
📘 Russian
📗 Spanish
Duration and Work Location
The expected duration is 3-6 months. The work location is Geneva, which is also the duty station.
No Salary: Who Pays for Travel, Visa and Living Costs
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. The job opening is explicit about who carries the costs. Costs and arrangements for the following are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions:
✈️ Travel
🛂 Visas
🏠 Accommodation
🧾 Living expenses
If you are comparing this placement with salaried options, our guide on how paid internships and funded traineeships really work explains the difference between a paid internship and one where the costs sit with you or your sponsor.
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/employment authorization.
Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. Raise the question before you say yes, not after.
Recruitment Is Free of Charge
The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, covering application, interview meeting, processing, or training. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Any request for payment or for bank details in connection with this internship does not come from the United Nations. Our page on how we check every listing before it goes live covers the warning signs to watch for.
Who This Internship Suits
This placement fits a final-year bachelor's student, a graduate student or a recent graduate with fluent English and a field of study related to the internship, who wants hands-on experience in archival description, reading room reference services and archives handling inside the United Nations. Candidates with experience in archival processes or in drafting news articles and social media posts match the desirable experience in the job opening.
Find more opportunities like this in our internship and traineeship listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Archivist Intern do?
The intern contributes metadata to the UN Archives Geneva platform, participates in the reference services in the UN Archives Geneva Reading Room, and takes part in the activities of the Archives Management Unit depending on interest and capacities.
Which unit is the internship in?
The Archives Management Unit, Institutional Memory Section, UN Library & Archives Geneva. The intern reports to the Chief of the Unit.
What tasks does the internship include?
The job opening lists archival description, presence in the reading room, archives re-boxing, and other activities with the team depending on interest and opportunity.
Where is the internship based and how long does it last?
In Geneva, Switzerland. The expected duration is 3-6 months.
Is the internship paid?
No. Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution.
What education do I need?
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 (minimum Bachelor's degree or equivalent). A field of study closely related to the type of internship is required.
Do I need professional work experience?
No. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience, but a field of study closely related to the internship is required.
What do I need to attach to the application?
You must indicate which of the criteria you meet and attach proof to the application. An official certificate has to be provided at a later stage.
Is experience in archives required?
It is desirable, not required. The job opening lists experience in archival processes and experience in drafting news articles and/or social media posts as desirable.
Which languages are required?
Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.
Do I need a visa?
Possibly. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the host country may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization, and successful candidates should discuss their visa requirements before accepting the offer.
Is there a nationality requirement?
The job opening lists no nationality requirement. The stated conditions concern education, field of study and languages.
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, and it does not ask for information on applicants' bank accounts.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is 10 November 2026.
Deadline
⏳ 10 November 2026
Link
🔗 Job opening and application (Apply Now): https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/286228?language=en
