At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed this Core Operational Functions internship at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, Austria (additional location: Prague, Czechia). It is a full-time unpaid internship of 2 to 6 months for nationals of OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation aged 30 or younger, open until 31 December 2026.
About the OSCE Secretariat
The OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, is the world's largest regional security organization, with 57 participating States in North America, Europe and Asia. It works for stability, peace and security for more than a billion people, through political dialogue and through practical work to build and sustain peace and stability.
Core Operational Functions at the OSCE
Under its comprehensive approach to security, the OSCE structures its work into three equally important dimensions: the politico-military, the economic and environmental, and the human dimension. Operationally, this concept is translated into 23 fields of work in which the Organization is engaged across its structures and field operations.
The OSCE operates in a complex and multidimensional environment that requires strong co-ordination across its core processes. To support the Organization's daily functioning and the implementation of its mandate, core operational functions provide essential enabling services across a wide range of areas, including human resources, legal services, communications, evaluation, investigation, audit, budget and finance, travel and logistics, procurement, ICT support, compliance, policy and mission support. These functions ensure the coherent co-ordination of activities across OSCE structures and contribute to the efficient, timely and effective delivery of programmes and operations.
The Internship
The OSCE Secretariat is seeking qualified candidates for internship opportunities of 2 to 6 months in both administrative and programmatic areas within Core Operational Functions.
🏢 Issued by: OSCE Secretariat
🆔 Requisition ID: SEC001009
📍 Location: OSCE Secretariat, Vienna (additional location: OSCE Secretariat, Prague)
📄 Contract type: Intern, no grade, short-term, full-time
👥 Number of posts: Multiple
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What the OSCE Internship Programme Offers
🏛️ The chance to learn about the day-to-day working environment of the OSCE and about the Organization's mandate.
🛠️ The opportunity to develop your professional skills and gain practical working experience in a multi-national environment.
🤝 The chance to meet many professionals and benefit from their knowledge and mentorship.
🔗 The opportunity to meet and link up with like-minded young professionals.
Typical Tasks and Responsibilities
The OSCE lists typical day-to-day duties that interns perform in its departments:
🔎 Conducting research, collecting and analysing information from internal and external sources, and contributing to reports, policy papers, legal opinions, concept notes, briefing materials, presentations, surveys, financial analyses and other written outputs.
📊 Supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects, programmes and organizational initiatives, including project proposals, budgets, implementation strategies, progress reports and recommendations.
📝 Assisting with the drafting, review, editing and dissemination of official documents, publications, communication materials, training resources, awareness-raising products and knowledge-management tools.
🎤 Supporting the organization and delivery of meetings, workshops, conferences, training activities, outreach events and other stakeholder engagement initiatives, including logistical and administrative arrangements.
🗂️ Participating in meetings and consultations, and preparing minutes, summaries, reports and records of discussions, decisions, findings and follow-up actions.
🏢 Providing operational, administrative, financial and programme support, including data management, documentation, reporting, reconciliation and verification, records management, archiving, and support to audit, compliance, procurement, travel, human resources and other organizational processes.
📣 Assisting with communication and outreach activities, including website updates, media monitoring, social media content, publications and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
🧳 Supporting managers and colleagues in preparing meetings, missions, visits and other activities by conducting background research, preparing documentation, coordinating logistics and liaising with relevant stakeholders.
Necessary Qualifications
🎂 You should not be older than 30 years on the deadline of this vacancy.
🎓 You should have completed two years of full-time post-secondary education or graduated within two years prior to the deadline of this vacancy.
📚 You should have education in a relevant field, such as law, communication, human resources, medicine, psychology, organizational behaviour, finance, management, information technology, programming or similar fields.
🗣️ You should be professionally fluent in English, both oral and written, with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely (interviews will be conducted).
💪 You should bring high motivation, open-mindedness and flexibility.
🌐 You should be able to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national, cultural and religious backgrounds while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.
⚖️ You should be aware of the importance of integrating a gender perspective into tasks and activities.
💻 You should be able to operate a computer, with familiarity with Microsoft Office applications (Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint, word processing and e-mail).
Assets
💼 Previous work experience in a relevant field.
🧩 Experience of working in a multilateral or multicultural environment.
🧠 Organizational, multi-tasking and analytical skills, research and drafting skills.
🌍 Working knowledge of at least one other language from the OSCE region.
Who Can Apply
OSCE internships are offered only to nationals of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation. Applicants holding dual or multiple nationalities must be nationals of at least one OSCE participating State or Partner for Co-operation. The full list of participating States and Partners for Co-operation is published on the OSCE website, and vacancies are open for competition only among their nationals.
Conditions of the Internship
⏱️ OSCE internships are full-time (a 40-hour week), but a flexible part-time arrangement can be approved in special cases.
📅 Start dates for selected candidates depend on the needs of the hiring offices.
🔒 The cumulative duration of internship at the OSCE is limited to 6 months for any individual. Once this duration has been served, regardless of the OSCE duty station, further internship applications from the same person are not considered.
✋ The internship lasts 2 to 6 months and does not constitute a commitment to future employment with the OSCE.
Remuneration, Insurance and Visa
In line with other international and multilateral organizations, the OSCE does not provide remuneration to interns or reimbursement for their travel expenses for relocation to or from the duty station. In lieu of remuneration, the receiving office contributes towards the cost of living of international and national interns who are non-residents at the duty station. If the receiving office cannot contribute towards the cost of living, it may accept interns who are residents at the duty station.
🩺 If the selected intern does not already have health insurance applicable to the duty station, they participate in the group health insurance scheme at their own expense, while the OSCE covers life and disability insurance.
🛂 Some nationals may require a D-visa to work at the OSCE Secretariat. If selected, the OSCE assists with a support letter.
🚫 The OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.
How to Apply
Apply through the OSCE's online application link on the OSCE vacancies website, and mention your availability dates in your cover letter. Only candidates selected for the subsequent stages of recruitment are contacted. A clear Europass CV helps you present your education and experience.
The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise or re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, or to offer an internship with modified terms of reference or a different duration. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply. OSCE officials conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant, and the OSCE applies the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate.
For more detail, the OSCE points candidates to its Secretariat page, its fields of work page, and the internships page with a video created by former interns and a recent webinar, all listed under Links below.
Browse all internship opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the OSCE Core Operational Functions internship paid?
No. The OSCE does not remunerate interns or reimburse relocation travel. In lieu of remuneration, the receiving office contributes towards the cost of living of interns who are non-residents at the duty station, and it may instead accept interns who are residents there.
Who can apply for the OSCE Core Operational Functions internship?
Nationals of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation can apply. You must be no older than 30 on the deadline and must have completed two years of full-time post-secondary education or graduated within the two years before the deadline. No work experience is required, although previous experience in a relevant field is an asset.
How long does the internship last?
The internship lasts 2 to 6 months and is full-time (a 40-hour week). A flexible part-time arrangement can be approved in special cases. Total internship time at the OSCE is capped at 6 months per person.
Which education fields fit this internship?
The OSCE names relevant fields such as law, communication, human resources, medicine, psychology, organizational behaviour, finance, management, information technology and programming, or similar fields.
Where is the internship based?
The main location is the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, Austria, with an additional location at the OSCE Secretariat in Prague, Czechia.
Deadline
⏳ 31 December 2026
Links
🔗 Apply: https://vacancies.osce.org/jobs/internship-%E2%80%93-core-operational-functions-4822
🌐 OSCE vacancies: https://vacancies.osce.org/
📧 Questions or problems applying: internships@osce.org
🌍 Participating States and Partners for Co-operation: https://www.osce.org/participating-states
🏛️ OSCE Secretariat: https://www.osce.org/secretariat
🧭 OSCE fields of work: https://www.osce.org/fields-of-work
🎬 OSCE internships (video and webinar): https://jobs.osce.org/internships
