Economic Affairs - Intern

Job Description

Work Location: Geneva (in-person or remote internships)

Expected Duration: 16/02/26 - 15/05/26

Duties and Responsibilities

The position is in the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The Internship Programme is unpaid and full-time, i.e., an intern is expected to work five days per week (40 hours). The internship is offered either on an in-person or remote basis.

The position is located in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Section of the Policy Analysis and Research Branch of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes (ALDC). The internship will tentatively start on 16 February 2026 for an initial period of three months, with an opportunity for extension up to six months, pending on the needs of the department. The intern will report to the Economic Affairs Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Training and mentoring will be provided all along the internship. Carrying out his/her tasks under the supervision of the Economic Affairs Officer, the intern will perform the following functions:

• Assist in carrying out desk research on various aspects of LDC graduation, related impacts, and lingering sources of vulnerabilities, synthesizing related findings and drafting suitable inputs for various publications of the division, in collaboration and under the regular supervision of team members.
• Assist in performing statistical and econometric analyses, under the close supervision of team members, on data drawn from international datasets such as UNCTADstat, World Development Indicators, or International Development Statistics – IDS, among others.
• Assist in providing research assistance (for instance through the preparation of literature reviews, the empirical analysis of macroeconomic trends, the review of preliminary drafts, or the provision of inputs for speeches and PowerPoint presentations) on issues concerning LDC development trends, international trade, LDC graduation policies and strategies.
• Assist in the formulation of policy conclusions deriving from the analytical research.
• Assist in participating in online meetings with the supervisor and the team, or in relevant training and workshops, as required.

For in-person internships, interns must have a valid visa. All costs of travel, accommodation, medical insurance and living expenses must be covered by the intern.

To work remotely, the applicant shall have full access to a computer with a modern browser in which to run the latest version of Office 365 applications that will allow him/her to perform the tasks within the scope of the internship. The computer must have basic IT security best practices implemented. At a minimum, the applicant should have:

• Installed on his/her computer the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, software and security updates as soon as they are issued.
• Enabled the built-in software firewall that comes with the operating software of the computer.
• Be able to use the password manager enabling the creation of strong passwords and to secure access to all UNCTAD/UN-related resources.

More generally, interns shall:

1. Observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Organization notwithstanding their status as described in section 4 of the UN Internship Programme Administrative Instructions ST/AI/2000/9 & ST/AI/2005/11.
2. Provide the receiving departments/offices with a copy of all materials prepared by them during the internship. The UN shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material which bears a direct relation to or is made in consequence of, the services provided under the internship. At the request of the UN, the interns shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to the UN in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.
3. Respect the impartiality and independence required of the UN and of the receiving department/office and shall not seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed under the internship agreement from any Government or from any authority external to the UN.
4. Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the receiving department/office, they may not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or any other external source any information which has become known to them by reason of their association with the UN or the receiving department/office, that they know or ought to have known has not been made public. They may not use any such information without the written authorization of the appropriate official, and such information may never be used for personal gain. These obligations also apply after the end of the internship with the UN.
5. Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the UN or on the receiving department/office and will not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the UN.

Qualifications/special skills

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); or,
• (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent).

Moreover, interns should:

• Be computer literate in standard software applications and familiar with statistics and economic analysis (R or Stata);
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

For this position, the university degree must be in the area of economics, development studies or any related area.

Previous research/volunteer experience on sustainable development issues or on least developed countries would be an advantage.

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your 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 that you are applying for is required.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English is required for this internship. Working knowledge of French is an advantage.

Additional Information

ASSESSMENT:

Candidates will be assessed based on their Personal History Profiles (PHP). Individual interviews may be conducted for further assessment. A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The cover Note must include:

• Title of the degree;
• Graduation date (when will you be graduating from the programme, if not yet graduated);
• List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in;
• Explain why you are the best candidate for the internship position.

In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experience, if any; IT skills and three (3) references.

Due to high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

This profile is for the sole purpose of the Internship Programme of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development. There should be no expectation of employment within the UN after the internship.

Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, positions at the professional level and above carrying international recruitment status in the Secretariat for a period of six months following the end of their internship.

Applicants who are children or siblings of a staff member are not eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations. Applicants who are otherwise related to a staff member may be engaged as interns, provided that they are neither assigned to the same work unit as such staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of such staff member.

Intern Specific text

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.

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.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS.

Deadline : Jan 25, 2026