Internship: Technical Secretariat, Office of Strategy and Policy

Job Description

The OPCW internship programme is aimed at motivated students with an interest in gaining experience in international organisations. The programme normally provides work placements in the Technical Secretariat for a three to six month period. The objective of the internship is to provide you with first-hand experience in the day-to-day working environment of an international organisation. You will work with our international experts towards the OPCW mission to achieve a world permanently free of chemical weapons.

As part of our team, working directly with outstanding and inspiring career professionals, you will be exposed to high-profile conferences, participate in meetings, and contribute to our analytical work as well as the organisational policy of the OPCW.

Responsibilities

Job Summary

The Office of Strategy and Policy develops the Technical Secretariat’s strategic planning and provides policy advice to the Director-General and the Secretariat’s management, particularly relating to cross-cutting issues such as incidents of chemical weapons use, non-routine missions, chemical security, engagement with international organisations and chemical industry, education and outreach, counter-terrorism, and science and technology. In addition, the Office contributes to programme and budget planning and the organisational governance of the Secretariat in areas such as knowledge management, results-based management, and risk management.

Purpose of Internship:

A) Enhanced productivity of the Office of Strategy and Policy (OSP) to fulfil one of its key roles in providing comprehensive advice on a range of strategic and policy priorities.

B) The work will provide several learning objectives based around three main pillars: skill development (such as communication, problem-solving, research, analysis, and graphics design);

Career development (through understanding the work of the OPCW and international organisations generally); and

Personal development (developing skills such as self-confidence, time management, network building, and teamwork). Interns will be exposed to both the policy and scientific work undertaken in OSP, in addition to work across the Organisation, and will be encouraged to assist with preparations for and participate in diverse meetings and events, as the opportunity arises.

Main Responsibilities

Terms of Reference for the Internship:

Interns will be provided with an opportunity to learn on the following areas;

• Thematic policy analysis: Conducting research and analysis to support policy development in the strategic and conceptual work of OSP on key issues relevant to the work of the OPCW.

• Briefing and drafting: Preparing background papers, briefing notes and contributing to official reports of the OPCW, including the Advisory Board on Education and Outreach, the Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism, and the Chemical Industry Coordination Group.
• Stakeholder mapping and management: Researching and maintaining databases of key partners, including civil society organisations, academia, industry experts, and international and regional organisations.

• Meeting Coordination: Assisting with scheduling meetings, managing calendars, preparing agendas, curating presentation materials, taking minutes, distributing and tracking action items to support the work of the Advisory Board on Education and Outreach, the Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism, and the Chemical Industry Coordination Group.

• Programmatic coordination: Supporting the programmatic coordination of the Centre for Chemistry and Technology, including aspects of donor management and resource mobilisation.
• Event logistics: Assisting with administrative and logistical support for high-level governance events, including the Conference of States Parties, the Executive Council Sessions, and other engagements with key partners, including workshops, seminars, and meetings.
• Assisting with other assigned tasks, as necessary.

The internship will commence as soon as possible. Additional candidates will be considered for positions later during the year.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:

• enrolled in and have completed at least one year of a degree programme in a university (or equivalent tertiary institution) or;
• in a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher) or;
• have graduated from a university or a graduate school within a year prior to the commencement of the internship and;
• be a citizen of an OPCW Member State.

Desirable:

• A university-level education in international relations, public policy, law, or any field of science or engineering is preferred.
• Intern candidates with experience in multistakeholder activities and project management programming should also be considered.

Skills and Competencies

Language requirements - Be fluent in both written and spoken English.

Languages

Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Duration: 3 to 6 months

DEADLINE: March 10, 2026