Political Affairs Intern: Research and Analysis on Security Council Practice

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities

The duration of the internship is for six (6) months. The internship is UNPAID and may be either full-time or part-time. It should be noted that full-time internship working hours are 35 hours per week, while part-time internship working hours are 20 hours per week. The internship will be undertaken either remotely outside the duty station or in a hybrid working arrangement at the UN Premise, New York, United States. The advertised internship is offered with the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch of the Security Council Affairs Division (SCAD) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). The Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch is the advisory and research arm of SCAD. Its core functions are to prepare the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council, mandated by General Assembly resolution 686 (VII) of 5 December 1952; to provide guidance and information on Council practice/procedure to Member States, the Secretariat, NGOs and academics; to provide substantive servicing to the Security Council Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions; to provide assistance for the familiarization of new Council members on the evolving practice and working methods of the Council and to deliver the functions of the UN Secretariat’s focal point on issues related to Security Council reform.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch, the intern may undertake a range of activities, including, but not limited to, the following:

•Conduct research on events relating to political issues, in general, and in particular as they relate to the countries and thematic mandates on the agenda of the Security Council;

•Assist the Branch with documentation and cataloguing information related to the evolution of the practices and working methods of the Council and/or its subsidiary bodies;

•Conduct research, analysis and drafting of studies for the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council;

•Assist the Branch in its outreach efforts, including through the preparation of social media content;

•Assist in the further development of the Division’s computerized databases capturing the contemporary practice of the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies; and participate in the updating of the Division’s computerized databases;

•Performing other duties as required.

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); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
• 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. 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.
• Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Ability to conduct research and draft reports is required.
• Proficiency in standard word processing and software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint or similar, and standard office automation equipment, scanner, printer, etc. is required.
• Knowledge or prior experience with producing social media content and engaging in social media monitoring (primarily X (formerly Twitter) is an advantage.
• Knowledge of visualization tools such as Power BI and Canva is an additional asset.

Deadline : Jun 27, 2025