Research and Policy Support Intern

  • Internship, Short-term contract assignment
  • Posted on 15 January 2026
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Job Description

Job Opening ID: 270615
Job Network : -
Job Family : -
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : RIYADH
Department/Office : Resident Coordinator System
Date Posted : Jan 15, 2026
Deadline : Jan 29, 2026

Work Location

Riyadh

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the RCO Economist and coordination with the Head of Office, the Intern will:

  1. Policy and Research Support
    • Conduct desk reviews of UN frameworks, socioeconomic reports, and national strategies relevant to Vision 2030 and the SDGs.
    • Support drafting of analytical papers and policy briefs on the KSA economy, development trends, and thematic UN priorities.
    • Assist in integrating cross-sectoral analysis including LNOB, gender equality, and inclusivity.
  2. Operational and Coordination Support
    • Take and draft meeting minutes for internal UNCT meetings, consultations with government counterparts, and partner engagements.
    • Support background note preparation and data collection for senior leadership.
    • Assist in ad hoc analytical tasks requested by the RCO. 3. Analytical Tools and Innovation
    • Contribute to exploratory work on the application of large language models (LLMs) for research, knowledge management, and analysis.
    • Support the design of templates, matrices, and structured analytical tools for RCO policy work.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the internship, the Intern is expected to:

  • Gain practical experience in applied policy research and inter-agency coordination in a UN country office setting.
  • Strengthen skills in socioeconomic analysis with specific application to the KSA context.
  • Acquire experience in drafting policy papers, minutes, and analytical notes aligned with UN standards.
  • Develop familiarity with innovative analytical methods, including the use of LLMs in development work. Intern Posting Template
  • Enhance knowledge of UN operations, Vision 2030, and the UN’s role in national development processes.

Qualifications/special skills

  • To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

Applicants must:

  • be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
  • be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
  • have graduated with a university degree (as defined above);

Applicants must:

  • be computer literate in standard software applications.
  • have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter; and (c)
  • have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

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: January 29, 2026

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