Science and Technical Assistance Branch Intern

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP is the United Nations system’s designated entity that addresses environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

The position is located in the Science and Technical Assistance branch of UNEP’s Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Branch is responsible for providing scientific and technical input related to the programme of work and activities under the three conventions. It is also responsible for managing the scientific work required by the conferences of the parties and provides technical assistance on topics related to the implementation of the conventions.

The Internship is unpaid and full-time (duration: 6 months). Interns work five days per week under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

The successful applicant will, among others, undertake the following tasks, under the direct supervision of relevant programme officers:

• Support in providing technical assistance, and related activities, under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (e.g. workshops’ preparation, data analysis, doing assessments, preparing presentations, evaluation forms, online training, updating of the website, etc.);
• Support in the various ongoing and upcoming projects on plastic waste;
• Support in the work relating to the reporting under Basel and Stockholm Conventions;
• Support in the work areas relating to PCB, PBDE, PFAS, plastic additives, waste containing nanomaterials;
• Support in the work relating to DDT, preparation for expert group meeting/webinars, website updates, note taking, etc.;
• Support in the work relating to global monitoring plan for persistent organic pollutants;
• Support in the areas of BAT/BEP activities, Chairs’ training and effectiveness evaluation, the works include preparations for face-to-face and/or online meetings/webinars, website updates, expert roster maintenance, preparation of slides, promotional materials, feedback forms, certificates, note taking, onsite support, etc.;
• Support the MOOC webinar sessions, and online training on e-waste;
• Support in activities related to the Household Waste Partnership;
• Support PACE-II;
• Support in research and data collection/analysis related to the Rotterdam Convention;
• Support in updating information on regional centres;
• Support in following up Parties on the transmission of updated NIPs;
• Support work related to Harmonized System (HS) codes for chemicals and wastes listed under BRS;
• Support work related to the Plastic Waste Partnership;
• Support the implementation of the Roadmap on Science to Action and the promotion of science-policy interphases for the implementation of the Conventions;
• Support the work on synergies and interlinkages on international cooperation with other agendas: climate change and biodiversity loss, including relevant MEAs collaboration and scientific panels (IPCC and IPBES);
• Undertake any other activities related to the implementation of the conventions, as required.

Qualifications/special skills
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
(a) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
(b) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher).

Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

DEADLINE: AUGUST 4, 2025