Geographical Information Systems Intern

Support the work of the UNOCC as a GIS intern.

UN DPO - Department of Peace Operations

Open positions at UN DPO / Open positions at UN
Logo of UN DPO

Application deadline in 6 months: Friday 8 Jan 2027 at 04:59 UTC

Open application form

Overview

Support the work of the UNOCC as a GIS intern.

You have:

  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship.
  • Relevant coursework in GIS, remote sensing, cartography, visualization, spatial analysis, modeling, geospatial programming, and geospatial data management.
  • Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.
  • Collaborative, reliable, and communicative team player.

Contract

This is a I-1 contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about I-1 contracts.

Work Location

Flexible (in-person, remote, or hybrid)

Expected duration

Expected internship duration is 6 months. This is a job opening used to build a pool of qualified candidates and will be used to fill internship vacancies between January 2026 through January 2027.

Duties and Responsibilities

We seek motivated interns to support the work of the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre (UNOCC). The interns take up assignments within the Data Unit of UNOCC. The Data Unit conducts integrated analysis, modelling and data engineering that informs senior UN leadership and decision-making fora on country risk outlooks, crisis developments, as well as and predictive and historic trends. The UNOCC is a multi-party entity reporting to the USG for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), through the Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit (EOSG/SPMU) and, on peacekeeping matters, with oversight from the USG for Peace Operations, through the Director for Coordination and Shared Services (ODCSS). The UNOCC also receives strategic oversight from a Client Board of principals from each of the client entities. The UNOCC provides global situational awareness, crisis and risk management, as well as facilitates cross-pillar analysis and decision-making in the UN. The UNOCC is operationally positioned under the ODCSS between the Department of Political and Peace building Affairs and the Department of Peace Operations. The intern will support the team in the Production of GIS maps for a variety of purposes and users, including for operational support, advocacy, awareness-raising and strategic planning.

Qualifications/special skills

Competency: We are looking for a team player who is collaborative, reliable, and communicative, consistently working to support their teammates and the team's goals. Experience: We seek candidates with relevant coursework in GIS, remote sensing, cartography, visualization, spatial analysis, modeling, geospatial programming, and geospatial data management. Language: 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.

Additional Information

UN internships are unpaid. Candidates for the UN Internship Programme are required to cover the cost of travel including Visa, accommodation, health insurance and other living expenses for the duration of the internship.

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.

Potential interview questions

Describe a project where you used GIS technology to solve a problem. What was your role? This question assesses your practical experience with GIS applications. Highlight your role, the technology used, and the impact of the project.
How do you handle disagreements in a team setting? The interviewer wants to understand your teamwork skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you tell us about a time you had to analyze complex data? What approach did you take? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What methods do you use for visualizing data? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
In your opinion, what are the key components of effective crisis management? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach producing GIS maps for different audiences? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What challenges have you faced while working in a team, and how did you overcome them? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Why do you want to intern with the UNOCC and what do you hope to gain? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 5 months ago - Updated 4 hours ago - Source: careers.un.org