INTERN - ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Support geospatial research and capacity development initiatives in economic affairs.

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UNESCAP - Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

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Application deadline 2 months ago: Saturday 7 Mar 2026 at 04:59 UTC

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Overview

Support geospatial research and capacity development initiatives in economic affairs.

You have:

  • Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher).
  • Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
  • Demonstrated proficiency in programming and using open-source Earth observation data and software is desirable.
  • Good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Office 365, Google Earth Engine, image processing and presentation software.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship.
  • Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.

Contract

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

Work Location

Bangkok

Expected duration

3-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose This internship is located within the Space Applications Section (SAS) of the Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of ESCAP. The internship is UNPAID and full-time for a period of three to six months, depending on the needs of the division or office. Qualified applicants who can commit to a longer internship duration will be preferred. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) in-person under the supervision of the Chief, Space Applications Section and the relevant officer/s within SAS. This internship is conducted in person, with the duty station located in Bangkok. The responsibilities of the interns range from providing research support, assisting in project implementation and development of digital platforms and multi-media content. Each intern will have a work plan which will be developed with the supervisor based on the intern's skills and interests, educational background, and future academic/career plans. The intern will be working with a dynamic team. Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: i) Contribute to developing and testing geospatial tools; ii) Assist in developing and/or updating digital platforms and multi-media content; iii) Provide support in the implementation of capacity development projects; iv) Provide support in the development of needs assessment surveys, user feedback on geospatial tools, and training content on fundamental and advanced topics on state-of-the-art geospatial tools; and v) Support the team in their day-to-day activities and tasks. Ultimate result of service ESCAP aims to support its members and associate members in harnessing the potential of harness space applications, geospatial information and digital innovations to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The work of the section focuses on facilitating and building the capacity of countries to implement the Asia-Pacific Plan of Action on Space Applications for Sustainable Development (2018-2030) through three modalities: (a) research and knowledge-sharing; (b) capacity- building and technical support; and (c) intergovernmental discussions and regional practices. Its major thematic areas of work are monitoring drought from space; integration of geospatial information for resilience building; and space and GIS to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals. For more information on the work of the section, please refer to: https://www.unescap.org/ourwork/ict-disaster-risk-reduction

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. Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Office 365,Google Earth Engine, image processing and presentation software. Applicants' training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship. Demonstrated proficiency in programming and using open-source Earth observation data and software is desirable.

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.

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.

Potential interview questions

What experience do you have with geospatial tools and how can you apply it to this internship? This question assesses your familiarity with geospatial tools, which are crucial for the role. Discuss any relevant projects or experiences where you have used geospatial tools.
Can you describe a time when you had to work as part of a team? What was your role? Interpersonal skills and teamwork are essential in this role, so understanding your contributions is important. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple deadlines? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What interests you about working in economic affairs and geospatial technologies? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe your experience with research and data analysis. What sources do you typically use? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Have you ever contributed to a project involving digital platforms? What was your role? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
In what ways can you contribute to capacity-building projects? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach learning a new software that is essential for this internship? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 4 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: careers.un.org