INTERN - RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
Gain experience conducting research to support Library products and services for UN conferences.
Overview
Gain experience conducting research to support Library products and services for UN conferences.
You have:
- Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) or a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
- Experience in research assistance is desirable.
- Interest in the work of the UN is required.
- Currently a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent) or higher.
- Fluency in English is required. Fluency in other UN official language is desirable.
Contract
This is a I-1 contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about I-1 contracts.
Work Location
Onsite
Expected duration
3-6 MONTHS
Duties and Responsibilities
The Library Services Section of the UN Library & Archives Geneva is seeking up to three interns to begin work in Geneva by mid-April 2026. We are seeking highly motivated candidates who wish to gain experience conducting research to support Library products and services relating to major conferences organized by the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, including the seventy-seventh session of the International Law Commission (ILC). This is an opportunity to experience library services and reference work in a multicultural intergovernmental organization, to develop a better understanding of issues on the agenda of the United Nations and the different actors in international Geneva, and to learn about and support the progressive development of international law and its codification by the United Nations. The interns will participate in the reference services in the UN Library Geneva reading rooms, including services dedicated to the ILC, contribute to developing and researching content for the Library’s Conference Primers platform, assist in managing the Library’s specialized legal collections. The internship will also provide opportunities to contribute to the various projects and tasks of the Library Services team, such as conducting legal research and updating bibliographies on issues related to international law on the agenda of the ILC, providing training sessions on library resources and products, and responding to a range of library patron requests, and may include other assignments that are relevant to the background and interests of the interns.
Qualifications/special skills
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: • 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 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. The applicant is required to be currently a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or PhD programme or equivalent, or have recently completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD programme. Please indicate your educational status and degree course subject and note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Experience in research assistance is desirable. Interest in the work of the UN is required. Please indicate if you have a specific area of interest related to the work of the UN.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English is required. Fluency in other UN official language is desirable.
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
| Can you describe a time when you assisted with research duties in an academic or library setting? | The interviewer wants to understand your previous experience in research and library work. | Provide a specific example highlighting your role and contributions. |
| What do you find most interesting about working with the United Nations? | This question is aimed at gauging your motivation and alignment with UN values. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you prioritize your tasks when managing multiple assignments? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Why is it important to have a multicultural understanding in library services? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Tell us about a time when you had to conduct legal research. What challenges did you face? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What is your understanding of international law and its importance today? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you handle a request from a library patron that you didn't know how to answer? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What specific area of UN work are you most passionate about and why? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |