Political Affairs Intern

Assist in disarmament initiatives as a Political Affairs Intern.

UNODA - Office for Disarmament Affairs

Open positions at UNODA / Open positions at UN
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Application deadline in 23 days: Monday 9 Jun 2025 at 03:59 UTC

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Overview

Assist in disarmament initiatives as a Political Affairs Intern.

You have:

  • Must be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) or be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
  • Pursuing or pursued a degree in areas related to this Job Opening.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
  • Knowledge of an additional official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) 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

In-Person

Expected duration

3-6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

This internship is hosted by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) through its Conventional Arms Branch (CAB). ODA/CAB is seeking for qualified interns for an internship of 3-6 months, depending on the needs of ODA/CAB and the willingness of applicant. ODA advises and assists the Secretary-General in the discharge of his responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations and the implements mandates given by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other organs of the United Nations system, in the area of disarmament and related security. For more information, please refer to: https:www.un.org/disarmament. ODA/CAB provides substantive support in the area of conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons control; weapons and ammunition management; arms transfers; transparency in armaments; military confidence building measures and armed violence reduction. For more information, please refer to: https://disarmament.unoda.org/conventional-arms/. The Political Affairs intern works under the overall guidance of the Chief of CAB and direct supervision of the internship coordinator. This internship is unpaid and is designed to be full-time and in-person at the New York duty station. Interns will be assigned to a primary supervisor and are expected to adhere to the established official working hours five days per week with one hour for lunch break. The manager may consider some flexible time arrangements at the request of the selected intern. Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background, the intern's assigned tasks, and the internship period. The intern shall undertake the following duties which may include, but are not limited to: • Provide assistance in drafting and preparing official documents, summaries, talking points, speeches, remarks and web content; • Attend and summarize conferences and meetings; • Conduct research, including document, media and internet searches; • Provide assistance during conferences and meetings; • Fulfill other duties as required.

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); or (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). Interested candidates must be pursuing or pursued their degree in areas related to this Job Opening. 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 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

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

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 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.

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 disarmament or arms control issues? To gauge your understanding and interest in the role's core subject matter. Share relevant experiences or academic coursework that relates to disarmament.
Can you describe a time when you had to conduct research on a complex topic? To understand your research skills and how you approach challenging tasks. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach drafting official documents? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What is your understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the United Nations in disarmament? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple deadlines? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Tell us about a collaborative project you worked on. What was your role? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What motivates you to pursue an internship with the United Nations? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you handle constructive criticism from a supervisor? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 6 days ago - Updated 8 hours ago - Source: careers.un.org