Risk Knowledge Intern

Assist in research, data collection, and policy support for disaster risk reduction.

This opening expired 7 months ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNDRR - United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

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Application deadline 7 months ago: Wednesday 5 Nov 2025 at 04:59 UTC

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Overview

Assist in research, data collection, and policy support for disaster risk reduction.

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 academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's degree or equivalent).
  • Good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.
  • Ability to design surveys and polls is desirable.
  • Knowledge of information technology management is desirable.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
  • Knowledge of Arabic 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

Cairo, Egypt

Expected duration

1 Mar - 31 Aug 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. This internship is located in the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) in Cairo, Egypt. The internship is unpaid, full-time, and in -person. Interns work five days per week. The intern will work under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer for Risk Knowledge & Analysis. The intern will support the team in the following areas: - Research and Analysis o Conduct desk reviews on DRR in Arab States, focusing on local hazards such as droughts, floods, sandstorms, earthquakes, and extreme heat. o Prepare short background notes and inputs for meetings and workshops. o Track regional risk knowledge reports and summarize emerging risk trends. - Data and Risk Information o Collect and organize disaster-related data on impacts, losses, and damages. o Support development of country or hazard profiles and knowledge products. o Draft fact sheets and brief case studies on regional practices. - Events o Take notes and prepare summaries for regional workshops and meetings. o Support planning and implementation of risk knowledge events. o Help document and share lessons learned from activities. - Policy Support o Assist in drafting concept notes, talking points, and briefs. o Provide inputs for regional coordination and stakeholder meetings.

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 are required to have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams; • Ability to design surveys and polls is desirable. Applicants must be computer literate in standard software applications including MS Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) • Knowledge of information technology management is desirable 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. 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. Will you be able to cover all the above-mentioned expenses? Have you completed a UN Internship before? If yes, please include the UN entity as well as concrete dates?

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Official languages of the United Nations secretariat are: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

Additional Information

• Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted

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

How do you approach conducting desk reviews on disaster risk reduction? The interviewer wants to understand your research methodology and analytical skills. Describe your research process, including how you gather and evaluate information.
Can you provide an example of how you’ve collected and organized data in the past? The interviewer seeks to assess your data management skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies would you use to summarize complex risk trends? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a time when you had to prepare materials for a meeting or workshop. What was your role? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you assist in drafting concept notes and briefs? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What experience do you have with event planning or support? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Which software applications are you most comfortable using and how have you used them in your previous work? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you prioritize tasks when working under tight deadlines? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 8 months ago - Updated 7 months ago - Source: careers.un.org