The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is an autonomous research institute within the UN system that undertakes interdisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary development issues. Through our work, we aim to ensure that social equity, inclusion and justice are central to development thinking, policy and practice.

UNRISD is now accepting applications for a three-month internship position, starting in February 2016, to assist with projects related to its Social Policy and Development Programme, including a forthcoming UNRISD flagship report. The forthcoming report will assess recent innovations and new directions in social and development policy, in particular those emerging in the global South, in order to highlight transformative pathways towards inclusive and sustainable societies and economies.

While at UNRISD, the intern will be asked to:

• provide research assistance for ongoing work in the Social Policy and Development programme, in particular the flagship report indicated above;
• assist with editing and formatting of publications and conduct library and Internet searches;
• provide organizational support to the programme related to project management, fundraising activities, external relations, or event organization;

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• Education in public policy, development studies, development economics, sociology, political science or a related field at an accredited university, with academic and/or professional experience in issues related to social policy in developing countries. We are especially interested in candidates with strong expertise in social policy.
• Written and spoken fluency in English.
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Planning and Organizing

This UNRISD internship is in accordance with the rules and regulations of the UN Internship Programme.

• At the time of application, applicants must meet one of the following requirements (as per UN Secretariat rules regarding interns)
  • (i) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
  • (ii) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
  • (iii) have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (i) and (ii) above) and, if selected, commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation.
• Interns are not financially remunerated.
• UNRISD is not responsible for interns' travel expenses to and from Geneva, or for mandatory medical insurance during the period of the internship.

The deadline for applications is 7 December 2015 (23:59 Central European Time),

Start date in February 2016 to be mutually agreed upon. The usual duration of the internship is three months, with the possibility of extension.

If you have the required qualifications and are interested in this position, please apply online by clicking the button below. Please use the "motivation" section to submit a cover letter that specifies your interests and qualifications, and explains how your expertise relates to the UNRISD programme on Social Policy and Development. 

Kindly note that, due to limited staff resources, only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.

UNRISD vacancies are posted at www.unrisd.org/vacancies. We encourage you to subscribe to our free email alerts service to be informed promptly of any openings.

SOURCE: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development