Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Staff Development Unit Intern

Apply on official site
Duty station
🇨🇭 Geneva, Switzerland
Country / area
Switzerland
Region
Europe
UN system
Other UN Entity
Level
I-1
Category
Affiliate Personnel – Internships
Title
Staff Development Unit Intern
Organization
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Work Location
In-Person
Expected duration
6 months
Posted
7/20/2026, 4:00:00 AM
Closes
8/10/2026, 3:59:59 AM

About this role

The Staff Development Unit Internship within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) offers a six-month, in-person opportunity for students or recent graduates to support organizational learning and staff capacity development. The intern will assist with the planning, coordination, and logistical arrangements for training courses, workshops, and seminars. Key responsibilities include supporting the development and editing of training materials and reports, contributing to e-learning initiatives, assisting with learning needs assessments, and conducting research on staff development trends. The role also involves coordinating with internal and external learning partners. This position is designed for individuals currently in the final year of a Bachelor's or Master's program, or who have recently completed such degrees, preferably in human resources, business, public administration, social sciences, or education. The internship provides practical experience in human resources priorities and organizational learning, though it is unpaid, with candidates responsible for their own travel, visa, and living expenses.

Key requirements

  • Enrolled in final year of Bachelor's or Master's OR completed such degree
  • Fluency in English or French required
  • Knowledge of another official UN language desirable

Nice to have

  • Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish)

Requirements at a glance

Min. experience
No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme.
Required degree
Enrolled in the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme (i.e. Bachelor's degree or equivalent degree); be enrolled in a graduate school programme (i.e. Master's degree or equivalent degree, or higher) or have completed an aforementioned academic degree, preferably in the area of human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or a related field.
Languages
English, French

Work Location

In-Person

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern shall support OHCHR in fulfilling its mission: to work for the protection of all human rights for all people; to help empower people to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in ensuring that they are implemented.

The intern will contribute to the work of the Staff Development Unit, which supports organizational learning, staff capacity development, career growth, knowledge-sharing and the implementation of United Nations learning and human resources priorities.

Daily responsibilities will depend on the interns’ backgrounds and the needs of the Unit. Duties may include, but are not limited to, assisting with the planning, preparation, coordination and logistical arrangements for training courses, workshops, seminars, webinars and other learning activities; supporting the development, editing and formatting of training materials, reports and communications; contributing to e-learning and blended-learning initiatives; assisting with learning needs assessments and the evaluation of training activities; conducting research on staff development trends and good practices; and supporting coordination with internal and external learning partners. The interns may also undertake other related tasks under the supervision of the Head of the Staff Development Unit.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for the United Nations Secretariat internship programme applicants must, at the time of their submission, be enrolled in the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme programme (i.e. Bachelor's degree or equivalent degree); be enrolled in a graduate school programme (i.e. Master's degree or equivalent degree, or higher) or have completed an aforementioned academic degree, preferably in the area of human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or a related field, AND, if selected, must commence the internship on the date indicated on the acceptance letter. No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme.

Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English or French is required, knowledge of the other is an asset. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

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.

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