Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP’s Early Warning and Assessment Division is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information, and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyze and promote international cooperation and action on the environment.

The internship is located in the UNEP’s Early Warning and Assessment Division, Nairobi duty station. This advertisement is seeking multiple interns to work in the Early Warning and Assessment Division.

The duration of an internship is two months minimum; maximum is six months with a possibility for extension depending on the needs of the Organization.

The Internship is UNPAID and full-time.

Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

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.

Responsibilities

Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background; the office to which the intern is assigned to; the nature of specific projects and the internship duration. Duties may include, but not limited to:

1. Research and summarize science on environmental issues (including both hard and soft branches of science and innovations in science, trends, and scenarios in different countries).
2. Research environmental baselines and policy settings in project countries.
3. Draft analyses of and reports on existing scientific research and policy documents on environmental issues.
4. Organize and otherwise support meetings (e.g., notetaking, assisting in the management of participant travel, visitor management).
5. Map out science-based think tanks, educational institutions and other entities that are in the domain of environment and sustainable development.
6. Map out business opportunities and science-based innovations related to addressing environmental challenges.
7. Map best and internationally agreed environmental and social (E&S) safeguards towards the development of an E&S framework for promising innovative environmental solutions.
8. Assist in drafting project documents and develop technical documentation, guidance on tools and procedures for systems developed such as (for strengthening climate services and Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) in countries).
9. Assist in establishing project document repositories.
10. Work with social media and assist in the development and dissemination of communication and outreach materials.
11. Support the collection and visualization of environment data.
12. Work with GEO/Spatial data and technologies.
13. Manage database update and indicator Accessibility.
14. Assist in updating content for the SDG Monitoring portal.
15. Assist with market research related to business opportunities related to addressing environmental challenges.
16. Support in financial and economic modelling.
17. Access relevant data sources for all countries in search of required data, download, format and upload these data files.
18. Process or analyse data in the files as required under the guidance of the Statistical Officer.
19. Statistical methodological research.
20. Assist with other related data and information work in the unit as instructed and guided.
21. Draft outreach and fundraising materials for public and private sector funding sources.
22. Assist in producing environmental and social safeguards analyses of business opportunities related to addressing environmental challenges.
23. Assist in the development of networks of science-based institutions.
24. Assist in the various stages of systems development, including developing, testing, implementing, and managing systems.
25. Assist in developing technical documentation and guidance on tools and procedures for systems developed in the unit.
26. Assist in the development of strategies for building science-policy capacities at national and regional levels.
27. Support scientific assessment processes in a variety of capacities.
28. Undertake other tasks as required by the office and in accordance with the intern’s background.
29. Assist in cleaning of data collected by web-scraping and other various means and sources.
30. Assist in labelling training data to provide meaningful and informative labels to provide context for an AI model.

Competencies

Communication:
-Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
-Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately.
-Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication.
-Tailors language, tone, style, and format to match the audience.
-Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork:
-Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
-Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
-Places team agenda before personal agenda.
-Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
-Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Client Orientation:
-Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view.
-Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect.
-Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions.
-Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems.
-Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects.
-Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client

Education

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher).
b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent).
c. Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within one year of graduation.

Field of study: Degree in one or more of the sciences and /or a field relevant to the environment (for example, environmental studies, environmental economics, environmental assessments, environmental monitoring) and/or policy-making (for example, law, economics, business), Climate change and services, Ocean Science and Climate Science, Meteorology, Chemistry, Physics,
Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Information Technology, Communications (for example, journalism, public relations) Financial Economics and Library, Information or Knowledge Management.

When filling out your online application, clearly note in your Cover Note, on which of the following areas you are interested in serving, by indicating your preference.

Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.

Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Work Experience

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 post, fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of other UN official languages is desirable (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat)

Assessment

Potential candidates will be contacted by hiring manager directly for further consideration.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Your application for this internship must include:

1. A Completed application (Personal History Profile) and Cover Note, through the UN careers portal.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must include:

– Title of the degree you are currently pursuing.
– Graduation Date.
– IT skills and programmes you are proficient in.
– Explain why you feel you are the best candidate for this specific internship.
– Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme, ensure to include all past work experience (if any).
2. Proof of enrollment from current University (if not graduated).
3. A copy of degree certificate (if you have already graduated).

Due to a high volume of applications received ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.