About Us

The OPCW internship programme is aimed at motivated students with an interest in gaining experience in international organisations. The programme normally provides work placements in the Technical Secretariat for a three to six month period. The objective of the internship is to provide you with first-hand experience in the day-to-day working environment of an international organisation. You will work with our international experts towards the OPCW mission to achieve a world permanently free of chemical weapons.

As part of our team, working directly with outstanding and inspiring career professionals, you will be exposed to high-profile conferences, participate in meetings, and contribute to our analytical work as well as the organisational policy of the OPCW.

General Information

• Contract Type
  Intern
• Remuneration
  540 EUR
• Closing Date
  04/04/2025

Responsibilities

Job Summary

The Office of Internal Oversight (OIO) assists the Director-General in the management of the OPCW’s resources through Audits, Evaluations, Quality audits, Inspections, Investigations and Monitoring.

OIO’s mission is to enhance and protect organisational value and improve OPCW’s operations by providing risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and insight. OIO helps OPCW achieve its objectives by applying a systematic approach to evaluating and enhancing the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management, internal control and governance processes, so as to add value by improving the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

Main Responsibilities

1) Purpose of Internship:

a) Deliverable for the Branch:

The purpose of the internship is to provide assistance and support the following OIO activities:

• Internal audits and evaluations
• OIO training and campaigns organised by OIO for the OPCW staff members
• UN workgroups

b) The learning objective for the intern is to gain a deeper understanding of internal auditing processes, project management, stakeholder engagement, communication strategies, and SharePoint functionalities.

2) Terms of Reference for the Internship:

• Assist the planning and execution of internal audit assignments (i.e. data analysis and assisting in the preparation and review of audit reports).
• Assist in the planning of OIO trainings and campaigns for the OPCW staff
• Support the participation in UN workgroups focusing on cybersecurity, digitalization, and data governance.
• Provide assistance to maintain the OIO SharePoint up to date
• Drafting announcements for review of the supervisor

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:

• Enrolled in and have completed at least one year of a chemistry degree programme in a university (or equivalent tertiary institution) or;

• in a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher)

• Have graduated in chemistry from a university or a graduate school within a year prior to the commencement of the internship and;

• Be a citizen of an OPCW Member State and fluent in both written and spoken English.
  

Desirable

• Bachelor/Master degree in Law; Auditing, Accounting, Economics, Administration.

• Good knowledge of Outlook, MS Teams and SharePoint

Skills and Competencies

• Good knowledge of Outlook, MS Teams and SharePoint

Languages

Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Additional Information

Acceptance for the programme shall not carry with it any expectation of employment with the OPCW. Interns may not apply for, or be appointed to, any posts or positions at the OPCW within six months of the internship agreement end date. The internship programme is run in accordance with the applicable internal rules and where applicable the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules.

1. Participants in the Internship Programme receive no financial remuneration from the OPCW for expenses that they incur in relation to the programme. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, taxes, accommodation, living expenses and repatriation, etc. are the responsibility of the intern. The intern has to enter and exit the country in accordance with the applicable immigration procedures in The Netherlands.
2. Participants will be asked to provide proof that they have sufficient financial means for living expenses for the period of their internship.
3. Interns will work with the normal working pattern of the OPCW which will amount to no more than 40 hours a week.
4. Participants who are citizens of non-EU countries should agree not to undertake other work in the Netherlands during their internship other than as an intern at the OPCW, notwithstanding whether such other work is compatible with the discharge of their functions with the OPCW.

Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered.

Only applicants under serious consideration will be contacted.

According to article 8 paragraph 44 of the Chemical Weapons Convention the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

OPCW is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. OPCW recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

OPCW General Terms and Conditions