Vacancies and Internships

Vacancies

UNCITRAL Secretariat vacancies are managed by the United Nations Office for Human Resources Management (UN OHRM). For more information on how to work with the United Nations please visit the UN Careers portal.

Internships

The International Trade Law Division (ITLD) of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, which serves as the substantive secretariat of UNCITRAL, offers an internship programme for a selected number of applicants who hold a first university degree (or equivalent) and are enrolled in a degree programme in a graduate school (working towards a second university degree or higher) at the time of application and during the internship.

The Division includes a Legislative Branch and a Technical Assistance Section. Those are tasked, respectively, with the development of harmonized legislative texts, and the provision of technical assistance, with respect to the adoption and use of UNCITRAL legal texts.

Internship objectives:

In determining the area and substance of the intern's work, account will be taken of the projects currently being undertaken in the Division, the qualifications of the intern and the purpose of the internship as expressed by the sponsoring institution or the intern. Interns will be normally requested to undertake tasks, under the supervision of a legal officer, in connection with the ongoing projects of UNCITRAL working groups, or with the activities of promotion of UNCITRAL texts and assistance to legal reform.

Internship's assignment could include:

Legislative Branch:

• Assisting with the research and preparation of comparative legal studies.
• Assisting with the preparation and drafting of legal texts (e.g. draft conventions and model laws), including conducting related background studies.
• Undertaking ad hoc legal and administrative assignments as requested.

Technical Assistance Section:

• Contributing to the identification of legislative reform needs and assistance requirements in selected countries and/or sectors.
• Assisting with the collection and analysis of case law on UNCITRAL texts.
• Assisting with the development and maintenance of the UNCITRAL website.

Qualifications required:

• First level university degree or advanced university degree in international trade law or international private law.
• Excellent spoken and written English; other UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) are an asset.
• Computer skills, including familiarity with applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Internet research.
• Any advanced knowledge of work relating to web-site administration and familiarity with HTML will be considered an asset.

Conditions:

Admission to the UNCITRAL internship programme is highly competitive. Prospective interns are encouraged to apply six to nine months in advance of the desired internship period.

The names of three persons who could give their opinion on the academic and/or professional qualities of the candidate are also required.

The internship programme is for an initial period of two months.

The United Nations is unable to provide any financial assistance or remuneration to interns, and service as an intern entails no financial implications for the United Nations.

 

Internship application form

Internship Guidelines

For further information, contact the internship coordinator.

 

FAQ - Vacancies and Internships