Work Location
The hiring office location is in Geneva, Switzerland. This internship is unpaid and it is designed to be in-person/flexible , with possibility of of hybrid or remote work modalities to be discussed with the successful candidate.
Expected duration
This internship is expected to be for a period between 3 months minimum and 6 months maximum. The estimated start date for the vacancy is September 2026. The IIIM internship is unpaid and full-time (40 hours per week). The regular working hours at are 8: 30-17:30, Monday through Friday. The specific start date and duration may be adjusted after discussion with the successful candidate.
Duties and Responsibilities
This position is located within the Judicial Support and Cooperation Section (JSCS) of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under International Law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 (IIIM). The IIIM is seeking an intern to provide analytical support to the JSCS through open-source research and investigation, monitoring, data processing, and contextual analysis.
The intern will be contributing to the Mechanism's efforts to support different national jurisdictions by assisting in the collection and assessment of information relevant to case development. This will present a valuable opportunity for the intern to develop analytical and data management skills and gain firsthand experience of the work of a UN international accountability mechanism in its cooperation with diverse national jurisdictions. The Information Analyst Intern will report to the P2 Associate Information Analyst assigned to the JSCS.
The JSCS oversees, inter alia, the support to national, regional and international courts and tribunals through the sharing of information, evidence, analysis and expertise with investigative, prosecuting and judicial authorities. The duties of the Information Analyst Intern in JSCS may include, but are not limited to: Tasks directly related to supporting ongoing criminal investigations:
Conduct contextual open-source searches in support of criminal investigations (focusing e.g. on incident verification, contextual background),
Monitor specific open sources for updates relevant to active domestic criminal investigations relevant to the work of the JSCS,
Support in the analysis of material/records relevant to criminal investigations, including in the review of records, locations, overviews, background/history, the preparation of timelines, etc. Monitoring & reporting:
Weekly open-source monitoring of political and judicial developments relevant to the work of the JSCS and reporting to JSCS Data entry and metadata support,
Enter and review record-related information regarding material collected or preserved by the IIIM. Contribution to JSCS workflows and general support tasks:
Assist in informal translations and summarizing of relevant Arabic-language materials,
Take minutes during internal JSCS meetings or cross-sectional meetings as needed.
Qualifications/special skills
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
(a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
(b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent). Interested candidates must be pursuing or have pursued their degree in areas related to this Job Opening - e.g. criminology, law, Middle Eastern studies, conflict or security studies, international relations, human rights or criminal law, political/social science or a related area. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.
Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Knowledge regarding criminal accountability in the Middle East context is desirable. Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS Outlook, and MS Teams.
A demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural background and beliefs, which includes a willingness to understand and be tolerant of different opinions and views is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.
Additional Information
Assessment: A complete online application is required. Please include in your application a cover letter in English setting out your motivation and dates of availability. An incomplete applications will not be considered. Short-listed candidates may be contacted by the hiring team directly if further information is needed during the review of their application.
During the assessment, you may be required to provide: letters of recommendation in English, Copies of university/law studies transcripts (including courses taken and grades received), A sample of the applicant's written work in English preferably in a field relevant to the work of the IIIM. Due to the high volume of applications received, candidates who have not been short-listed will not be contacted.
Special Notice: Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained during the course of the internship and not publish any reports or papers based on such information except with the explicit written authorization of the Head of the IIIM. Interns are bound by the same duties and obligations as staff members, and the information to which an intern has access in the course of the internship must not be divulged to external parties. There should be no expectation of employment by the United Nations or the IIIM upon completion of the internship.
IIIM interns are responsible for all internship-related expenses that they incur. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during an internship. Therefore, upon award of an internship, interns are responsible for securing adequate insurance coverage and are required to sign and return a statement confirming their understanding and acceptance of these conditions of service.
For in-person internships, candidates of certain nationalities must obtain a visa authorizing their stay in Switzerland before they depart for Geneva to begin their internship. While this is the overall responsibility of the selected candidate, the IIIM will provide information and supporting documents in this regard. All internship recruitment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.
The United Nations recruits interns regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations.
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.