Internet Resources Internship

The hiring office location is in Geneva, Switzerland. This internship is designed to be hybrid (conducted in-person and/or remote work). The modality is flexible, to be discussed with the successful candidate.

The IIIM internship is unpaid and full-time (40 hours per week). This internship is expected to be for a period of six months. The regular working hours at are 09:00-18:00, Monday through Friday. The estimated start date for the vacancy is 01 October 2026, however, the specific start date and duration may be adjusted after discussion with the successful candidate.

The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) was established 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. This internship is located within the Information Systems Management Section. The intern will assist in identifying questions and issues for the IIIM to consider as it continues to strengthen and refine its practices relating to internet research, information governance, data protection, and data analysis. The objectives of the internship are to: - Support with tasks related to internet research. - Research methodologies and synthesize relevant literature related to issues of interest. - Assist with tasks relating to information governance, and in particular, data protection. The intern will be responsible for supporting ISMS on issues relating to information management, internet research, data protection, data analysis, and script development. Tasks will include: - Conducting targeted open-source research and analysis. - Researching and summarizing political, economic, social, technological, and legal issues related to the current Syrian situation. - Assisting with data analysis, automation, and script development to support information management and research workflows. - Conducting research on legal, policy, and operational issues relating to data protection, privacy, and information governance. - Compiling any relevant research and analysis into a final presentation for the IIIM. The intern will also be responsible for the following: - Completing assigned tasks in a timely and accurate manner. - Meeting deadlines and responding to instructions promptly. - Maintaining confidentiality of all records and information accessed during the internship. - Working independently and as part of a team. - Demonstrating professionalism and respect for colleagues and stakeholders. * Assignments will not involve any work directly with evidentiary material in the IIIM's Central Repository of Information and Evidence.

The applicant must : (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent). 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 (such as computing, data processing, information technology, data science, machine learning, cybersecurity, information security, software engineering, business and administration, Middle East studies, international relations, education, social and behavioral sciences, human rights, journalism, law, humanities, international management, or international politics) is required. Applicants must 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. This is desirable. Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS Outlook, and MS Teams. This is desirable.

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 French or Arabic is an advantage

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. 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), and/or 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. An applicant who bears to a staff member any other family relationship may be engaged as an intern, provided that he or she shall not be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. Fulfilment of the responsibilities of this position may necessitate engagement with material and/or information that may be distressing.

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.