Requisition ID: 7670
Grade: Intern
Category: Internship
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Country: Austria
Duty Station: Vienna
Entry Date: As soon as possible
Internship Duration: 6 months
Application Deadline: 08-Jul-2026, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)
Vacancy Announcement
UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty and hunger reduction, inclusive and fair globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019 as well as the Riyadh Declaration adopted at the twenty-first session of UNIDO General Conference in 2025, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Member States. The relevance of this mission as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of inclusive and sustainable industrial development, however, applies to all SDGs.
The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2026 - 2029 is UNIDO’s core strategic document and it is in line with UNIDO’s Vision 2050. It sets a renewed vision to support Member States and shape their industries for development. The priorities include fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, renewable and clean energy, sustainable energy access and climate action. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.
Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards-related activities; and (iv) convening and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer, investment mobilization, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.
The Directorate of Strategic Planning, Programming and Policy (SPP), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible and accountable for UNIDO’s strategic planning and programming through the provision of coordinated and cohesive frameworks and policy advice. It plays the central role for UNIDO regarding the engagement in South-South and Triangular Cooperation matters, the strategic positioning of UNIDO within the United Nation system, strategic engagement in multilateral fora including BRICS, G20 and G7. It also leads the promotion of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women through mainstreaming gender considerations at the institutional and programmatic level. In addition, the Directorate oversees the Organization’s industrial policy research, statistics and SDG9 reporting activities, and normative function, and ensures a cohesive and consistent approach to Knowledge Management (KM) in UNIDO.
Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate for Strategic Programming and Policy (SPP) and in close coordination with relevant organizational entities, the Division of Knowledge Management (SPP/KMG) is responsible for the development and operationalization of a comprehensive knowledge management (KM) framework for UNIDO. The Division focuses on improving UNIDO’s ability to generate, use and share the best available evidence and experiential knowledge to achieve its development impact and provide value for money. The Division promotes the mainstreaming of KM across operations and activities of the Organization. It provides leadership towards an integrated approach to the generation, management, sharing, communication and transfer of knowledge and information related to inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
The position is reports directly to the Chief of the Division, SPP/KMG.
Under the direct supervision of the Chief of SPP/KMG, and in close coordination with COR/DIT/DIG, the intern will support the development and prototyping of a Publications Database as well as other similar/related databases/libraries for knowledge dissemination, both internally and externally to UNIDO. The materials are either hosted on SharePoint or the Opentext platform. The intern will be engaged in the following tasks:
- Assist in the design and development of a basic web application (frontend and backend) for internal and external access to UNIDO’s knowledge products.
- Support the creation of a user-friendly administration interface to manage and organize Knowledge Management (KM)-related content on a unified platform (SharePoint or Opentext).
- Contribute to exploratory reviews of off-the-shelf or cloud-based software tools and AI-driven services (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, Google Programmable Search, Google Vertex AI, or similar) for improved search and access functionality.
- Assist in researching and identifying various AI driven search possibilities allowing contextual search of a vast volume of various knowledge materials.
- Assist in developing wireframes and layout mockups for the Publications Database platform, or similar databases, in line with UNIDO’s digital and knowledge-sharing strategies.
- Assist in the design and creation of dedicated Communities of Practice (possibly using Viva Exchange).
- Assist in designing and creating online forms with or without related submission workflows using PowerApps.
- Participate in the integration or interfacing of potential tools with existing UNIDO platforms and services, following IT best practices and under supervision.
- Support the documentation of technical findings, proposed architectures, and prototype features.
- Assist with stakeholder consultations and technical coordination with IT colleagues (COR/DIT/DIG) to align development efforts with corporate standards.
- Support research and reporting on knowledge management trends, tools, and good practices relevant to UN agencies.
The Intern will be required to prepare an end-of-internship report, which will be submitted to and cleared by UNIDO Internship Coordination.
MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Education: Enrolled in a second level university degree programme (master's or equivalent) or higher; or begin the internship within one year of completing a second level university degree; or be enrolled in the final academic year of a first degree programme (bachelor's or equivalent); or begin the internship within one year of completing a first level university degree. Only accredited institutions will be considered.
Field of specialization: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.
Other Skills:
- Basic experience with web development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) and familiarity with modern frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, or similar).
- Exposure to backend technologies and languages such as Python, PHP, or Node.js, and understanding of REST APIs.
- General understanding of relational and/or NoSQL databases and content management concepts.
- Familiarity with software development lifecycle and version control (e.g., Git).
- Experience with SharePoint set-up and functionalities as well as exposure to the use of Power App and Opensearch.
- Interest or exposure to knowledge management systems, digital libraries, document management, or enterprise search solutions is an advantage.
- Ability to research and evaluate digital tools, particularly open-source or AI-enhanced platforms for document indexing and retrieval.
- Good communication and organizational skills; ability to work in a multicultural and interdisciplinary team.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Internships at UNIDO are full-time and shall be for a period of three to six months. For internships fully sponsored through partner institutions, the maximum duration shall be twelve months, subject to prior HRM agreement. Extensions beyond the initially agreed duration are not permitted.
- Interns receive a monthly stipend based on their duty station.
- Interns are responsible for living expenses, accommodation, visas, and related costs.
CORE VALUES AND BEHAVIORS AND FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCE
Core Values
Excellence – Deliver high-quality results; continuously improve performance
Integrity – Uphold ethical standards; act transparently and responsibly
Inclusion – Promote respect, diversity, and fairness
Humility – Show self-awareness; value others’ contributions
Humanity – Act with compassion; align work with sustainable development
Core Behaviors
Connect & Collaborate - Build trust through communication and teamwork; Share knowledge and embrace diversity
Analyse & Plan - Use data and evidence for decision-making; Plan proactively and prioritize effectively
Deliver Results with Positive Impact - Take ownership and deliver quality outputs; Align work with UNIDO mission and objectives
Learn and Develop - Continuously develop skills; Seek feedback and share knowledge
Adapt and Innovate - Respond flexibly to change; Embrace innovation and new approaches
Functional Competence
Continuously develop and maintain expertise
Stay informed of industry trends and best practices
Apply knowledge to improve results and decision-making
Adopt new tools and technologies
Take ownership of professional development
LEARNING ELEMENTS
- Exposure to the operational and strategic dimensions of digital knowledge management within the UN system.
- Practical experience with agile software development, user interface design, and digital platform prototyping.
- Opportunities to learn about enterprise search systems, cloud-based digital services, and AI-powered search functionality.
- Experience in a multicultural and international organizational context.
UNIDO Interns are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity at all times, both at work and outside. Only candidates who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for internships at UNIDO.
All applications must be submitted through the UNIDO Online Recruitment System.
Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process.
Visit the UNIDO employment website for details on how to apply: www.careers.unido.org
Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: [email protected]
