Requisition ID: 7811
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: 31-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 SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET) is responsible for developing, based on existing and to-be-developed capacities and service modules, innovative services aimed at strengthening the existing technical cooperation portfolio to meet the current global challenges and attract more funding and new donors, as well as engaging in more and new partnerships with Member States, development partners and the private sector. The Directorate will also ensure internal coordination and integration of technical cooperation services at UNIDO and monitoring the quality and impact thereof.
This internship position is located under the Division of Innovative Finance and International Financial Institutions (IET/IFI). The Division is responsible for extending and scaling up UNIDO’s funding basis. It conceptualizes, identifies, develops and deploys innovative finance instruments and schemes with the private sector and international financial institutions (IFIs) to catalyze and leverage investments in sustainable industrial development in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Partner financial institutions include multilateral, regional and national development banks with international operations; international efforts (e.g. platforms) to improve the coordination of development finance flows as well as financing initiatives engaged in innovative projects for sustainable industrial development that bridge the gap between investors, entrepreneurs and project developers.
The duration of the internship is six months, paid and full-time. The duty station of the internship is Vienna, Austria. Interns work under the supervision of a staff member, in the department or office that they are assigned to. Interns shall cover all costs associated with their internship, including visas, travel to and from the duty station, insurance, transportation, accommodation and living expenses.
The Intern shall work under the direct supervision of an officer designated by the Division Chief of IET/IFI /UNIDO (Austria) and shall be engaged as follows:
- Exposed to the regular core functions of the Directorate IET/IFI Office and as such shall have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day operations and engage in on-the-job training in specific actions delegated by the Supervisor.
- Engaged in specific self-contained assignments described below:
- Support the identification of new projects or programmes by:
- Conducting desktop research;
- Conducting stakeholder and expert interviews jointly with team colleagues;
- Elaborating draft project/programme concepts and getting feedback from relevant stakeholders.
- Support the preparation of funding proposals for the identified new project or programme by:
- Conducting desktop research on priority areas of potential donors and eligibility criteria;
- Elaborating draft funding proposal(s) based on the project/programme concepts (see above).
- Support strategic engagements with selected financial institutions by:
- Identifying and analyzing priority projects for potential cooperation, including collecting and consolidating key information for internal and external use;
- Assisting in partner outreach, including preparing briefing notes, exchanging relevant documentation, and following up on joint initiatives;
- Contributing to the organization of meetings, workshops, and events to advance dialogue and partnership development.
- Other special emerging projects that may enhance the learning experience of the Intern.
The Intern will be required to prepare an end-of-internship report, which will be submitted to and cleared by HRM.
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: Development finance, finance, economics, international development, business administration, sustainable development or related.
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an asset.
Other skills: Strong analytical and research skills, excellent written and verbal communication, organizational and time management skills, very good understanding of financial instruments and development cooperation
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
Become acquainted with the most up-to-date financial, economic and industrial developments in the relevant field of specialization of the IET/IFI Division. Furthermore, the Intern is expected to deepen knowledge in the fields of project/programme design.
Gain experience in innovative finance instruments and schemes with the private sector and international financial institutions.
On the job training: participation in several phase of the project cycle.
Gain experience in working effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.
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]
