Locations
Working at UNDP
UNDP offers a wide range of opportunities with our country, regional and headquarter offices. We offer national and international positions, short- and long-term assignments as well as internships and dedicated programmes for young professionals. Please check the UNDP Job Page for more information.
Students and recent graduates may apply for a variety of internship positions with UNDP.
Additionally, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme provides young, talented professionals with the opportunity to gain a foothold within the UN system. Our recently launched Graduate Programme offers opportunities to promising new graduates with no prior work experience.
To become a UN Volunteer, you can create a profile online using the UN Volunteers' VNAM system. This system can also be used to apply to special calls for applicants, including for the Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities. Those aged 18-29 years old may apply to work on the frontlines of UNDP operations across the globe by becoming a UN Youth Volunteer.
We also welcome volunteers who cannot join our offices but wish to contribute to our mission remotely. These individuals are invited to explore our opportunities for volunteering online.
UNDP makes sure that our people have the opportunity to learn and grow within the organization, whether they are at the start of their career or are joining us in a leadership position. To learn more about professional development opportunities for full-time personnel, visit our Learning and Career Development page.
UNDP promotes a culture of work-life balance by offering a large array of benefits to our personnel including flexible working arrangements, leave policies and other benefits. To find out more, please visit our Compensation and Benefits page.
Application Process
You can visit our Job Page for open positions. Please review our application process and then make sure you fulfil all minimum requirements before completing your application.
UNDP uses an online recruitment platform, and all applications must be submitted through this system. Unsolicited applications and applications submitted via email or mail will not be accepted.
For any information regarding UNDP’s application and selection process, please check the Recruitment Process section.
UNDP offers a wide array of job opportunities in diverse fields of work. We hire experts in UNDP programme and policy areas, but we also hire personnel for business operations, communications, partnerships and monitoring and evaluation, among others.
Field experience in developing countries is often a strong asset. Such experience can be obtained through work with INGOs or the non-profit branches of consulting firms, among others. Project management experience is an asset for many positions.
English is normally a requirement for all professional positions. Typically, an additional UN language (especially French, Spanish or Arabic) will also be an asset.
Most importantly, we are looking for candidates who exhibit a commitment to our mission and values. For more information on the personal and professional qualities we seek at UNDP, please review our Core Competency Framework.
You will apply online through the UNDP recruitment platform. Please keep in mind the following:
- Make sure you complete it thoroughly (education, languages, experience, etc.).
- When indicating your work history, clearly note whether the work was full-time or part-time.
- For non-UN positions, please enter the annual income.
- For UN positions, please indicate type of contract and salary level, i.e. P1, P2, etc.
- Clearly specify unpaid volunteer positions and internships.
- Avoid overlapping employment periods.
- Include a description of the main responsibilities and tasks you carried out during each period of employment.
UNDP is committed to a diverse workforce and strongly encourages persons with a disabilities to apply for vacancies. Our online recruitment system provides numerous accessibility features. These include adjustments to monitor settings, keyboard navigation and the ability to function with a range of standard assistive technologies. To receive this or other support during the application process, applicants with disabilities may select the reasonable accommodation option in UNDP’s online recruitment system.
Internships at UNDP
UNDP internship opportunities are advertised on the UNDP Job Page under their respective programme or management area.
You must be enrolled in the last year of a Bachelor’s degree, be completing a Master’s or have finished your studies within the past year to apply. We do not require previous work experience. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in the field of development and should highlight any experience and expertise relevant to the position.
Internships usually last between three to six months. For those receiving academic credit, internships may last a maximum of nine months. Internship assignments completed as part of national service obligations or a postgraduate professional traineeship program may last up to 12 months.
Unless sponsored by another institution or government, UNDP interns are eligible for a stipend, a single monthly rate that varies depending on the country of assignment, and whether the internship is in-person or remote.
At present, internships do not count towards the minimum years of relevant work experience required for UNDP jobs. Nevertheless, our internships can provide you with a better understanding of UNDP’s mission and culture, strengthen your network and CV and may lead to opportunities that enhance your chances of joining UNDP in the future.