UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti is UNICEF’s dedicated research office based in Florence, Italy. This post will be based within the Research Facilitation & Knowledge Management team.
The role
UNICEF’s Office of Research-Innocenti is currently looking for an Intern to assist with the ‘Best of UNICEF Research’ 2019 exercise for six months from March to September. The position involves a combination of research familiarization and project management tasks. This internship is open to individuals enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or PhD degree programme or that have graduated within the past two years. Candidates must be at least 18 years old, not have any immediate relatives working in any UNICEF office, be proficient in English and have excellent academic performance. Interns are required to be covered by own medical insurance and, if applicable, visa to complete this internship in Italy. A stipend is foreseen to contribute towards living expenses.
Key roles and responsibilities
This internship is to support the ‘Best of UNICEF Research 2019’ exercise. The intern will assist the Research Facilitation and Knowledge Management team in the overall management of the exercise including keeping track of all entries, allocating internal reviewers to different research pieces, managing the project intranet pages, providing regular updates to entrants, overseeing the screening and assessment of the submitted research, setting up the external review panel, coordinating the publication of a booklet on the top-ranked submissions, helping in communication and promotion of the publication and other possible visibility-raising events and writing a ‘facts & figures’ and ‘lessons learned’ document based on information collected from the submissions at the end of the exercise in order to improve future rounds. A more detailed workplan will be agreed and drawn up at the beginning of the internship.
Experience and skills
The candidate should:
- Be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or Ph.D. degree programme at an accredited institution, preferably in the Social Sciences, Public Administration, International Relations, Public Health, Education, Development Communication or other fields related to the work of UNICEF or be a recent graduate (have graduated in the past two years);
- Be proficient in English. Knowledge of one other UN working language will be an advantage (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).
- Have a strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.
- Have no immediate relatives working in any UNICEF Office.
- Have a visa, if required, which allows the applicant to complete an internship in Italy (UNICEF does not arrange visas for interns).
- Have comprehensive health insurance coverage for the duration of the internship
Required competencies:
- Technical – strong research and analytical skills and ability to synthesize concepts and material into clear and concise thoughts.
- Technical – excellent understanding and knowledge of software such as, but not limited to, Microsoft Office applications, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.; basic statistical analysis and reporting skills (percentages, means, and drawing of charts);
- Technical – ability to extract key facts and gather information from texts in one or more of the following thematic areas: health, HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, nutrition, education, child protection, social inclusion, or research that cuts across a number of thematic areas/disciplines.
- Managing resources – be self-sufficient. The candidate should be comfortable organizing and managing time and information to achieve defined goals and optimum results, working to strict deadlines.
- Communication – effectively presents thoughts and ideas including complex technical concepts, in a clear, concise and readily understood manner, both verbally and in writing. Listens to and acknowledges others’ perspectives and views.
- Flexibility – works effectively on multiple assignments simultaneously and adapts to changing demands and circumstances.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.