Urban Food Systems Intern

Paris

6 months

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The Subnational Climate Action Unit is part of UNEP’s Climate Change Division Mitigation Branch and based in Paris. Contributing to the UN system-wide strategy on sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, through sustainable buildings and construction, sustainable urban food systems, sustainable energy and cooling, and integrated urban planning with nature. The Subnational Climate Action Unit is advertising two internships in support of its Urban Food Systems and Food Waste workstream. Duration of the internship: 6 months. Preference for candidates able to start in January 2027 and July 2027. The internship is unpaid and full-time. Interns work five days per week (37.5 hours) under the supervision of the Urban Food Systems Lead, Programme Management Officer Clementine O’Connor. Kindly note that candidates will be responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging any travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed. Responsibilities: The intern will assist the programme manager in the coordination and implementation of the activities to promote sustainable food systems and food loss and waste reduction, at national and sub-national level. Duties may include, but are not limited to: - Support coordination of the day-to-day operations of UNEP-led coalitions and communities of practice on food systems and food waste, including organizing virtual meetings, drafting agendas, and preparing summaries and reports. - Contribute to environmental, climate and GHG impact assessment related to food waste, including analysing relevant data and translating findings into evidence in inform policy and programme development. - Assist in planning and implementing joint activities on sustainable urban food systems with UN agencies, civil society, cities, and private-sector partners. - Track key global food systems processes (e.g. Climate and Biodiversity COPs) and support the organization of advocacy events during these processes. - Liaise with thematic task teams and support information-sharing on UNEP sustainable food systems activities across the organization. - Conduct research on sustainable food systems policies, governance, and climate impacts, and draft briefing notes, policy summaries, and presentations. - Lead development of communications content, including newsletters, member updates, and event summaries. Support updates of the stopfoodlosswaste.org website. - Explore and support articulation of UNEP’s role at the nexus between biodiversity, nutrition, and climate change, including identifying entry points for integrated food systems action. Contribute to new project research and development. - Support administrative processes such as reporting and contracting of implementing partners.

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); c. Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation. In addition to: Be computer literate in standard software applications. Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; 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. Master’s degree (completed or ongoing) in climate science, food systems and/or political science is valuable. 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 is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in English required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. Knowledge of Spanish, Japanese or Portuguese is helpful.

Not available.

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.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.