Who this is for: Final-year bachelor’s students, master’s and PhD students, and graduates within the past year, of any nationality, studying development, economics, governance, health or a related field, who want six months of remote research experience at the UN.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is hiring a home-based intern for its Bureau for Policy and Programme Support in New York. The six-month internship pays a US$500 monthly stipend. The intern will research how UNDP can work with defence ministries, security alliances and the defence industry: how these groups talk about threats, where UNDP’s work fits, and which funding streams it could tap.
Deadline: 15 November 2026, 11:59 pm New York time (5:59 am on 16 November in Lagos). Some sites list 16 November; go by UNDP’s own listing and apply early.
At a Glance
| Organiser | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bureau for Policy and Programme Support |
| Role | Internship: Development as Defense, Stakeholder Mapping, Partnerships and Financing |
| Location | Home-based (remote) |
| Duration | Six months, full time (flexibility for studies) |
| Stipend | US$500 a month |
| Who can apply | Students and graduates of any nationality (see eligibility below) |
| Language | Fluent English |
| Deadline | 15 November 2026, 11:59 pm New York time |
About the Internship
UNDP’s Administrator has called development “the first line of defense”: conflict and instability wipe out years of progress, while strong institutions and economies make crises less likely. As defence budgets grow and aid budgets shrink, UNDP wants to make that case to defence and security audiences. The intern’s research has three aims: shape UNDP’s message for that audience, find partners, and find new funding.
The work covers four themes: climate and health resilience, governance (fragile states, stabilisation, preventing violent extremism), digital systems and AI (cyber resilience, disinformation, AI governance), and economic security (supply chains, energy, youth unemployment).
What You’ll Do
- Review national security and defence strategies, alliance frameworks, and defence ministry, industry and think tank publications.
- Map how security actors see climate, health, governance, digital and economic threats, and where UNDP’s work fits.
- Compare UNDP’s messaging with the language of defence audiences, and recommend changes.
- Map potential partners across defence ministries, security alliances, national security agencies and industry.
- Map defence- and security-related funding that could support UNDP programmes, and how to access it.
Eligibility
At the time you apply, you must meet one of these:
- Be enrolled in a graduate programme (master’s, PhD or equivalent).
- Be in the final year of a bachelor’s degree.
- Have graduated with one of these degrees, and be able to start within one year of graduation.
- Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship and do the internship as part of it.
Also expected:
- Study in development studies, economics, governance, health or a related field (preferred).
- Fluent English, written and spoken; another UN language is an advantage.
- Strong Microsoft Office skills, including advanced Excel; familiarity with AI and data visualisation tools is a plus.
- Good research and analytical skills.
What You Get, and What You Pay For
- A US$500 monthly stipend for six months.
- Experience inside UNDP’s global policy bureau, on a high-profile topic.
- You provide your own laptop, internet and workspace.
- You arrange your own medical insurance (UNDP doesn’t reimburse it) and self-certify good health before starting.
- No visa is issued, since the internship is home-based.
How to Apply
- Open the official UNDP job listing (job ID 37982) and create an account on UNDP’s careers site.
- Fill in your education, experience and languages, and upload your CV.
- Explain your interest: link your studies to development, security, partnerships or financing, and mention any research or Excel work you’ve done.
- Submit before 11:59 pm New York time on 15 November. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted.
Beware of scams: UNDP never charges a fee at any stage of recruitment.
Tips
- Show research skills. Mention policy reviews, literature reviews or mapping work you’ve done, with an example.
- Show Excel. The listing asks for advanced Excel: pivot tables, data cleaning or dashboards are worth naming.
- Know the themes. A line on climate security, AI governance or economic resilience in Africa shows you understand the brief.
- Check your internet and power. Remote interns supply their own; have a backup plan.
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- International Crisis Group West Africa and Sahel Internship 2027
- Last Call: 20 Funded Opportunities Closing Before 1 December 2026
- 1 in 4 International Opportunities Aren’t Open to Nigerians: What to Apply for Instead
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