International careers

There is a wide variety of jobs within international organisations, covering a wide range of fields such as administration, diplomacy, economics, project management, communications, public health, the environment and many others. Positions can be permanent, fixed-term, or based on consultancy or secondment contracts. There are also specific programmes for young professionals and internships, which are considered valuable experience with a view to permanent employment with a multilateral organisation.

Although international organisations recruit many fixed-term contract staff through public vacancy notices, the selection of civil servants is mainly by competitive examination. These competitions are organised according to the specific needs of each organisation at irregular intervals. It is therefore advisable to consult the websites of the organisations in question on a regular basis to keep up to date with the opening of competitions, eligibility conditions and job offers.

Most UN staff are employed by the UN Secretariat, headquartered in New York with offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, among others. In addition, the UN system is made up of funds and programmes, specialised organisations and related organisations. For more information on the ‘UN family’, click here.

Job vacancies are available on the dedicated website careers.un.org.

You can also obtain information on the United Nations as an employer from the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).
 

There are different categories of staff at the United Nations:

• P and D - academic posts in management, economic and social development, peace and security, ICT, communication, etc.
• G, TC, S, PIA, LT - support functions in administration, security, building maintenance, etc.
• National Professional Officers (NO) - academic posts for nationals of the country in which the UN agency concerned is located.
• Field Service (FS) - posts deployed in peacekeeping operations.
• SG, VSG, SGA and SSG - Senior management positions, such as Secretary-General or Head of Department.

For more information on each category, please consult the following link.

‘UN Volunteers’ (VNU/UNV): United Nations volunteer programme

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme supports development and peace initiatives around the world by providing volunteer opportunities for people of all ages, including young people aged 18 to 26. Volunteers can work in a variety of sectors such as human rights, health, education, disaster management and many others. Luxembourg has been supporting the UNV programme for over 20 years by funding volunteers from southern countries as part of its ‘South/South’ cooperation.

The eligibility conditions for the different categories of volunteering are available here.

Visit the unified volunteering platform for volunteering opportunities.

Young Associate Experts (YAE)

The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) programme is a programme that enables young graduates to work in international organisations for a fixed period, usually two to three years. The programme is sponsored by the governments of the participating countries and aims to provide international work experience while supporting the work of partner organisations. For specific details on Luxembourg, please refer to the website of the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs.

Eligibility requirements:

• Candidates must generally have completed higher education (Master's level);
• Have a minimum of 2 years' relevant professional experience;
• The age limit is 32;
• YAE posts are funded by the governments of the participating countries. Each country has its own selection criteria.

YAEs and UNVs are recruited based on the strategic priorities of Luxembourg's Development Cooperation Department in consultation with partner UN agencies. Recruitment notices are published on the website of the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, GovJobs.lu and the Ministry's social networks.

Other international organizations offering programs for young professionals:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 

The OECD Young Associates Programme (YAP) is a two-year programme aimed at university undergraduates and recent graduates who would like to gain initial work experience in the world of multilateral policy development, research and analysis.

Eligibility requirements:

• Hold the nationality of an OECD member country;
• Have obtained or be obtaining a Bachelor's degree (to be eligible, candidates must NOT hold or be enrolled in a Master's degree);
• Demonstrate a strong record of academic achievement;
• Have a command of one of the two official languages of the OECD (English and French) and be committed to achieving a good standard of work in the other.

Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) offers a Junior Professional Officer (JPO) programme which provides young graduates with the opportunity to work in the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna for 12 months, followed by a further 12 months in a field assignment.

The programme is open to nationals of OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation who agree to finance young professionals for two years, as well as to a limited number of nationals of OSCE participating States who are not in a position to receive sponsorship.

Eligibility requirements:

• Under 32 years of age;
• University degree in a field relevant to OSCE activities;
• Relevant professional experience is an asset;
• Fluency in English at a professional level;
• Knowledge of another official OSCE language is an asset;
• Ability to work effectively with people from different national and cultural backgrounds.

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe in Strasbourg offers a Young Professionals Programme which gives young graduates at the start of their careers the opportunity to gain experience in an international institution.

Eligibility requirements:

• Have a higher education diploma (university or equivalent);
• Be a national of one of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe;
• Be under 35 years of age on the closing date of the vacancy notice;
• Not be a parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving member of staff at the Council of Europe.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

NATO's Young Professionals Programme (YPP) offers the opportunity to work in different areas within several NATO organisations for three years (with a change of assignment each year). At the end of the programme, participants may be recruited for a further three years in one of the organisations where they have worked, depending on operational requirements and individual performance.

Eligibility requirements:

• Have a relevant university degree
• Be under 32 years of age;
• Have an excellent command of English;
• Knowledge of other official NATO languages is an asset;
• Relevant professional experience is considered an asset.

World Bank

The Junior Professional Associates (JPA) programme at the World Bank offers young graduates the opportunity to gain experience in the field of development. Positions are available at the World Bank Group headquarters in Washington, DC, and in offices around the world. These are 3-year contracts.

Eligibility requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required;
• Must be aged 32 or under;
• Fluency in English.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) 

The International Monetary Fund offers a number of employment opportunities for young professionals through various programmes. Positions are available at IMF headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as in its offices around the world.

• The Economists Programme (EP) is designed for junior economists;
• The Fund Internship Program (FIP) offers student internships;
• The Research Analyst Program (RAP) is designed for individuals interested in supporting the IMF's research activities.

Most international organisations offer internships for university students or recent graduates. These internships enable students to gain initial experience of the multilateral sphere and become familiar with how it works. An internship can therefore be essential experience with a view to permanent employment with a multilateral organisation. Please note that internships are generally unpaid.
 

Below is a non-exhaustive list of international organisations offering internship programmes.

• UN internship programme
• NATO internship programme
• Programmes and internships at the World Bank
• International Monetary Fund ‘Fund Internship programme’
• Become an OECD intern
• ‘OSCE Internship programme’
• Internships at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) 

Link to the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs' (D5) website: https://cooperation.gouvernement.lu/fr/s-engager.html