WHO Internship Programme at World Health Organization (WHO)

Ref No: 1800964
Location: Multiple Locations
Schedule: Full-time
Grade: No grade
Contractual Arrangement: Intern
Contract Duration: Mininum 6 weeks - Maximum 24 weeks

Introduction

• You are applying to the WHO generic internship roster which is published twice a year. The roster will be made available to all WHO major offices from where direct contact will be made with suitable candidates only. In completing your profile, you will be able to choose up to 3 different work areas of interest.

Objectives of the Programme
The WHO internship programme has three objectives:

• To provide a framework for assigning students from diverse academic backgrounds to WHO programmes, where educational experience can be enhanced through practical work assignments
• To expose students to the work of WHO and
• To provide WHO programmes with the assistance of students specializing in various fields. Most students are placed in health-related programmes, although placements in other area of work like for example communication, external relations, finance or human resources are also possible.

Duties
Under the supervision of a technical expert in the respective area, interns are assigned a project based on agreed terms of references and in line with their skills set. These terms of references typically include some or all of the following responsibilities:

• Review literature and conduct literature surveys
• Undertake web research and data collection on specific subject area
• Organize data and documents
• Participate in the development of tools and guidelines
• Assist in drafting, formatting and editing policy briefs, tool kits, guides/manuals, hand-outs, brochures and reports
• Assist in organizing workshops, meetings, conferences, events
• Participate in on-going departmental projects

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Have completed three years of full-time studies (Bachelor's level or equivalent) at a University or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they start the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification).

Core competencies:

• Team work
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural difference
• Communication

All interns should be able to demonstrate the following skills in line with the WHO core competencies:

• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Showing willingness to learn from mistakes
• Producing and delivering quality results
• Working collaboratively with team members
• In addition, interns need to be familiar with commonly used computer programmes, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Knowledge of specialized computer programmes, for example, statistical software such as XLStat may be an advantage.

Experience:

• Depending on the area of interest, the below experience may be needed and/or would be an advantage.
• Experience in research and/or in drafting reports
• Experience in the subject area through academic work or research
• Field and/or developing country experience
• Experience with data analysis, statistical packages and interest in the design of graphical display and analysis of health information in an international comparative perspective, such as for health system performance assessment
• More specific experience such as specialized computer programmes

Languages:

• Fluency in one of WHO's working languages (reading, writing and speaking). WHO official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
• Knowledge of the local language in some duty stations can be an asset