Background Information - Job-specific
*** THIS INTERNSHIP IS OPEN ONLY TO APPLICANTS WHO ARE NATIONALS OF THE NETHERLANDS OR THOSE WHO HOLD A VALID RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT IN THE NETHERLANDS.***
UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.
Global Portfolios Office (GPO), New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.
Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) (https://www.unops.org/sustainable-development) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.
UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations to implement defined activities in support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in humanitarian response. It is managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Centreโs vision is to create a future where everyone involved in a humanitarian emergency has access to the data they need, when and how they need it, to make responsible and informed decisions. Our support is provided to OCHA staff and partners, with a priority focus on locations with humanitarian operations. The Centre focuses on four workstreams: data services, data science, data responsibility, and learning and practice.
The data services workstream is the engine room of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform, a critical component of the Centreโs value proposition. The goal of HDX is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use for analysis. Launched in July 2014 with just 800 datasets shared by a dozen organizations, HDX is now an anchor in the open data ecosystem, bringing together roughly 20,000 datasets from hundreds of partners. In 2024, HDX was accessed by 1.4 million people in 237 countries and territories.
The HDX team includes three units โ data systems, which focuses on data pipelines; data partnerships, which focuses on outreach and relationships with users and organizations; and dev/design, which focuses on software and user interface development.
The dev/design team is currently focusing on the detection of personal and sensitive data that could be mistakenly uploaded to the HDX platform by contributing organizations. To streamline this process, the dev/design team is building an automated analysis pipeline that leverages large language models (LLMs). By integrating an LLM-driven process, the time and resources that the HDX needs to review incoming datasets will be reduced. At the same time, the team is designing the infrastructure to support this pipeline in a way that is both cost efficient and future proof. The intern will support the team in evaluating LLMs and in building the analysis pipeline and its underlying infrastructure.
Purpose and Scope of AssignmentThe purpose of this Internship program is to provide opportunities for young graduates to acquire knowledge and experience, and pave the way for their professional growth and career development. The selected intern will be supporting the HDX team in its effort to implement the aforementioned automated scanning of datasets for the identification of personal and/or other sensitive data. The right candidate has the technical skills and abilities to provide support on developing the code and the analysis pipelines.
The intern will report to the HDX Dev Co-Team Lead under the overall direction of the Lead for the Centre for Humanitarian Data. The incumbent will be expected to work closely with the rest of the Centre team.
The incubent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.
The intern will be responsible for the following duties but not limited to:
Supporting the technical implementation of automated scanning for sensitive datasets on HDX. Assisting in the development of a process for adaptation and training of LLMs to improve precision and recall of these models for HDX. Continuous monitoring of the performance of an LLM pipeline to identify opportunities for improving performance of the LLM. Briefing relevant HDX colleagues on adaptation of LLMs to improve precision and recall.By the end of the internship, the selected candidate is expected to have been directly involved in the delivery of the following outputs:
A fully operational pipeline for the detection and classification of personal and sensitive data within HDX datasets. An infrastructure capable of supporting both the initial pipeline deployment and foreseeable improvements. A framework for assessing the effectiveness of LLMs against our specific requirements. Training components and learning elementsThe selected candidate will be exposed to a very dynamic area in the humanitarian space, where theywill have an opportunity to learn about humanitarian data, coordination, stakeholder management and reporting.
Participation in missions or training courses (if applicable)
The selected candidate is not expected to travel for this position. The candidate is expected to be hired locally (i.e. national intern). Education/Experience/Language requirements
*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY *CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
a. Education
b. Work Experience
Applicants are not required to have professional work experience. Coding skills in Python with academic or applied experience is an added advantage. Experience in data analysis or data science, and in particular to have experience in the development and/or implementation of Large Language Models for humanitarian response, is an added advantage.c. Language
Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required. Knowledge of any of the other UN official languages is an advantage. Competencies Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Internship
Contract level: N/A
Contract duration: 3 months (part-time) - possibility of extension subject to good performance, availability of funds, organizational requirements, and project duration.
This internship is not designed to lead to a staff position with UNOPS. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of the internship.
Interns may be eligible for a monthly stipend from UNOPS provided that they do not receive funds from other institutions. Further, UNOPS may provide a one time travel lumpsum of 500 USD. However, they must make their own arrangements for accommodation, travel and necessary visa arrangements.
For more details about UNOPS internships please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Internships-and-volunteering.aspx
Additional Information
Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.