Intern - Data Science, Information Integrity Unit

Work LocationFlexible (Hybrid, all remote, or in-person) Expected duration2-6 months. Desired start date is 28 April 2025, or sooner. Duties and ResponsibilitiesThis internship is UNPAID and is designed to be in person and full-time (35 hours per week) on the United Nations premise (New York, USA). This internship can be adjusted based on the needs of the successful candidate to part-time (20 hours per week) and/or remote. Full-time internship is for an initial period of two months, and a part-time internship is for an initial four months. Internships may be extended up to a maximum of six months, depending on the needs of the Division. This internship is located in the Information Integrity Unit in the Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS), Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training (DEPT) in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO). The Unit supports peacekeeping missions in addressing harmful speech (including mis- and disinformation and hate speech) which threaten the safety and security of peacekeepers and the ability of missions to implement their mandates. The Intern will work as part of a data team to develop and deploy data science methods to identify and measure harmful speech in peacekeeping settings. The Intern will report to the Data Scientist and the Senior Programme Management Officer of the Information Integrity Unit. The Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS) is part of the Policy Evaluation and Training Division (DPET) of the Department of Peace Operations. The core function of PBPS is to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations through the exchange of good practices between missions, the development of guidance material that reflects lessons learned, and thematic policy support in selected areas. Within delegated authority, the intern will be responsible for the following duties: - Contributing to the design, development, implementation and evaluation of AI, data science and visual analytics architectures and pipelines to analyze data for supporting decision making; - Contributing to the development and application of analysis methods to support peacekeeping missions for mis- and disinformation and hate speech analysis; - Contributing to the exploration of the use of AI Agents and Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze mis- and disinformation and hate speech; - Supporting monitoring and analysis and the rapid turnaround thereof, including of country specific and regional trends and patterns; - Supporting subject experts to visualize and report data findings creatively in a variety of formats, including the design and development of interactive visualizations and dashboards; - Supporting the team to create efficient data processing pipelines; - Reviewing and documenting scientific background research on relevant topics; - Assisting in drafting training materials, other policies, guidelines and doctrine, and analysis report; - Perform other duties as appropriate. Qualifications/special skillsApplicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree). 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. 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. (The field of study should be computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics, computation social science, or related field. Graduates of social sciences, including international relations, politics, law, anthropology, who have computer science skills will also be considered.) Do you have experience in Python, R or an equivalent programming language? Are you familiar with any AI/ML frameworks and/or Natural Language Processing techniques? Do you have experience in data visualization techniques? LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Additional InformationThe United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Applicants who have previously served six months, in total, as an intern in one or more UN Common Systems cannot be engaged as an intern. Applicants who are children, siblings, and sons or daughters-in-law (including stepchildren, half-siblings, or stepsiblings) of an active staff member in a UN Common System cannot be engaged as an intern. In your Motivational Statement, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that the start and end dates are flexible. A complete online application is required. The Motivational Statement must also include: • Title of degree you are currently pursuing. • Graduation Date (When will you be graduating/have graduated from the programme?) • Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship • Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Intern Specific textInterns 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. No FeeTHE 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.