Research and Knowledge Management Intern (home-based, reports to office in New York)

Background
  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
  UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
 

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policies and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices, advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private, government and civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in thematic areas.   

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South and regional partnership.  

UNDP’s Strategic Plan has embedded our collective UN-Energy's ambitious target to contribute to delivering energy access to 500 million more people by 2025 in partnership with others and accelerate a just energy transition. UNDP supports countries to realize a just energy transition where the benefits of the transition are distributed evenly across people and society, and the potential negative impacts of the transition are minimized for the poorest and most vulnerable communities. UNDP’s focus is to make the transition more just by assessing the distributional social-economic impacts of energy transition (and access) policies, how to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities and minimize the impact on poor and vulnerable sections of the population that are disproportionately affected.   

The UNDP Sustainable Energy Hub is the arrowhead of UNDP’s new Strategic Plan objectives. The Sustainable Energy Hub amplifies impact of UNDP’s existing Energy Portfolio, covering over 100 countries to harness clean energy and support the energy transition as well as on UNDP’s Climate Promise, UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub, and UNDP’s Digital offer. The Sustainable Energy Hub develops and operationalizes policies, programmes and partnerships to support the realization of UN/UNDP’s Energy Compact, a commitment to help increasing access to clean and affordable energy for 500 million people by 2025 and accelerating and supporting the transition to renewable energy. Recognizing that change will be disruptive, UNDP will work to ensure that such transitions are just, and that their impact on vulnerable people is understood and duly mitigated. 

  To strengthen this work, SEH is seeking an intern to support cross-cutting research, knowledge management, and data organization that will ensure knowledge and evidence are systematically captured, structured, and made accessible to teams across UNDP and partners. The intern will play a key role in curating content, analyzing trends, and supporting digital knowledge platforms
  Duties and Responsibilities
 

Summary of key functions: 

Support knowledge management, content curation, and systematization of SEH products. 

Conduct desk research on cross-cutting sustainable development, climate, and energy topics. 

Assist in preparing briefs, background notes, and knowledge synthesis documents. 

Contribute to the organization and upkeep of SEH knowledge repositories and digital platforms. 

Provide ad hoc support for SEH events, learning sessions, and global communications. 

1. Research & Knowledge Synthesis 

Conduct literature reviews and comparative analysis across sustainable development, climate, and energy policy areas. 

Synthesize key findings from UNDP reports, country documents, and partner studies into accessible summaries. 

Support preparation of background papers, talking points, and briefing materials. 

2. Knowledge Management & Data Organization 

Support the tagging, structuring, and organization of SEH’s knowledge repositories. 

Curate case studies, tools, and lessons learned from UNDP country offices and global partners. 

Assist with maintaining digital platforms (e.g., knowledge hubs, intranet pages, or shared databases). 

3. Communications & Storytelling 

Draft short policy notes, blogs, or knowledge spotlights for internal/external dissemination. 

Prepare content for presentations, newsletters, and global dialogues. 

Support data visualization and infographic development where possible.  

4. Data & Digital Management 

Support the preparation and compilation of datasets, indicators, and indices for SEH knowledge products and dashboards. 

Assist in organizing and cataloguing geospatial data and socio-economic datasets. 

Develop metadata documentation to ensure transparency and consistency across platforms. 

Contribute to the integration of data into digital platforms, indices, and interactive tools. 
 
  Competencies
 

Corporate: 

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards; 

Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; 

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 

Treats all people fairly without favoritism; 

Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment. 

Technical: 

Familiarity with economic development concepts, energy economics, or climate adaptation finance 

Experience working with international development organizations, especially within the UN system 

Data literacy, with ability to clean, synthesize, and visualize data using Excel, Python, or similar tools 

Understanding of how evidence informs policymaking in global and national institutions 

Functional: 

Communication 

Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, in a simple, concise and persuasive manner. 

Professionalism 

Ability to work and build partnerships with multiple stakeholders and partners across a wide range of disciplines; 

Demonstrated ability in strategic thinking;  

Strong organizational, reporting and writing abilities; 

Able to work independently and remotely with minimal supervision; 

Remains calm, in control and good humored, even under pressure;  

Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;  

Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback. 

Teamwork 

Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team and process. 
  Required Skills and Experience
  Education: 
Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: 

Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher) in fields such as International Development, Sustainable Energy, Climate Policy, Economics, Political Science, Environmental Studies, or a related field. 

Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in these disciplines; 

Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; 

Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program. 

  Experience:

Demonstrated research and writing experience (academic, policy, or advocacy). 

Familiarity with sustainable development, climate, or energy topics an asset.