General functions

Five interns are allocated to specific divisions of the WTO Secretariat in accordance with the needs and priorities of the organization and based on the areas of interest of the applicant. The areas of work may include agriculture, climate change, communications and external relations, competition policy, digital trade, dispute settlement, economic research and statistics, government procurement (GPA), intellectual property rights, market access, trade and development, trade and environment, trade facilitation, trade and gender, trade in services and investment, trade policy analysis, and trade-related technical assistance.

Assignments given to interns are intended to enhance their understanding of trade law, economics and trade policies more generally. The needs of the division are balanced with the capacity-building needs of the interns. Under the supervision of a professional staff member, interns are expected to assist the division in its regular work.

Duration

Maximum duration of 10 months. The programme will run through a calendar year.

Remuneration and benefits

Interns under the programme receive a daily allowance of CHF 90 (including weekends and official holidays that occur within the selected periods).  In addition, travel expenses (economy class air fare) to and from Geneva are also covered by the programme.

Medical health insurance coverage is mandatory in Switzerland, and interns are responsible for organizing their own health insurance prior to commencing their internship at the WTO. In this respect, interns receive an extra CHF100 per month to subsidize their health insurance premium payments for the duration of their internship.

Eligibility

A candidate must:

• be a national of a least-developed country (LDC), developing WTO member or observer
• have completed his/her undergraduate studies in a relevant discipline (e.g., economics, law, political science, international relations), and have completed at least one year of his/her postgraduate studies
• be no older than 30.

How to apply

Interested candidates, who meet the above criteria, should complete two steps for their application to be considered: 

• Complete a general internship application form on the WTO external jobs platform
• Send an email to [email protected] to indicate their interest in the General Internship Programme, with a CV, a motivation letter and a copy of the online application form. The application period is from 1 June to 31 August.

Additional Information

​The granting of an internship does not entail the right to a vacancy in another part of the Secretariat. Interns may nevertheless apply for any external vacancies.