Intern - Population Division

Job Posting Organization:
The Population Division was established in 1946 with the mission to enhance the capacity of the international community to address current and emerging population issues. It aims to integrate population dimensions into the development agenda at both national and international levels. The Division is responsible for analytical, normative, and capacity-building activities in the field of population, providing substantive support to the Commission on Population and Development and other intergovernmental bodies. It organizes technical meetings and prepares documentation on a wide range of population subjects of interest to Member States. The Division is structured into thematic sections and units focusing on various demographic aspects, overseen by a Front Office led by the Director and two Branch Chiefs. The Division operates specialized units including Programme Management, Publications, Outreach and Support, and Population Data, along with two branches: the Population Policies and Development Branch and the Population Trends and Analysis Branch. Each unit and section contributes specialized expertise, playing a vital role in the Division's overall function.

Job Overview:
The intern will work under the general guidance of the team manager within the respective section of the Population Division. The role involves providing support in various areas related to demographic data and analysis. Interns will assist in updating and assessing demographic data from diverse sources such as registration, census, and surveys. They will become familiar with the analytical steps necessary for updating country estimates and projections, including the use of empirical datasets and demographic methods tailored to specific contexts. The intern will engage in data compilation, analysis, and desk research on topics such as population distributions by age and sex, international migration trends, and the evaluation of registration completeness. Additionally, they will assist in modeling annual time trends and contribute to publications on demographic aspects of interest to Member States. The internship will also involve participation in intergovernmental and expert meetings, contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and collaborating with experts within and outside the organization. The specific research topics and assignments will be defined through discussions between the intern and the responsible officer, ensuring mutual benefit for both parties.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in updating and assessing demographic data from various sources (registration, census, survey).
• Familiarize with analytical steps for updating country estimates and projections, including empirical datasets and demographic methods.
• Assist with data compilation and analysis, including direct and indirect methods, and desk research on population distributions, international migration, registration completeness, census evaluations, and climate change impacts on population.
• Model robust annual time trends for various demographic indicators from 1950 to 202
• Contribute to publications, draft fact sheets, and prepare talking points.
• Participate in servicing intergovernmental and expert meetings on population and development.
• Contribute to activities related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.
• Collaborate with experts and participate in relevant meetings.
• Assist in day-to-day work of the Division as required. 1
• Prepare a report and presentation on the internship experience and potential research outcomes.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in or have completed a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). A field of study closely related to the internship is required, preferably in demography, population studies, human geography, public health, international relations, political science, development studies, quantitative history, digital humanities, applied statistics, or a related area. Applicants must be computer literate in standard software applications, particularly MS Excel, and proficiency with R statistical software programming is desirable. Familiarity with population and vital statistics data and demographic estimation methods is also desirable.

Educational Background:
Applicants should be pursuing their studies in the final year of a 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. Proof of enrollment or completion must be provided with the application.

Experience:
While professional work experience is not required for this internship, applicants should have relevant academic experience or coursework related to the internship's focus areas. Familiarity with demographic data analysis and statistical modeling is advantageous.

Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is an advantage, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
Interns 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 need to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.