Digitization Project Intern

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, currently comprising 193 member states. Its mission is to promote peace, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and cooperation among nations, addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and human rights. The UN operates in various countries around the world, with a significant presence in Geneva, which serves as one of its major hubs for diplomacy and international relations. The organization employs thousands of individuals across diverse fields, working collaboratively to achieve its goals and uphold the ideals of its founding charter.

Job Overview:
The Digitization Project Intern will play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of the ARMU digitization project, which focuses on the preservation and accessibility of digital records. The intern will assist in various tasks related to the preparation and digitization of physical records, ensuring that they meet established quality standards. This position offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in digital preservation initiatives and to contribute to the UN's mission of promoting transparency and accessibility of information. The intern will also engage in quality assurance processes, manage digital files, and participate in meetings, providing valuable insights and support to ongoing projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The intern's duties will encompass a wide range of responsibilities, including but not limited to:

• Supporting the implementation of the ARMU digitization project and related digital preservation initiatives.
• Assisting in the preparation of physical records for digitization, which involves sorting, arranging, labeling, inventorying, and assessing the condition of records.
• Participating in scanning and digitization activities, adhering to established quality standards and procedures.
• Conducting image quality reviews, completeness checks, and quality assurance of digitized records.
• Assisting with OCR processing and text verification of digitized materials to ensure accuracy.
• Organizing and managing digital files according to ARMU's file naming conventions, folder structures, and version-control procedures.
• Identifying duplicates, missing documents, metadata inconsistencies, and filing errors to maintain the integrity of the digital archive.
• Preparing background documentation, drafting correspondence, reports, and presentations as needed.
• Participating in meetings and seminars, taking notes, drafting summary reports, minutes, and assessment reports for presentation, and monitoring follow-up actions. 1
• Supporting other activities and projects, with the opportunity to propose personal ideas and initiatives. 1
• Performing additional activities and special projects as assigned by supervisors.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must be enrolled in or have completed a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), or be in the final academic year of a first university degree program or equivalent. A degree in Human Resource Management, Administration, Information Management, Digital Humanities, Information Technology, Communications, Media Studies, or related fields is preferred. Applicants should be computer literate in standard software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and demonstrate the ability to learn and utilize digital records management and archival information systems. A good understanding of document digitization workflows, including scanning, image quality control, OCR processing, file formats, and digital file management is essential. A keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter are also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this internship includes being in the final year of a first university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) or a Master's Programme, or having completed a Bachelor's or Master's Programme. The field of study should be closely related to the internship position, ensuring that candidates possess relevant knowledge and skills applicable to the digitization project.

Experience:
While applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience, it is essential that their field of study is closely related to the type of internship they are applying for. This means that candidates should have relevant academic experience or coursework that aligns with the responsibilities of the Digitization Project Intern position.

Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English is required for this internship, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of an additional official UN language, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish, is considered an advantage and may enhance a candidate's application.

Additional Notes:
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations, meaning that they will not receive a salary for their work. All costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of Switzerland may need to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization before starting the internship. It is important for successful candidates to discuss their specific visa requirements with the UN prior to accepting the internship offer. Additionally, it is emphasized that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring that applicants are not subjected to any financial burdens related to their application.