Intern

The WTO Secretariat maintains a limited internship programme for post-graduate university students wishing to gain practical experience and deeper knowledge of the multilateral trading system. Only a limited number of such internship posts is available.

The WTO Internship Programme is open to post-graduate students from all WTO members and countries or customs territories engaged in accession negotiations - WTO Internship Programme

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill an internship position in the WTO Library, in the Languages, Documentation, and Information Management Division (LDIMD).
The Library team seeks to provide exceptional support and services to a diverse range of groups, including WTO staff, Member delegations, and academics, to help them achieve policymaking and research objectives.

This is done through Library activities such as

 acquisition and description of print and electronic materials
 provision of reference and research services as well as group and individual training sessions
 facilitation and hosting of events
 and dissemination of resource guides and information on new resources and tools available to stakeholders through the WTO Library Reading Room and WTO Library online presence.

The duration of the internship is for six months.

Duties and Responsibilities
Interns are expected to commit to full‐time engagement under the supervision of the WTO Librarian.
During this tenure, interns will have the opportunity to:
• Perform basic and copy cataloguing on newly acquired materials as well as uncatalogued
materials from Divisional and GATT library collections;
• Assist with the provision of reference and research services to all library patron groups,
through participation in rotating team responsible for operating of the Reading Room;
• Assist in organizing and disseminating research guides, blog posts, and other
communications relating to new acquisitions, upcoming activities, recent publications, and
more;
• Contribute to miscellaneous projects as assigned, aligning with the evolving needs of the
WTO Library

Education

Candidates shall have completed at least one year of their postgraduate studies (for example, Master's) in a relevant discipline (e.g., procurement, economics, law, political science, international relations, library science, information science).

Languages
Excellent speaking and writing skills in English and French. A good working level of Spanish would be an asset.

Competencies & Skills
• Experience or good understanding of international cataloguing standards, library and reference services practices, and other areas of library and information science is strongly desired.
• Good time‐management, planning, coordination skills, with a keen focus on details.
• Problem‐solving skills.
• The following interpersonal capabilities are required: work as a member of a team, relating to others, while working independently to achieve his/her objectives; relate to and build relationships with colleagues; communicate information in a clear and client‐oriented way.
• Confidentiality skills to ensure that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.

IT Skills
• Familiarity or sound knowledge of proprietary cataloguing software (e.g. EOS or Sirsi Dynix products)
• Sound knowledge of WordPress website publishing platform would be an asset
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Sound knowledge of AI tools for text generation (e.g. Chat GPT, Bing Chat, etc.) would be an asset

How to apply
 Applicants are requested to complete their profile and submit a one (1) page MOTIVATION LETTER expressing their interest in working for the WTO Library. Candidates who apply without submitting a motivation letter will be excluded from consideration.

RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR INTERNS (the following may vary, depending on the programme, so it is best to check the above links for information on a particular programme)

Eligibility:

Interns are recruited from among nationals of WTO Member states and Observer governments.

Interns shall have completed at least one year of their postgraduate studies (for example, Master's) in a relevant discipline (for example, economics, law, political science, international relations).

The minimum age for an intern is 21 years and the maximum age 30 years.

A roster of suitable candidates is maintained from which interns are selected. In addition to the internship programmes, the need may also arise to recruit interns at short notice for specific tasks. These recruits will also be drawn from the roster. Names will be maintained on the roster for one year and no more.

Contractual Terms and Conditions:

An agreement will be established between the intern and the Director of the Human Resources Division, specifying the conditions of service and details of any remuneration.

Paid interns receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including weekends and official holidays falling within the selected period). No other remuneration of any kind shall be paid.

Internships take place in Geneva, Switzerland. Travel expenses to and from Geneva cannot be paid by the WTO, and such travel is not covered by the Organization's insurance. Interns are responsible for their own insurance cover for illness and accidents for the duration of the internship.

Internships are for a minimum of three months and up to a maximum of six months in total with no extension, are dependent on the needs of Divisions, and may commence at any time during the year.  Depending on Divisional needs, an internship may be split between two Divisions (3 months and no less in each Division and not exceeding six months in total). In this case, the two internship assignments may be carried out at different times and not consecutively, as long as the applicant meets all the requirements for internship as per the "Eligibility" criteria set out above. It is not permissible to return to the programme at a later date after completing a full six-month internship programme, nor is it permissible to move from one programme to another following a six-month stint. An internship does not, in any way, entail the right to a vacancy in another part of the Secretariat. Interns may, nevertheless, apply to external vacancies only.

While working at the WTO, interns are not considered as officials or staff members, however, they shall be bound by the same duties and obligations as regular staff members. Interns are expected to work full-time and to carry out the duties assigned to them by their supervisor. Working from home in Geneva is not an option, except during COVID and following the guidance of the WTO Health Task Force.

On commencing the internship, and as applicable, depending on their nationality and any Swiss residence permit they may hold, interns may be issued with a Swiss legitimation card type "H" which serves as a work and residence permit for the duration of their internship. This link explains the responsibilities of holders of such a card and careful note should be taken of the information provided therein.

At the end of the internship, the Supervisor responsible for an intern will write an evaluation report, and the intern will also be required to evaluate the internship. Both evaluations will be placed on file.

An internship may be terminated by the WTO Secretariat or by the intern with one week's notice.