Editorial and AI Communications Intern

The internship at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) involves drafting, editing, and adapting editorial content related to trade and development, with a focus on AI communications. The intern will also research generative AI practices and test AI tools for editorial workflows, contributing to the Office of the Secretary-General in Geneva for a three-month period starting December 2026.

Responsibilities

• Draft, edit and adapt web stories, explainers, social media copy, newsletters and other editorial products on trade and development.
• Improve clarity, structure, headlines and reader navigation while preserving accuracy, institutional neutrality and UNCTAD’s editorial voice.
• Prepare content that people can understand and that search and AI answer systems can identify, retrieve and cite (precise headings, contextual explanations, credible sources and structured metadata).
• Research emerging practice in generative AI, AI-assisted discovery and content provenance; turn relevant findings into usable editorial recommendations.
• Test approved AI tools and prompts for editorial work, with human review; document effective workflows, limitations and safeguards.
• Observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Organization.
• Provide the receiving departments/offices with a copy of all materials prepared during the internship.
• Respect the impartiality and independence required of the UN and the receiving department/office.
• Do not communicate any non-public information to external sources without authorization.
• Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the UN or the receiving department/office and avoid incompatible activities.

Requirements

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent).
• Studies in communications, journalism, digital media, linguistics, international relations, economics or a related field.
• Demonstrable knowledge of generative AI in communications or editorial work, supported by coursework, projects, publications, tools or workflows.
• Understanding of conventional search, AI-generated answers, source quality, structured content and digital discoverability.
• Sound editorial judgment, attention to detail and the discipline to verify facts, sources and AI-generated output before use.
• Interest in the work of the United Nations and ability to work constructively in a multicultural environment.
• Fluency oral and written in English is required.
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is desirable.

Skills

• Generative AI in communications
• Editorial content drafting
• Editorial content editing
• AI tools testing
• Fact Verification
• Source Verification
• Digital discoverability
• Search engine understanding
• Structured content management
• AI-generated content evaluation
• Research on AI practices
• Multicultural Work Environment
• English Writing
• English Oral Communication

Languages

English, French, Spanish