Emergency Response Support (ERS) Intern

About the role

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is recruiting ERS interns in Geneva, Switzerland. The internship runs from December 2026 to June 2027 and can be full-time or part-time, in-person, remote or hybrid, depending on the candidate's request and operational needs. It supports OCHA's coordination of response to new or escalating emergencies and disasters.

Key responsibilities

• Rapid deployment of staff and experts, and management of rosters and networks to deploy humanitarian experts effectively
• Provision of operations and OCHA logistics support, and technical services to support field operations
• Compilation and dissemination of operational response guidance, and capacity building of responders
• Strengthening national and international disaster response and preparedness capacities
• Facilitating initial disaster assessment and coordination through timely deployment of staff and expertise
• Working with partners to develop international standards for response, including urban search and rescue (USAR)
• Maintaining and developing networks such as UNDAC, INSARAG, IHP, SBP, environmental emergency expert rosters and surge capacity providers

Required profile

• Enrolled in or having completed a graduate programme, or the final year of a first university degree (no professional work experience required)
• Field of study closely related to the internship
• Fluency in spoken and written English; knowledge of French is desirable
• Good written and oral communication, multitasking, prioritization and ability to work under pressure

Required skills

• Standard office software, especially MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Teams
• Event management tools and social media tools are desirable

Interns are not paid by the United Nations; travel, accommodation and living costs are the intern's responsibility. The UN charges no fees at any stage of the process.