Internships

The Bahá'í International Community’s Internship Program

Introduction

The Bahá'í International Community’s United Nations Office (BIC) offers internships to qualified candidates throughout the year.  Interns are selected to work in one or more of the following areas:  human rights, gender equality, social development, sustainable development, BIC website development. The work is carried out under the supervision of the Senior Researcher and/or one of our Representatives to the United Nations.

To ensure a rewarding experience, the internship includes a mentoring component, which consists of regular meetings between the intern and supervisor to help the intern achieve stated goals during and through the internship experience.

Internships can be full-time or part-time depending on the nature of the project and the availability of the candidate. While our business hours are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, our program offers flexible hours to accommodate class and work schedules, to be determined in consultation with the supervisor. Most interns work 20-40 hours/ week.

While we are not able to provide financial remuneration, candidates with visas permitting them to work in the United States receive a lunch stipend and reimbursement for commuting expenses.

Responsibilities

Interns may be requested to assist with the following:

• Conducting background research to inform BIC’s policy and programmatic work
• Attending and briefing staff on relevant meetings at the UN and in the NGO community
• Assisting with preparation of statements to be delivered at UN Commissions and major events
• Developing external affairs training materials based on BIC’s statements and positions
• Assisting Representatives in their executive work on NGO Committees
• Translating and editing documents
• Assisting with development of content for the BIC website
• Assisting with administrative tasks

Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in one or more of our thematic areas
• Coursework related to thematic areas
• Completed at least 1 year of undergraduate studies
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Highly motivated

Expectations of interns

• Work a minimum of 20 hours per week (unless other schedule arrangements have been made) in a professional capacity.
• Become familiar with the office policies and procedures and adhere to them.
• Dress in appropriate business/office attire and follow office protocols and etiquette for regular staff employees at the workplace.
• Contact supervisor or next program person when unable to report to office or late arrivals due to illness, doctor appointments, etc.
• Seek feedback from supervisors on projects and assignments and ways to incorporate improvements.

How to apply

Please email the following materials to Ms. Dorothy Longo, Operations Officer at dlongo at bic.org. Subject line should state: “Application for internship at the BIC.”

1. Internship application
2. Resume
3. Cover letter
4. Writing sample (any piece of writing that showcases your writing and analytical skills)
5. Reference letter (preferably academic)
6. Academic transcript

If emailing is not possible, please send materials to:

Ms. Dorothy Longo

Bahá'í International Community United Nations Office

866 United Nations Plaza

Suite 120

New York, NY 10017