HR Intern (with focus on Machine Learning and/or Data Analytics)

People and Culture Group

The People and Culture Group (PCG) drives the right culture and working environment in UNOPS by enabling UNOPS to deliver on its strategic intention through:

• embedding of UN core values and standards;

• developing fit-for-purpose People & Culture standards, policies, systems and platforms; and,

• creating an optimal working environment in which personnel are able to flourish and perform at the highest level to achieve UNOPS’ mission.

As part of the People and Culture Group, the HR Advisory Team provides support to both field offices and headquarters, primarily offering advice and solutions to address day-to-day implementation challenges. The team assists HR practitioners worldwide by providing expert guidance on HR policy, navigating complex HR cases across various HR areas, and driving capacity-building initiatives such as the HR Knowledge Base.

The HR Knowledge Base was developed by the HR Advisory Team, built from an analysis of frequently asked questions and transformed into accessible resources shared with HR practitioners and colleagues across the organization. The Knowledge Base is continually evolving, with several initiatives underway, including a monthly newsletter that features video-based learning tailored to topics of particular interest to HR practitioners, but most importantly automation initiatives to use machine learning to analyze trends and precedents in case management.

Last but not least, the HR advisory team collaborates with the data team on ad-hoc reporting and analysis requests, based on people data and data from our JIRA ticketing system.

Role of the HR Intern

The Human Resources (HR) Intern will be responsible for providing support in the execution and delivery of HR efficiency projects that will be deployed to the entire UNOPS HR population. The HR Intern will be entrusted with project tasks that s/he will be able to manage independently and will get a privileged exposure to global HR operations in a UN organization. 

The role will be focused on leveraging machine learning and AI in order to create predictive analysis of our ticketing system and knowledge management system, leading to operational efficiencies and identification of business risks. The intern will be able to build a model from scratch that will need to be innovative and sustainable, leveraging on technologies of their choice and collaborating with resources from our product ownership team.  

This is a unique opportunity to learn and grow in an international work environment. We are looking for a candidate who is curious, enthusiastic, and committed -someone who brings fresh ideas and a willingness to challenge the status quo in order to help build what has never been built before.

An ideal candidate may have a background in computer science or data analytics. However, candidates from communication or related fields with a strong interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning -whether through formal certification or self-directed learning- are also encouraged to apply. We value passion, initiative, and a growth mindset.

As this internship is designed to be a meaningful learning experience, prior professional experience is not required.

This internship is remunerated through a stipend and has an initial duration of six months. It may be extended once for an additional six months, depending on performance and the availability of funding.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the HR Specialist, HR Advisory, the HR Intern will be responsible for supporting a variety of tasks and work packages. 

Some of the specific tasks may include, but are not limited to:

Elevate the knowledge management initiative by using machine learning in order to:

• Create an automated way to transform JIRA ticket content into knowledge management content

• Create automations in content update of the knowledge base, exploring Atlassian and Confluence properties

• Create links between policy pages and knowledge base pages

• Document a sustainable system for knowledge management processes: the maintenance of content, the update of content, the creation of videos

• Explore knowledge base analytics in order to make recommendations on content improvement.

Support with the development of video content:

• Support in creating automations in the video production content

• Create a distinguished visual identity for all HR training material produced

• Assist in the creation of the monthly videos 

Contribute to the Data Analytics function within the HR advisory team:

• Maintenance and improvement of HR advisory dashboards in Google data studio

• Assist in the design and analysis of various surveys and reports

• Provide support in the development of a predictive monitoring and evaluation dashboard using machine learning and AI to analyze JIRA tickets

At the end of this internship, the successful candidate will have gained in: 

• Exposure to and experience in UNOPS HR processes, standards, and activities at the corporate level;

• Exposure to a wide range of work areas (HR, data analytics, communications, etc.) and the opportunity to network with diverse colleagues in the UN City in Copenhagen;

• Experience in analyzing diverse data and information into meaningful insights

• Exposure to an international multicultural work environment and team

• Exposure to headquarters and field offices

• Experience in analyzing diverse data and information into meaningful insights

a. Education      

• Completion of secondary school or equivalent is required.

• To be eligible for this particular internship with UNOPS, the candidate must be studying towards a university degree or have graduated in the past three years 

b. Work Experience 

• Strong computer literacy is required and may include skills such as: Advanced Excel / Google Sheet skills, advanced Powerpoint / Google Slides skills, advanced Word / Google Docs skills and ideally video editing using relevant software.

• While no prior work experience is required, some experience in HR, knowledge management, communications or data analytics would be an asset.

• Competency in content development/storytelling/drafting is desirable

• Experience in using and creating dashboards in visualization tools such as Google Sheets / Google Data Studio is an asset.

c. Language skills

• Fluency in English is a requirement.

• Knowledge of another UN language such as French or Spanish will be considered an asset.    

IMPORTANT: It is highly encouraged that applicants submit a Cover Letter with their CV that outlines their motivation for participating in this internship. 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.