Unpaid internship - Emergency Telecommunications Intern

ITU • Geneva, IL

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) is seeking an Emergency Telecommunications Intern to contribute to ITU’s work at the intersection of digital technologies, disaster risk reduction, and emergency response. This role supports ITU’s leadership in Pillar 3 (Warning Dissemination and Communication) of the EW4All initiative. The intern will work under the supervision of the Senior Programme Officer and Senior Coordinator Early Warning Systems, with overall guidance from the Head of the Climate Change and Emergency Telecommunications (CET) Division, and in close collaboration with the CET team. The BDT is responsible for organizing and coordinating the work of the Telecommunication Development Sector, focusing on development policies, strategies, programming, projects, and technical cooperation to enable universal access to affordable, high-quality, and secure telecommunications/ICTs. The Digital Networks & Environment Department (DNE) within BDT assists Member States with ICT development challenges, including connectivity, spectrum management, broadband evolution, and cybersecurity, as well as providing expertise for emergency telecommunications and environmental/climate change issues.

Requirements

• University degree (or completing an advanced University degree) in ICT, emergency telecommunications, regulation, or an equivalent level of education and specialization in a relevant field.
• No work experience required.
• Advanced level of English.
• Under 30 years of age (Exceptions may be considered for candidates pursuing a Ph.D.).
• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate program, or be a recent graduate (within six months prior to the start of the internship).
• Citizen of a Member State of ITU.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of emergency telecommunications, particularly early warning systems and the use of ICTs for disaster management involving national strategies.
• Familiarity or willingness to learn how to use online applications and social media.
• Ability to draft clear and concise documentation with good written and oral language skills.
• Good interpersonal skills, willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues and ask questions to clarify work.
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an additional advantage.

Responsibilities

• Support BDT’s leadership of pillar 3 of the EW4All initiative, focusing on warning dissemination and communication, including substantive and operational work.
• Prepare content materials, presentations, briefing notes, and reports.
• Attend and provide support to meetings with internal and external stakeholders, draft meeting minutes, and track follow-up actions.
• Engage and coordinate with partners, and maintain databases, contact lists, and activity records.
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of relevant activities and events.
• Support ITU’s work on emergency telecommunications preparedness and response, including contributing to the development and implementation of National Emergency Telecommunication Plans (NETPs).
• Support activities related to emergency connectivity, including for refugees and displaced populations.
• Conduct research and analysis on relevant topics, prepare background materials, presentations, and reports.
• Document country experiences and good practices, and support coordination with governments, UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, and private-sector partners.
• Conduct research on ICTs for disaster risk reduction.
• Support the coordination of developing and maintaining a repository of case studies and subject matter experts to inform stakeholders regarding new applications of emerging technology or novel uses of existing technology in disaster risk management.
• Support meetings, workshops, and events related to emergency telecommunications and disaster management, assisting in their organization in coordination with partners.

Benefits

• Medical insurance (responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution)
• Travel (responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution)
• Accommodation (responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution)
• Living expenses (responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution)

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Associate degree