Vacancies at the WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

Intern

31-12-2026

 

The WTO Secretariat maintains three internship programmes for post-graduate students and recent graduates with an advanced university degree wishing to gain practical experience and deeper knowledge of the multilateral trading system. Only a limited number of such internships is available. Internship selections are based on merit, eligibility criteria, academic qualifications, and expertise.

 

The programmes, listed below, are designed to increase diversity at the WTO, and more information about each may be found in the links provided alongside:

 

(1) The WTO Internship Programme is open to post-graduate students and recent graduates with an advanced university degree from all WTO members and countries or customs territories engaged in accession negotiations – WTO Internship Programme

 

(2) China’s LDCs, Accessions and General Internship Programme  – Up to ten internships offered under this programme annually, RESERVED FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS OR RECENT GRADUATES WITH AN ADVANCED UNIVERSITY DEGREE FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES – China’s LDCs and Accessions Programme

 

(3) the WTO Support Programme for Doctoral Studies – RESERVED FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WORKING ON THEIR PH.D THESIS – WTO Support Programme for Doctoral Studies

 

 

RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR INTERNS (the following may vary, depending on the programme, so it is best to check the above links for information on a particular programme)

Eligibility:

 

A candidate must:

 

• be a national of a WTO member state or a country or customs territory engaged in accession negotiations
• have completed his/her undergraduate studies in a relevant discipline;

either:

• • be currently enrolled in a master’s degree with at least one year completed; or
  • have completed a master’s degree programme and be enrolled in a higher-level postgraduate programme (including doctoral studies); or
  • have completed a postgraduate degree (master’s degree or PHD) within the past two years at the time of selection; and
• be at least 21 years at the time of the internship (and no older than 30 years old at the time of the internship for the China WTO Accessions Internship Programme and China General Internship Programme).

A roster of suitable candidates is maintained from which interns are selected. In addition to the internship programmes, the need may also arise to recruit interns at short notice for specific tasks. These recruits will also be drawn from the roster. Names will be maintained on the roster for one year and no more.

Contractual Terms and Conditions:

An agreement will be established between the intern and the Director of the Human Resources Division, specifying the conditions of service and details of any remuneration.

Paid interns receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including weekends and official holidays falling within the selected period – Except for interns recruited under the China’s LDCs, Accessions and General Internship Programme who will receive a daily allowance of CHF 90). No other remuneration of any kind shall be paid.

Internships take place in Geneva, Switzerland. Travel expenses to and from Geneva cannot be paid by the WTO (Except for the China’s LDCs, Accessions and General Internship Programme and for the WTO Support Programme for Doctoral Studies), and such travel is not covered by the Organization’s insurance. Interns are responsible for their own insurance cover for illness and accidents for the duration of the internship.

 

Please be aware that the cost of living in Geneva is quite high, and the allowance provided is intended as a supplement. It is important to ensure you have sufficient financial resources to support yourself during your time in the area.

Internships are for a minimum of three months and up to a maximum of six months in total with no extension, are dependent on the needs of Divisions, and may commence at any time during the year.  Depending on Divisional needs, an internship may be split between two Divisions (3 months and no less in each Division and not exceeding six months in total). In this case, the two internship assignments may be carried out at different times and not consecutively, as long as the applicant meets all the requirements for internship as per the “Eligibility” criteria set out above. It is not permissible to return to the programme at a later date after completing a full six-month internship programme, nor is it permissible to move from one programme to another following a six-month stint. An internship does not, in any way, entail the right to a vacancy in another part of the Secretariat. Interns may, nevertheless, apply to external vacancies.

While working at the WTO, interns are not considered as officials or staff members, however, they shall be bound by the same duties and obligations as regular staff members. Interns are expected to work full-time and to carry out the duties assigned to them by their supervisor.

On commencing the internship, and as applicable, depending on their nationality and any Swiss residence permit they may hold, interns may be issued with a Swiss legitimation card type “H” which serves as a work and residence permit for the duration of their internship. This link explains the responsibilities of holders of such a card and careful note should be taken of the information provided therein.

At the end of the internship, the Supervisor responsible for an intern will write an evaluation report, and the intern will also be required to evaluate the internship. Both evaluations will be placed on file.

An internship may be terminated by the WTO Secretariat or by the intern with one week’s notice.

 

Young Professionals

06-05-2026

Young Professionals

Monthly Salary:

CHF4,000

The WTO seeks to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity and to build an organization that is representative of the Members and People it serves. As an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, the WTO gives full regard to competence and welcome applications from qualified candidates irrespective of age, disability status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social origin or any other characteristic. Applications from non-represented Members (link) are particularly encouraged for all positions.

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking candidates for THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMME for 2027.

 

The WTO Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is a unique opportunity for qualified young professionals up to the age of 32 years, as at 1 January 2027, from WTO Members with low or no professional representation in the WTO Secretariat, to enhance their knowledge of WTO and skills in international trade issues.  The Programme aims to widen the pool of professionals from these WTO Members, with the ultimate goal of broadening their representation in the WTO and/or other regional and international organizations. Further information on the YPP can be found on the WTO website at https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/vacan_e/ypp_e.htm.

 

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ENGLISH, ACCOMPANIED BY A COVER LETTER OF MOTIVATION, WHICH SHOULD INDICATE UP TO THREE AREAS OF WORK (SEE DETAILS UNDER GENERAL FUNCTIONS), IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE, THAT THE APPLICANT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN. Applications with no accompanying letter of motivation will not be considered.

 

This programme offers selected young professionals the opportunity to gain work experience in the WTO. It is a one-year programme without possibility of extension.

 

 

General Functions

 

The selected Young Professional will be placed in a specific Division of the WTO Secretariat in accordance with the needs and priorities of the Organization; and based on the identified areas of interest of the Young Professional. Each Young Professional may express interest in no more than three areas of WTO work; and should state their order of preference.

 

The areas of work may include, inter alia, the following (in alphabetical order):

 

– Accessions

– Agriculture

– Communications and External Relations

– Competition Policy

– Council and Trade Negotiations

– Digital Trade

– Dispute Settlement

– Economic Research and Statistics

– Fisheries Subsidies

– Government Procurement (GPA)

– Intellectual Property Rights

– Investment Facilitation for Development

– Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)

– Market Access (tariffs and non-tariff barriers)

– Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures

– Technical Barriers to Trade

– Trade and Development

– Trade and Environment/Climate Change

– Trade Facilitation

– Trade Finance

– Trade and Gender

– Trade in Services and Investment

– Trade Policy Analysis

– Trade-Related Technical Assistance.

– Trade Remedies (anti-dumping and countervailing duties)

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

Education:

 

Advanced university degree in economics, econometrics, international relations, law, environment studies, or other trade-related subjects relevant to the work of the WTO (e.g. international investment law, trade and gender, etc.). Applicants must have obtained their advanced university degree by the time they submit their application.

 

Knowledge and Skills:

 

General knowledge of the work of the WTO.

Technical knowledge in one or more of the areas of work indicated above.

Good drafting skills in English. Ability to draft in French and/or Spanish would be an advantage.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team, in a multicultural environment.

Demonstrated strong interest in international trade and the multilateral trading system.

Commitment and passion for trade or WTO-related work.

 

Work Experience:

 

Minimum two (2) years of professional experience relevant to the work of the WTO.

 

Languages:

 

Fluency in English. A good working knowledge of either French or Spanish would be an advantage.

 

Information:

 

Preference shall be given to nationals from WTO Members without any representation as well as from developing and least developed countries (LDCs) Members with low representation (up to three staff members) at the professional level in the Secretariat (list below). Priority will be given to WTO Members from developing and LDCs that have no representation and have not participated in previous cohorts of the YPP (marked with an asterisk in list below).

 

Albania, Angola, Armenia, Kingdom of Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin*, Plurinational State of Bolivia*, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam*, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde*, Cambodia, Chile, Comoros*, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, Djibouti*, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon*, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong China, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, the State of Kuwait*, Kyrgyz Republic*, Lao People’s Democratic Republic*, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macao China, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar*, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger*, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar*, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis*, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa*, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone*, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands*, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname*, Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste*, Togo, Tonga*, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates*, Uruguay, Vanuatu*, Viet Nam, Yemen*, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

 

Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to this Programme.

 

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

Additional Information:
Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted.

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The WTO is a non-smoking environment.

 

Data Engineer

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

External

08-05-2026

Grade 6

Job Category:

Professional

Fixed-term

CHF89,870.00

 

This is an external vacancy notice open to external candidates and WTO staff. It is posted on the WTO internal as well as external career site. Eligible WTO staff on short-term, fixed-term or regular contracts and interns must apply through the Workday internal career site.

 

This is a Fixed-term contract funded through the regular budget. The duration will be two years with the possibility of extension, unless specified in the vacancy notice.

 

 

 

 

The WTO seeks to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity and to build an organization that is representative of the Members and People it serves. As an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, the WTO gives full regard to competence and welcome applications from qualified candidates irrespective of age, disability status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social origin or any other characteristic. Applications from non-represented Members (link) are particularly encouraged for all positions.

.

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill a data engineer position in the Trade Policy Statistics Section (TPSS) of the Economic Research and Statistics Division.

 

TPSS supports WTO Members and the Secretariat by providing trade and trade policy data, as well as analysis on economic and trade policy issues. It is the principal source of WTO tariff & trade statistics and trade policy data, delivered through online portals and related tools, statistical publications, and analytical reports. In addition, TPSS provides technical assistance to Members on notification submissions and methodological concepts.

 

GENERAL FUNCTIONS

 

Under the overall guidance and close supervision of a senior statistician, the incumbent will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines and data management systems to automate data ingestion, processing, and validation workflows, supporting and, to some extent, replacing manual processes.
• Contribute to the maintenance and optimization of the WTO’s Integrated Database (IDB) ensuring data integrity, consistency, and accessibility.
• Support data architecture improvements and infrastructure scalability, including the use of cloud-based and big data technologies where applicable.
• Build and manage “Extract, Transform, Load” (ETL) processes to collect, transform, and integrate tariff & trade data and other market access or trade-related data from multiple sources.
• Implement data quality controls, validation frameworks, and monitoring systems to ensure reliability and accuracy of datasets.
• Collaborate with analysts, researchers and statisticians to structure data for efficient analysis, reporting, and dissemination.
• Contribute to technical assistance activities by supporting data-related capacity building for WTO Members and stakeholders.

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

An advanced university degree, preferably in computer science, data science, software engineering, or other relevant disciplines.

 

Knowledge and Skills:

Technical knowledge and skills:

• Strong programming skills and proficiency in Python and SQL and relational database management systems;
• Hands-on experience in designing, building, and maintaining scalable data pipelines and ETL workflows, including implementation on platforms such as Databricks, MS Fabric or Snowflake.
• Proficiency with data engineering and big data technologies and cloud computing platforms (Azure, AWS, or similar) is an advantage.
• Knowledge of machine learning techniques and algorithms is a plus.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) for supporting data analysis and reporting.
• Understanding of tariffs and international merchandise trade statistics, as well as WTO market access concepts, is desirable.

 

Behavioural knowledge and skills:

• Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage workload and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to both specialized and non-technical audiences.
• Effective interpersonal skills to collaborate with colleagues across teams and stakeholders.
• Self-motivated team player capable of working independently while contributing to team objectives.

 

Work Experience:

Minimum of two years’ experience in designing, building, or maintaining data pipelines, managing databases, and performing data analysis which may include experience gained during the PhD.

 

Languages:

Excellent speaking, reading and writing skills in English. Knowledge of another WTO working language (French or Spanish) is an advantage.

 

Organizational Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Communicating for Results;
• Effective Collaboration;
• Cultivating Progressive Growth;
• Professional Accountability;
• Relevant Digital Proficiency;
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Additional Information:

Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted.

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

The initial fixed-term contract for positions up to grade 10 shall normally be two years, which shall be probationary, as per Administrative Memorandum No. 997 (OFFICE(23)/4) on Probation Policy. For Director positions, the Policy on evaluation of directors apply as per Administrative Memorandum No. 978 (OFFICE(17)/29).

 

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination.

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

 

The WTO is a non-smoking environment.

 

Information Management Specialist

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

External

08-05-2026

Grade 6

Job Category:

Professional

Fixed-term

CHF89,870.00

 

This is an external vacancy notice open to external candidates and WTO staff. It is posted on the WTO internal as well as external career site. Eligible WTO staff on short-term, fixed-term or regular contracts and interns must apply through the Workday internal career site.

 

This is a Fixed-term contract funded through the regular budget. The duration will be two years with the possibility of extension, unless specified in the vacancy notice.

 

 

 

 

The WTO seeks to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity and to build an organization that is representative of the Members and People it serves. As an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, the WTO gives full regard to competence and welcome applications from qualified candidates irrespective of age, disability status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social origin or any other characteristic. Applications from non-represented Members (link) are particularly encouraged for all positions.

.

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill a Information Management Specialist position in the Official Documents and Registry of Notifications Section (ODRNS) of the Language, Documentation and Information Management Division.

 

The ODRNS aims to provide appropriate access to all relevant internal and external information. This entails adding value to information by capturing, indexing, storing, preserving and disseminating it. Information resources are managed and disseminated through the WTO websites and repositories for documents and notifications content. The Section works closely with the membership and secretariat to continuously improve existing and develop new innovative digital search and information discovery solutions to facilitate daily work in committees, meetings and to provide high-quality information, reference services and training to Members and WTO Staff

 

GENERAL FUNCTIONS

 

Under the supervision of the Head of Documentation Branch/Chief of ODRNS, the incumbent will manage the WTO electronic documentation systems in particular Documents Online (DOL) / WTO Discovery and all associated services by collecting user needs from a wide range of stakeholders namely members, observers, organizations, secretariat and public to implement strategies to strengthen core business processes to facilitate quality information retrieval, intuitive discovery and transparency by leveraging information management.

 

DOL is the system enabling the timely electronic dissemination of WTO documentation to the WTO Secretariat, Membership and the Public at large. WTO Discovery is a smart content platform that transforms WTO documentation into interactive, searchable, and customizable content by helping users find relevant information instantly and navigate documents by topic. The ODRNS team ensures that metadata, keywords and their automatic delivery are streamlined and harmonized across all document types.

 

Key accountabilities will include:

 

• Classify, catalogue, index, describe, and systematically organize diverse information resources to ensure accurate access, retrieval, and distribution, applying appropriate metadata standards and digital systems across various domains.
• Contribute to ensuring an effective information management systems for the WTO official documents database DOL, including the search tool leveraging AI and semantics (WTO Discovery). This entails researching and drafting business case proposals for cost effective systems that address the strategic needs of the Organization and ensures operational efficiency; contributing actively to projects in this domain, by drafting business, functional requirement specifications, coordinating with external vendor(s) on information management system requirements and procedures; defining, developing and implementing end user acceptance test plans and other quality assurance assessments.
• Assist in the development of a digital long-term preservation strategy based on XML data structures. This entails revision and quality control of documents converted to XML by identifying missing/incomplete/incorrect metadata.
• Respond to telephone, email and written enquiries from Members, Secretariat and public on information resources by retrieving the material and providing appropriate information.
• In consultation with the Chief of section, plan the delivery of presentation and training programmes for Members, Secretariat and others on how best to access, use and understand WTO information resources through the information management systems. Collaborate with the appropriate Secretariat teams to create and distribute informational resources, in consultation with the Members.
• Participate in the elaboration of information management strategies and policies within the Division and work closely with other colleagues in this area. Keep abreast of and apply the latest international standards in information management, including information discovery through vocabularies (taxonomies, thesaurus, value lists, ontologies), to harmonize information.
• Assist the WTO Central Registry of Notifications (CRN) in processing notification documents, and, as required, the WTO Registry in processing official correspondence, producing periodic reports and providing reference services.
• Undertake any other related tasks as required.

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

Education:

 

An advanced university degree in information management, computer science, information systems management, economics, public or business administration, or a closely related field, is required.

 

A basic university degree plus a qualification in the above mentioned fields recognized by a professional body may be considered equivalent to an advanced university degree. Additional experience may also be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

 

Knowledge and Skills:

 

Proven ability to develop, document and maintain cataloguing rules/practices, information system operating procedures, detailed information system business process flows, business requirement specifications and user acceptance test scenarios.

 

Strong command of tools and methodologies for organizing, classifying, and retrieving information in support of efficient documentation management.

 

A solid understanding of data modelling, indexing, and semantic concepts relevant to information management is required.

 

Working knowledge of structured information formats (e.g., XML, DITA) and principles for organizing and managing structured documentation is required.

 

Knowledge of data mining would be a asset.

 

Knowledge of the Harmonized System and other product classifications would be an asset.

 

The following interpersonal skills are required: relate to and build relationships with colleagues; communicate information in a clear way and understand information; present technical facts to knowledgeable specialised audiences; work as a member of a team, relating to others, while working independently to achieve his/her objectives.

 

Organizational Competencies:

 

Core Competencies:

 

• Communicating for Results
• Effective Collaboration
• Cultivating Progressive Growth
• Professional Accountability
• Relevant Digital Proficiency
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

 

Work Experience:

 

Minimum two year of relevant experience, including demonstrated professional experience in cataloguing, analysis and description of information materials according to internationally recognized standards.

 

Languages:

 

Excellent command of English, both oral and written is required.  A good working knowledge of French and/or Spanish would be an asset.

 

 

Additional Information:

Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted.

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

The initial fixed-term contract for positions up to grade 10 shall normally be two years, which shall be probationary, as per Administrative Memorandum No. 997 (OFFICE(23)/4) on Probation Policy. For Director positions, the Policy on evaluation of directors apply as per Administrative Memorandum No. 978 (OFFICE(17)/29).

 

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination.

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

 

The WTO is a non-smoking environment.