Economic Affairs Intern

Organizational Context

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) serves as a crucial link between global economic, social, and environmental policies and national implementation, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its Economic Analysis and Policy Division (EAPD) conducts research and policy analysis on global macroeconomic trends. This internship is within EAPD's Global Economic Monitoring Branch, reporting to an Economic Affairs Officer.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of this Economic Affairs Intern role is to provide essential support to the Global Economic Monitoring Branch within DESA's Economic Analysis and Policy Division. The intern will be a core team member contributing to the production of the UN's flagship publication, the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP). This involves delivering crucial quantitative and qualitative research inputs on a range of macroeconomic topics and policy issues, directly informing the publication's analysis and forecasts. Furthermore, the intern will offer substantive and logistical assistance for policy seminars and expert group meetings, which are integral to the preparatory stages of the WESP2027 report. This role significantly contributes to the UN's mandate of providing timely and relevant economic analysis to guide global development policies.

Responsibilities

The intern will undertake comprehensive research, including conducting background research and literature reviews on current macroeconomic developments, policies (monetary, fiscal, industrial, financing, trade), and sustainable development issues. A key duty involves quantitative data analysis, which includes identifying and collecting macroeconomic data from various sources, visualizing data, and performing basic economic modelling. The role also requires assisting in the updating and improvement of economic models managed by the Global Economic Monitoring Branch. Furthermore, the intern will provide significant support for the organization of policy seminars and expert group meetings for the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2027 report, preparing background materials, offering logistical assistance, and contributing to the drafting of summary reports. Additional responsibilities include supporting the team's daily operations, such as servicing information requests, developing presentations, updating databases, and preparing a final presentation on internship findings.

Work Experience

Professional work experience is not a mandatory requirement for this internship. However, a field of study directly relevant to the internship is essential. Desirable experience includes proven ability in using large-scale datasets and applying descriptive statistics.

Skills

Standard software proficiency (MS Word, PowerPoint, Teams). Working knowledge of statistical/econometric software (Stata, Eviews, R). Experience with large-scale datasets and descriptive statistics (desirable). Fluency in English (required). Knowledge of another official UN language (advantage).

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