UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Innovation.

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference? 

Key Responsibilities

1. Support AI roadmap coordination and use case documentation

• Support follow-up on the SLCO AI Roadmap, including focal points, quick wins, timelines, and action trackers.
• Assist in documenting practical AI use cases across programme and operations sections.
• Support coordination with section focal points to capture AI-related needs, opportunities, challenges, and examples.
• Prepare short meeting notes, action points, and updates from AI-related discussions.

2. Support AI learning, prompt engineering, and knowledge management

• Assist with preparation of materials for AI learning sessions, prompt engineering clinics, and practical demonstrations.
• Help document useful prompts, examples, lessons learned, and simple guidance notes for staff.
• Support the organization of AI resources, templates, presentations, and learning materials on SharePoint or other internal platforms.
• Support feedback collection from AI learning activities and summarize key insights.

3. Support AI/NLP and ecosystem engagement

• Support documentation of AI/NLP actors, national language technology groups, universities, youth innovators, and relevant partners in Sierra Leone.
• Assist with planning and documentation for possible AI/NLP convenings, innovation challenges, hackathons, or youth-facing activities.
• Help prepare draft inputs for AI/NLP concept notes, ecosystem briefs, and meeting summaries.

4. Support related digital innovation and reporting work

• Provide documentation and follow-up support for selected digital innovation workstreams, including DPG/DPI mapping, DPG Academia, DPG Accelerator, CRAT, U-Report, Learning Passport, RapidPro, and other relevant initiatives.
• Assist with maintaining trackers, consolidating updates, and organizing information for reporting, planning, and section coordination.
• Support the preparation of briefs, presentations, meeting notes, and knowledge products showing how AI and digital innovation contribute to results for children.

Prepare an end-of-internship handover note summarizing work completed, key resources, pending actions, and recommendations.

4. Learning and Professional Development 

• Participate in internal learning opportunities and discussions related to responsible AI, digital innovation, data use, and technology for development.
• Engage with the Innovation team, DID, programme sections, and AI focal points to strengthen understanding of how AI and digital tools can support UNICEF’s work for children.
• Contribute ideas and feedback to improve AI learning materials, knowledge products, use case documentation, and digital innovation resources.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  ToR - AI and Digital Innovation Internship.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: 

• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated (within the past two years) from a Bachelor’s or master’s programme in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, ICT, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business, Innovation, or another relevant field.
• Coursework or training in AI, data science, project management, or technology for development is an asset. 

Experience and Other Conditions: 

• Previous internship, academic, volunteer, or project experience related to AI, data, digital innovation, research, knowledge management, technology, or project coordination is an advantage.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams, is required.
• Familiarity with generative AI tools and large language models, such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or similar tools, is desirable.
• Familiarity with SharePoint, data visualization tools, GitHub, open-source platforms, or project management tools is desirable.
• Interest in responsible AI, AI for development, Digital Public Goods, Digital Public Infrastructure, open-source solutions, and UNICEF’s mandate for children is desirable.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office; and have no other relatives in the line of authority that the intern will report to.
•  

Skills

• Strong interest in responsible AI, digital transformation, innovation, data, and children’s rights.
• Strong writing, research, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Ability to summarize technical or complex information clearly.
• Good attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to maintain trackers and organize information systematically.
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully in a multicultural environment.
• Willingness to learn, ask questions, and take initiative under supervision

Language Requirements: [Insert the primary UN language you need for the fluency requirement]

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required. 
• Knowledge of a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable [Sierra Leoneans] are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.