STEM Trainee

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources. 

UNOPS Global Portfolios bring together a range of expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and expert teams operating across regions, we lead complex, multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, peacebuilding and climate action.

We work in close collaboration with the UN family, governments and other local and international partners. Our work ranges from supporting mine action in some of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected contexts, to expanding access to healthcare and clean water, to helping protect the environment.

From Geneva, UNOPS strives to facilitate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade.

UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

UNOPS provides quality services, integrated solutions and management support to UN agencies, initiatives and partners in a strategic, cohesive, cost-effective and results-oriented manner. Geneva is also home to UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Regional Office.

Sustainable Energy for All has a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. Hosted by UNOPS, we work at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organizations worldwide to end energy poverty, double energy efficiency, significantly expand renewable energy and combat climate change.

Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. We promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind. 

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Since then, our CEO has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of nine global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), sustainable energy (SEforALL) humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR.

The just and equitable energy transition cannot be achieved and sustained without ensuring gender equality. The global energy access gap is gendered, and women and girls disproportionately bear the burden of the every-day consequences of energy poverty. At the same time, women are under-represented in the energy sector, from entry- and mid-level positions to boardrooms. As a result, women are less likely to have a voice in the policy and decision-making that affects them. SEforALL’s Gender & Youth (G&Y) programme centres women and youth in the just and equitable energy transition by supporting their entry into and career progression within the sector, as well as empowering the next generation of women and youth leaders. 

SEforALL is recruiting recent women graduates for a traineeship programme in Nigeria. The traineeship will provide hands-on technical training with a focus on clean energy and unlocking financing for SDG 7. STEM Trainees will work closely with Government officials and project partners in the implementation of activities.

This is an affirmative vacancy for candidates identifying as women between the age of 18 and 35 in Nigeria, that is, only applicants identifying as women residing in Nigeria will be considered.

The six-months STEM Traineeship programme will be comprised of two programmatic elements, whereby the first element will involve virtual trainings on professional development, including soft skills, and relevant technical topics, while the second element will involve activity-based technical trainings, providing hands-on practical experience through the provision of support to project partners on the various activities. 

SEforALL has conducted similar traineeships in Ghana, Kenya, Panama, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. More information on the Trainee program and past cohorts are available on the SEforALL website.

Under the supervision of the Programme Manager, Gender & Youth, the STEM Trainees will support SEforALL’s key energy access initiatives in Nigeria. The role focuses on technical project assistance, data analysis for energy planning, and supporting the operationalization of renewable energy financing mechanisms.

The STEM Trainee will be a part of a Nigerian cohort, with the traineeship focused on the following areas:

Technical Support and Operations:

• Provide technical support for the implementation of gender- and youth-responsive energy activities;
• Assist the project team in coordinating activities, meetings, and resources necessary for the successful execution of energy-focused initiatives; and
• Participate in energy audits, site visits & needs assessments for in-country workstreams.

Financial Platform Support and Trainings:

• Support the implementation of the Sustainable Energy Finance Developers Platform by refining and validating project data entries;
• Support the project team in developing training curricula and knowledge-sharing materials for developers, financial institutions, and policymakers;
• Assist in the development of financial models by analyzing cost structures and learning the impact of different capital types (e.g., grants, debt, equity) on project bankability; and
• Support the team in tracking financing commitments and emerging funding mechanisms within the clean energy ecosystem.

Monitoring:

• Support project partners in data collection exercises and market research on climate finance trends; and
• Support with data analysis, platform performance tracking, monitoring of user experience and feedback and regular project reporting.

Engagement in Climate Finance, Policy & Advocacy:

• Contribute to initiatives promoting sustainable energy finance and tracking financing commitments in the clean energy ecosystem;
• Gain insights into viability gaps and the role of various financial instruments in driving sustainable energy projects; and
• Participate in advocacy efforts to raise awareness for sustainable energy finance policies and support in stakeholder engagement initiatives.

Communications & Social Media:

• Use social media channels to promote project visibility, sustainability practices, and advocacy efforts;
• Create and publish engaging digital content, including posts, videos, and graphics, to share across social media channels (e.g. Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn).

Trainees will also be expected to participate in daily activities and authorised site visits in addition to attending supplementary training programmes arranged by SEforALL.

Training components and learning elements to include, but not limited to:

• Undertake soft skills training sessions to support professional development of STEM Trainees:
  • Career development (including resume development, interviewing, networking, and mentorship); and
  • Communications and social media training.
• Undertake technical training sessions to enhance technical understanding of the energy sector with a focus on project operations and climate finance, including:  
  • Knowledge of energy implementation, gender & youth-responsive energy activities, and site assessment methodologies;
  • Appropriate use of financial modeling tools, viability analysis, and data platforms;
  • Familiarity with monitoring tools and framework (market research, performance tracking, and reporting); and
  • Introduction to climate finance mechanisms and capital structures for energy activities.

Required:

• Applicants should be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduated from such studies within three (3) years prior to their application, in a STEM field (i.e., sciences, renewable energy, engineering, data science, geographic information systems, or related areas).

Required: 

• Applicants are not required to have prior work experience

Desired:

• Prior experience in energy, engineering, finance, communications or related fields would be an advantage.

  
  

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• 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.