Interior Design Internship

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the United Nations headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the Secretary-General. We support programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Resident Coordinator System (RCS) and Kenya Common Back Office (KCBO) as well as other United Nations offices in Kenya and globally by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org).

This post is located at the United Nations of Nairobi (UNON), in Facilities Management and Transport Section (FMTS) under Central Support Services in the Division of Administrative Services (DAS). The internship is for six (6) months under the direct supervision of Associate Logistics Officer of the UNON, DAS, FMTS (A-J Project).

The internship is UNPAID and full-time.

Interns work five days per week under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities

Design Support

• Assist in creating mood boards and styling concepts tailored to specific project themes and client requirements.
• Contribute to space planning, layouts, and furniture selection for office fit-outs and renovation projects.

Presentation and Visualization

• Develop compelling presentations using 3D renderings, sketches, and layouts for client reviews and internal discussions.
• Prepare detailed color schemes, furniture specifications, and finishes schedules for use in renovations and office designs.

On-Site Collaboration

• Participate in site visits to support with design detailing
• Work with contractors and suppliers to ensure project timelines are met and the design vision is implemented effectively.

General Support

• Support the design team with procurement tasks related to furniture and finishes for ongoing and upcoming projects.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
• Have graduated with Bachelor’s degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent
• Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office).
• Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.  Preferred areas of studies:
• Bachelor’s degree in architecture or other related fields.

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Experience in standard computer software applications is required.

Ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views, is required.

Keen interest in the work of the United Nations and having a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter is desirable.ted Nations and having a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter is desirable.

Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme.

Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.