Statistics Intern

Deadline for Applications

December 30, 2025

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

InternshipTarget Start Date

2026-02-01

Terms of Reference

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a full-time internship with the Statistics, Data Science and Survey Section of the Global Data Service at UNHCR Copenhagen.

Established in December 1950, UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for asylum seekers, refugees, returnees, internally displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR currently operates in over 130 countries, using its long expertise to protect and assist millions of forcibly displaced and stateless people.

UNHCR aims to be a trusted leader on data and information related to forcibly displaced and stateless people in order to enable actions to protect, include and empower them. To achieve this vision, UNHCR is investing in priority actions related to data governance, information systems, capacities and skills, as well as the cultural changes needed to strengthen the generation and use of data and evidence. These investments are designed to be informed by data responsibility principles, foster accountability, leverage technology, comply with data protection and information security requirements, and effectively connect information and knowledge across the organization.

The Statistics, Data Science, and Survey Section (SDSS) within the Global Data Service (GDS) in Copenhagen oversees UNHCR’s production of global statistics on forcibly displaced and stateless populations. The Section produces UNHCR’s official population statistics which are published on the Refugee Data Finder and in products such as the Global Trends report. The report analyzes the changes in forced displacement and statelessness and deepens public understanding of ongoing crises. The Refugee Data Finder enables humanitarian workers, decision-makers, researchers and many more to quickly access data and information on forcibly displaced and stateless people. The Section ensures that quality and coherent data related to forced displacement and statelessness is systematically, responsibly and efficiently collected, analyzed and presented by UNHCR and its partners.

Increasingly, UNHCR’s approach to strengthen statistics, data and information systems is based on collaboration and collective efforts with partners and stakeholders. Such partnerships ensure the effective use of resources and better-quality data, ultimately improving outcomes for those affected by forced displacement and statelessness.

At global level, UNHCR is a member of several multi-stakeholder statistical expert groups, ensuring that forcibly displaced and stateless people are visible in global statistical recommendations and reporting. Examples include the disaggregation of government produced statistics by forced displacement status and UNHCR’s custodian role of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 10.7.4. The section also works closely with other organizations such as the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP). The section also supports the production of high-quality data by other divisions and entities within UNHCR. One example is the Safe Pathways report, produced by the UNHCR Division of International Protection and Solutions and OECD.

The section is a key member of the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC), a platform that brings together diverse stakeholders working at the nexus between data and the topics of migration, forced displacement, human mobility, development and child protection. It is led by a joint Secretariat comprised of UNICEF as Chair, UNHCR, IOM, Eurostat and OECD. UNHCR is also a member of its working groups.

Through these partnerships, UNHCR works closely with global, regional and national partners to strengthen capacity on how to collect and compile official statistics on forced displacement and statelessness and to improve the quality and availability of such statistics. The inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless people within national, regional and global statistical production processes is an important prerequisite for improving the visibility of these groups in policy making and programme development and a key component of the Global Compact on Refugees.

This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain experience about the production of forced displacement statistics. It also offers the potential to collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders to advance UNHCR’s efforts in strengthening forcibly displaced and stateless statistics, including demographic data. These efforts aim to enhance both official and operational data on forced displacement and statelessness as well as strengthening UNHCR’s partnership with other stakeholders. The selected candidate will also gain valuable experience in data analysis and producing data-driven products with a focus on forcibly displaced and stateless children. The selected candidate will assist the team in producing high-quality statistics and statistical reports and will have the opportunity to develop their coordination skills, within UNHCR and with partner organizations.

The Position

Working within SDSS, the Statistics intern will work with data of forced displacement and statelessness and strengthen statistical partnerships between UNHCR and other international organizations. The Statistics intern will work under the direct supervision of the Statistics and Data Analysis Officer based in Copenhagen and work closely with the Associate Statistics and Data Analysis Officer, as well as other colleagues within SDSS.

Duties and responsibilities

• Support improvements to the demographic data about forcibly displaced and stateless people by assessing its quality and applying statistical modelling to fill gaps.
• Support the team’s efforts to strengthen UNHCR’s strategic approach to statistical partnerships by engaging in the work of IDAC.
• Contribute to the analytical products led by UNHCR for IDAC.
• Support the preparation of workshops and other materials. Notably, this will include activities within a case study that IDAC is working on with the Government of Indonesia, reviewing the availability and quality of data about children in relevant systems.
• Contribute to research related to the development and delivery of a capacity-building plan related to improving data on forcibly displaced and stateless children.
• Assist in organizing meetings, including drafting meeting minutes.
• Any other tasks that support the work of the team and section.

Minimum qualifications required

To be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and
• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of UNHCR.
• Not have exhausted the maximum cumulative internship period with UNHCR, including any prior internships (8 months for full-time and 12 months for part-time)

NOTE: An individual who bears the relationship of parent, child or sibling or step-parent, step-child or step-sibling to a current UNHCR staff member or affiliate is not eligible for an internship.

Desirable qualifications and skills

• At least B2 level of English is required. Proficiency in additional official UN languages would be an asset.
• A Master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Demography, Sociology, Social Science or any other related field with a strong emphasis on quantitative skills. Understanding and experience of applying statistical and/or econometric models is an asset such as Bayesian hierarchical models.
• Demonstrated ability to develop written material in English, particularly research papers and policy reports based on quantitative analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with various audiences, both technical and non-technical and coordinate projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Knowledge of official statistics and operational data particularly related to forced displacement, including different data sources (census, surveys, administrative data and non-traditional data sources) would be an advantage.
• Interest in pursuing a career in humanitarian/development action, forced displacement, migration or related fields.
• Initiative, sound judgment, excellent interpersonal communication skills and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from diverse backgrounds.

Conditions

The role is full-time, with working hours starting from 9:00 am to 17:30 pm, Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). The successful candidate will be assigned to support the team in Copenhagen.

Allowance: Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.

Travel: Unless provided or paid by external sponsoring entities, UNHCR reimburses interns engaged from a location outside of the country of the duty station for the ticket costs of their outward and return travel to/from the duty station by the most economical route available on economy class, irrespective of the duration of the journey. Reimbursement shall be limited to the authorized outward and return travel between the intern’s country of residence and the intern’s duty station, or actual route of travel, whichever is lower.

Before travel is undertaken, the selected intern must obtain authorization in writing from the hiring office. Such authorization must include the approved cost of the ticket.

Internships normally last two to six months with the possibility of extension up to eight months for full-time internships and twelve months for part-time internships.

How to apply

Interested applicants should submit their application through ww.unhcr.org/careers.html and click on vacancies.

Obligations

Acquiring and renewing current visas, residence permits including all associated costs, obtaining medical certification and compliance with taxation requirements (if applicable), are the responsibility of the intern.

The selected candidate will need to provide UNHCR with a proof of health insurance coverage applicable to the assigned internship location and a certificate of good health from a qualified medical practitioner certifying their fitness for work and travel. In the event the selected candidate is not able to produce the required certificates, they will not be admitted to the Internship Programme.

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If you are a person with a disability and you expect you may face challenges during the recruitment process, you can indicate it in your application form.

There are options to select any health conditions you may have and outline any necessary adjustments related to disabilities during the recruitment phases. Providing this information is optional. It will be treated as strictly confidential and used only for the purpose of finding out how to better assist you during the recruitment process.

Adjustments for candidates with disabilities will be provided as best as possible and as needed upon request.

All candidates will be assessed based on meeting the requirements for each vacancy in relation to experience, skills, and education.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training.
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee or stateless background.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages
English,

,

Desired Languages
,

,

Additional Qualifications
Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information
This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote
No

Location: Copenhagen (HQ), Denmark