UNDP Intern Summary

Intern Title: Sustainable Finance Research Intern
Location: Home Based / Remote
Closing Date: 26 May 2026
Contract Duration: 6 months (Internship Programme)
Application Deadline: 26 May 2026, 05:59 AM
Practice Area: SDG Finance
Agency: UNDP
Grade: IN
Languages Required: English
Posting Date: 18 May 2026

Internship Summary

UNDP is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Research Intern to support sustainable finance initiatives, focusing on the link between SDG-aligned reforms and sovereign credit risk.

This full-time, remote internship offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to high-impact research analyzing how development reforms influence fiscal stability and creditworthiness across nations.

Key Responsibilities

Research and Analysis

Conduct targeted research on how Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) integrate ESG factors into sovereign credit assessments.
Analyze the relationship between SDG investments, fiscal strength, and sovereign credit ratings.
Monitor stress test models and climate scenario analyses relevant to sovereign risk.

Tool Development

Assist in designing a visualization tool to map development reforms to credit scores.
Collect and analyze country-level data on fiscal inputs, SDG impacts, and macro-financial metrics.

Knowledge Building

Draft literature reviews, case studies, and contribute to research papers on sovereign debt and sustainable finance.
Support the development of knowledge products highlighting SDG-aligned investments’ impact on fiscal health.

Stakeholder Engagement & Capacity Building

Prepare background notes, presentations, and training materials.
Support capacity-building workshops and stakeholder engagement activities.

Fundraising & Communication

Identify potential funding opportunities, assist in drafting proposals, and prepare donor presentations.
Support communication efforts by developing content for social media and websites to promote research outputs.

Candidate Profile and Skills

Essential Skills & Experience

Enrolled in or recently graduated from a postgraduate program or final-year undergraduate in international development, sustainability, finance, economics, or related fields.
Demonstrated understanding of macroeconomics, sovereign debt, and international financial institutions.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills with experience in data collection and analysis.

Familiarity with ESG factors in credit risk analysis is advantageous.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, R) is a plus.
Fluent in English, with excellent communication skills.

Personal Qualities

Self-starter with strong organizational skills.
Ability to work independently and under pressure.
Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity.

Additional Information

Applicants must provide proof of health insurance coverage.
Interns are not UNDP staff and do not represent the organization officially.
A stipend may be provided to support daily expenses.
UNDP is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging applications from marginalized and underserved populations.