Location: The Hague, Netherlands
The OPCW internship programme is aimed at motivated students with an interest in gaining experience in international organisations. The programme normally provides work placements in the Technical Secretariat for a three to six month period, giving first-hand experience of the day-to-day working environment of an international organisation and contributing to the OPCW mission to achieve a world permanently free of chemical weapons. Interns work directly with career professionals, are exposed to high-profile conferences, participate in meetings, and contribute to analytical work and organisational policy.
The Office of the Legal Adviser (LAO) reports directly to the Office of the Director-General. Its main responsibilities include: implementation and interpretation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), providing legal advice to the Director-General, the Technical Secretariat and the Policy-Making Organs; advice on OPCW internal legislation including the Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules and the Financial Regulations and Rules; preparing the Organisation's briefs in personnel cases before the Appeals Council or the ILO Administrative Tribunal (ILOAT); advice on international agreements (facility agreements, relationship agreements, privileges and immunities agreements, the Headquarters Agreement, voluntary contribution agreements); and advice on procurement of goods and services.
This vacancy notice covers two internship opportunities, with proposed starting dates of 1 October 2026 and Q1 2027.
Main responsibilities: prepare first drafts of memoranda and other communications on legal issues arising from CWC implementation; research rules of public international law relating to interpretation of the CWC; prepare background notes on legal issues relating to individual States to guide senior OPCW officials in bilateral discussions; provide support in preparation for meetings of States Parties and prepare records of such meetings; research administrative law matters, including ILOAT jurisprudence, related to the OPCW Staff Regulations, Interim Staff Rules, Financial Regulations and Rules and other internal legislation.
Qualifications (essential): enrolled in and having completed at least one year of a law degree programme at a university or equivalent tertiary institution, or in a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher); or graduated in law from a university or graduate school within a year prior to the commencement of the internship; and be a citizen of an OPCW Member State. Desirable: graduation from an undergraduate law degree (e.g. LLB) or completion of at least one year of a postgraduate law programme (e.g. LLM or PhD). Excellent research and analytical skills required. Fluency in written and spoken English is essential; a good working knowledge of another OPCW official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is desirable.
Remuneration: EUR 540. Contract type: Intern. Interns work no more than 40 hours a week. Participants receive no financial remuneration for expenses incurred; travel, visas, taxes, accommodation, living expenses and repatriation are the intern's responsibility, and proof of sufficient financial means for living expenses is required. Acceptance for the programme carries no expectation of employment with the OPCW, and interns may not apply for or be appointed to OPCW posts within six months of the internship agreement end date.
Closing date: 26/08/2026
HOW TO APPLY:
Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered. All vacancies close at 22:00 The Netherlands local time on the closing day; applicants are advised to apply well in advance of the deadline. Only applicants under serious consideration will be contacted.
https://jobs.opcw.org/job/job-internship-office-of-the-legal-adviser_581.aspx