Agentic AI Research Intern (Home-based)

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. 
 
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

CORPORATE BACKGROUND:

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

As outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029, UNDP’s work is guided by four strategic objectives that together define our contribution to human development: expanding prosperity for all, strengthening effective governance, safeguarding a healthy planet and building crisis resilience. These objectives are enabled by three accelerators that drive transformative impact across our portfolio: digital and AI innovation, gender equality and sustainable finance. Through this integrated approach, UNDP supports countries to deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives and to advance sustainable development at scale.

UNDP, through its Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) (https://sdgfinance.undp.org/), supports partners in promoting financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As an accelerator of the UNDP Strategic Plan, sustainable finance strengthens countries’ ability to mobilize, align and deploy finance at scale for national priorities. UNDP supports international and country level policy reform as a catalyst for system-wide change, stronger policy environments, better-functioning markets and more coherent financing strategies for sustainable development. SFH work is delivered through three interconnected portfolios: 1) Public Finance for the SDGs; 2) Private Finance for the SDGs; and 3) Global & Country Financing Policy Frameworks.

INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND: 

The Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (ICPSD) is one of UNDP’s six Global Policy Centers. ICPSD supports governments, the private sector, and foundations to become transformative partners in sustainable development through applied research, policy advisory, advocacy, and the facilitation of public–private dialogue and partnerships. The Centre leads UNDP’s global work on private sector and foundation engagement and provides technical support to UNDP Country Offices across all regions.

ICPSD’s work is structured around four interlinked thematic pillars:

1. AI, digital transformation and skills development
2. SDG finance and private sector development
3. Islamic SDG finance and
4. Crisis and resilience.

Through these pillars, ICPSD generates evidence, convenes partners, and supports innovative solutions that mobilize private capital, expertise, and innovation in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

ICPSD offers internship opportunities for outstanding graduate-level students. The Programme operates under the rules and regulations of the UNDP Internship Policy.

ICPSD is seeking a dedicated and proactive Agentic AI Intern to join its team in Istanbul, Türkiye (remote). This internship offers a unique opportunity to support the ICPSD SDG AI Lab work on Agentic AI, contributing to the research and development of digital tools for sustainable development. 

The intern will provide support in research and development of Agentic AI, including autonomous agents, multi-agent systems, and Large Language Models (LLMs), to tackle global development challenges such as poverty, inequality, and digital inclusion.

The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience in developing Agentic AI solutions within an international development organization. The internship provides practical exposure to UNDP’s standards and workflows, while offering the opportunity to work closely with a multicultural team and contribute meaningfully to UNDP’s mission of sustainable development.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall guidance of Chief Technical Advisor and the direct supervision of Chief Technical Advisor, the Generative Agentic AI Research Intern will support ICPSD Digital Transformation, Skills and AI Portfolio’s Agentic AI research activities. Duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

The intern will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assist in conducting research on the application of Agentic AI, including autonomous agents, multi-agent systems, and Large Language Models (LLMs), to tackle global development challenges such as poverty, inequality, and digital inclusion.
• Support the drafting analytical briefs that communicate project findings, use cases, and methodologies related to Agentic AI in a format accessible to the public and development stakeholders.
• Support the development, implementation and testing of Agentic AI solutions, including agent orchestration and autonomous workflows, to tackle issues in the field of economic and international development.
• Support the development and optimization of multi-agent workflows using frameworks like LangGraph, AutoGPT, or CrewAI to automate data collection and document analysis.
• Assist in building proof-of-concept agentic systems using frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, or Microsoft Copilot Studio.
• Assist in building tools, APIs, and data connectors that enable agents to interact with development databases and systems.
• Support the implementation of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems and vector databases to enhance agent capabilities.
• Provide as needed support to the Technical Specialist as required for, amongst others, participating in meetings, conferences, providing administrative support, drafting meeting minutes and performing other functions and duties.
• Other relevant tasks as deemed necessary by the supervisor.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

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

a) be enrolled in a second university degree programme (Master’s Degree);

b) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (Bachelor’s Degree); 

c) have graduated with a university degree in fields such as Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics, Econometrics, Mathematics, Economics or similar and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Experience:

• Proficiency in Python programming, particularly for building agent workflows, working with APIs, and developing simple applications, Required
• Strong knowledge of prompt engineering, including designing, testing, and refining prompts for LLM-based applications and agent behaviors, Required
• Experience implementing agentic AI systems using frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen, or Semantic Kernel, Required
• Familiarity with a range of open- and closed-source LLMs, including OpenAI GPT, Claude, Gemini, LLaMA, and other foundation models, Desirable.
• Exposure to Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems and vector databases such as ChromaDB, Pinecone, Weaviate, or Milvus, Desirable.
• Knowledge of evaluation frameworks for assessing performance, bias, and robustness of agentic AI systems, Desirable.
• Experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, or other Microsoft Power Platform tools, or an interest in workflow automation and Microsoft 365 integration, Asset

Language:

• Strong spoken and written English, Required;
• Knowledge of another UN language, Asset.

Technical/Functional Competencies:

• Excellent IT and programming skills with proficiency in Python and API development, Required
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills, with a demonstrated ability to interpret and communicate complex technical concepts clearly, Required
• Strong analytical aptitude and strong communication skills, Required
• Ability to design and implement agent workflows that address real-world development challenges, Required
• Ability to debug and verify agent workflows and outputs, Desirable
• Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues while meeting deadlines, Desirable
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to listen and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, work independently, and take initiative, Required
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, Asset

Other Competencies and Attitude:

• Commitment to UNDP's mission, vision, and values, Required
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age differences, Required
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion, and loyalty, Required

Financial Issues

Interns will be given a stipend according to the UNDP Internship Policies, if they are not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme.

The monthly amount of the stipend will be determined for each duty station based on the stipend rates published yearly by the OHR Policy and Compensation Unit. The stipend will be paid on a monthly basis and part-time internship arrangements are prorated accordingly.

Application Procedure

Candidates who are selected must submit the following documents:

• Official document(s) confirming your education status.
• Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected interns must have medical insurance.

UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months. UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship. Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity. It is important to note that interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and need to plan for these well in advance.

Main Internship Conditions

• Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan
• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship
• Interns may be given a stipend according to UNDP Internship Policy: the stipend is to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.

More information about the internship is available at: http://www.undp.org/internships/.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders) 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.  
 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters 
 
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.   
 
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

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