United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Listed on Orbital Diplomat 17 Oct 2026
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is the UN body responsible for promoting the peaceful uses and international governance of outer space, serving as the secretariat for COPUOS and maintaining the UN Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space. Its Space Sustainability Unit (SSU) focuses on the legal, policy, and technical frameworks underpinning sustainable space activities — one of the most active and consequential areas of current international space governance. This internship is placed within the Space Sustainability Unit and runs for a minimum of four months with the option to extend to six months, beginning January 2027. The intern will assist with capacity-building activities on space sustainability, law, and policy; support legal and policy research and analysis; and deliver a final presentation on internship outcomes. The position can be carried out in-person in Vienna or virtually. For students in space law, international law, or space policy, this is one of the most directly relevant and prestigious internships available in the international space governance ecosystem — embedded within the core UN institution managing COPUOS processes, the long-term sustainability guidelines, and the evolving multilateral framework for responsible behaviour in outer space. The internship is unpaid; interns are responsible for their own costs and visa arrangements.
Currently enrolled in or recently completed a graduate programme (Master's or higher), or in the final year of a Bachelor's degree in international affairs, policy and law, or a field relevant to UNOOSA's activities Fluency in spoken and written English (mandatory); knowledge of an additional UN official language an advantage Computer literacy in standard software applications including spreadsheet preparation Demonstrated interest in space law, space sustainability, and/or space policy Personal commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter and ability to work in a multicultural environment Cover Note must include: degree programme, graduation date, past research in space law or sustainability, past experience (if any), top three areas of interest, explanation of candidacy, and interest in the UN Internship Programme Personal History Profile must include all work experience, IT skills, and three references