Swiss JPO Positions with UNAIDS 2026: Fully Funded United Nations Career Opportunity

Overview

Switzerland sponsors Junior Professional Officer placements at UNAIDS for young Swiss professionals who want experience in the United Nations system while contributing to the HIV response. JPOs are recruited through bilateral arrangements with donor governments, and Switzerland is one of the governments that supports such placements. Assignments typically last two to three years, with the duty station depending on the individual post.

A JPO works as part of an international team with substantive responsibilities. Depending on the host unit and terms of reference, work can involve HIV prevention and treatment, community engagement, health systems, strategic information, monitoring and evaluation, policy, human rights, gender, communications, partnerships, financing, research or resource mobilization.

Who can apply

Applicants generally need Swiss nationality, a relevant master's degree and relevant professional experience. Swiss JPO guidance commonly sets a maximum age of 32, and particular vacancies may add conditions. Relevant academic fields include public health, international relations, development studies, economics, political science, public policy, law, human rights, statistics and communications, depending on the post.

Requirements

Strong written and spoken English is needed. A second United Nations language can be valuable, especially for multilingual teams or specific regional responsibilities. Candidates should prepare a focused CV, a motivation statement, academic documents and evidence of relevant professional experience.

What you get

The placement is funded by the Swiss government. Participants gain experience in how international programmes are designed, implemented, monitored, financed and evaluated, and can build skills in research, writing, project management, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement and leadership. The experience can help with later careers in UN agencies, governments, NGOs and research bodies.

How to apply

Swiss-funded JPO vacancies are advertised through designated Swiss recruitment channels and participating organizations, including the UNAIDS vacancies page. UNAIDS does not charge fees at any stage of recruitment, including application, processing, interviewing, testing or training.