UNIDO IFTI Scholarships 2026 in Austria

The Industrial Futures Talent Initiative (IFTI) is a 24?month early?career professional programme developed by the Division of Human Resources Management to strengthen UNIDO’s young talent pipelines, with a particular focus on talent from non-represented Member States from less represented regions, as part of strategies to  improve geographical representation and enhance gender balance across the Organization. IFTI is designed to provide meaningful professional experience for early-career talent to engage in and contribute to UNIDO programmes, projects and activities, initially at Headquarters in Vienna.

The initiative targets young professionals from non?represented UNIDO Member States from the Global South. Participants will gain exposure to UNIDO’s technical cooperation, policy, and corporate work. This vacancy announcement will be used to recruit candidates for two intake rounds, in 2026 and 2027. A single competitive, merit?based selection process will be conducted, and candidates will be ranked based on their overall results. Offers will then be issued in sequence according to this ranking. Across both intake rounds, a total of approximately 6–8 candidates will be selected (around 3–4 candidates per year), subject to the continued availability of funds.

Programme Components:

• Exposure to Technical, Economic, and Industrial Developments: Participants will be exposed to the most up-to-date developments in their field of specialization within the organizational entity to which they are assigned.
• Project Design and Management: Participants will further develop their skills in project design and management through participation across the work cycle.
• On-the-Job Training: Participants will engage in every phase of the working process.
• Diverse and Multi-Cultural Environment: Participants will work effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.
• Mentoring Programme Participation: Participants will be assigned to specific projects and portfolios under the supervision of an experienced staff member. They will be assigned a mentor as well as a buddy to facilitate the development of networks within UNIDO.

The IFTI Project Associates will contribute to the effective implementation of IFTI by supporting programme activities, project design, monitoring, and knowledge management within the assigned technical or corporate unit.

• Table of Content
• About United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
• UNIDO IFTI Training
• Aim and Benefits of UNIDO IFTI Training
• Requirements for UNIDO IFTI Training Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

UNIDO IFTI Training

Aim and Benefits of UNIDO IFTI Training

• The remuneration package offered by UNIDO for the IFTI Project Associate position in its Headquarters in Vienna, Austria is approximately EUR 4,000 gross per month. In addition, the selected candidate will be eligible for applicable allowances, including an air travel allowance (economy?class travel to and from the duty station) and a 50% medical insurance subsidy.

Requirements for UNIDO IFTI Training Qualification

Education and work experience: A minimum of first?level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least two (2) years of relevant professional work experience in a field, including practical exposure to technical cooperation, industrial development, environmental sustainability, or economic competitiveness, is required.
• Experience working in or with developing countries, particularly in the Global South, is desirable.
• Experience in project design, monitoring, or research in areas aligned with UNIDO’s mandate (industrial policy, sustainability, competitiveness) is desirable.
• Familiarity with multicultural work environments and interest in sustainable industrial development, as emphasized in the IFTI eligibility criteria, is an asset.
• Experience supporting early?career talent programmes, youth development initiatives, or diversity and inclusion efforts is desirable.

Other requirements:

• Age between 23 and 28 at the time of application is required.
• Demonstrated interest in sustainable economic and industrial development is required.
• Nationality of the UNIDO Member States mentioned in the Organizational context above is required.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

Women bring essential perspectives to UNIDO’s mission, and we actively encourage talented women from the above-mentioned non?represented UNIDO Member States from the Global to apply and help shape the future of inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Contact: [email protected]

For more information, kindly visit UNIDO webpage.