Skip to main content

University of Reading Cookie Policy

We use cookies on reading.ac.uk to improve your experience. Find out more about our cookie policy. By continuing to use our site you accept these terms, and are happy for us to use cookies to improve your browsing experience.

Continue using the University of Reading website

  • Schools and departments
  • Henley Business School
  • University of Reading Malaysia
  • Applicants
  • Student
  • Staff
  • Alumni
  • Local Community
Show/Hide navigation
University of Reading University of Reading
Mobile search categories
  • Study and life
  • Research
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • View courses
  • Home
  • Study and life
    • Study
    • Student life
    • Accommodation
    • Open Days and visiting
    • International students
  • Research
    • Themes
    • Impact
    • Innovation and partnerships
    • Research environment
    • Get involved
  • About us
    • Our global community
    • Business
    • Local community
    • Visit us
    • Strategy
    • Governance
  • Contact us
  • Applicants
  • Student
  • Staff
  • Alumni
  • Local Community
  • Schools and departments
  • Henley Business School
  • University of Reading Malaysia
  • View courses
  • Themes
    • Environment
    • Agriculture, Food & Health
    • Heritage & Creativity
    • Prosperity & Resilience
  • Impact
    • Sustainability research
    • Research highlights
    • REF 2021
    • Research Awards
    • Research Films
  • Innovation and partnerships
  • Research environment
    • Research strategy
    • Funding
    • Support for researchers
    • Facilities
    • Public engagement with research
    • Open Research
    • Animal Research
    • Research integrity
    • Promote your research
  • Get involved

Working globally
Working to serve the world

Research at Reading

Working to serve the world


Working Globally is a broad coalition of organisations including the UN, FCO and the Universities of Reading and Durham to share information on how to share your skills and knowledge with multilateral organisations. 

This website brings together a range of materials that will assist individuals in identifying roles that they can play within multilateral bodies such as the UN, the OECD, the World Bank Group or NATO amongst many others. These roles may include secondments, roles as independent experts and advisors as well as permanent posts. Details on the posts available, databases that individuals can register with and information on how to go forward for posts is available.

UN logo

Work for the UN


Over the years, the United Nations has increased its presence in locations all over the world. There are over 130 field offices, which include peacekeeping and political missions and humanitarian field operations, and they play an essential role in identifying, highlighting, and responding to emerging challenges. While the work may vary greatly, the one unifying factor is the opportunity to make a difference, both in the world and in your own life.

Visit the UN Careers website.

Find out more
The Early Years of the Commission on the Status of Women, January 1950

UN careers e-library

This resource contains a series of leaflets designed to showcase the wide range of career options with the United Nations.

  • Corporate Overview (PDF-439KB)
  • Electoral Affairs (PDF-297KB)
  • Engineering (PDF-331KB)
  • Finance (PDF-309KB)
  • Gender (PDF-295KB)
  • Human Resources (PDF-439KB)
  • Human Rights (PDF-335KB)
  • Humanitarian Affairs (PDF-284KB)
  • Information Management (PDF-320KB)
  • IS&T (PDF-328KB)
  • Legal Affairs (PDF-297KB)
  • Logistics (PDF-323KB)
  • Medical (PDF-306KB)
  • Mgt Programme Analysis (PDF-289KB)
  • Political Affairs (PDF-340KB)
  • Procurement (PDF-316KB)
  • Public Information (PDF-344KB)
  • Rule of Law (PDF-287KB)
  • Security (PDF-327KB)
  • Social Affairs (PDF-313KB)
  • Transport (PDF-328KB)
What career do you want?

UN recruitment process


The following presentation outlines the recruitment process for field missions, from pre-application to interview. It includes hints and suggestions for the application form and cover letter, highlights desirable core values and competencies, and provides insight into how candidates are assessed.

Recruitment process for field missions presentation: a snapshot (PDF-198KB)

.

Event information

In November 2016, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in partnership with the University of Reading and Durham University, hosted a series of events to encourage academics and practitioners, particularly women, from across all disciplines to work with the UN.

Each event featured a number of presentations, highlighting the different roles and opportunities for working with and within the UN, from permanent postings to secondments to part-time experts on missions. 

Speakers included representatives from the UN Talent Outreach and Gender teams, the team responsible for field missions, as well as individuals from UN Offices and Agencies that work in fields ranging from the sciences to the humanities. Representatives of other multilateral bodies also discussed the opportunities for women working in their organisations.

Speakers include:

  • UN Department of Field Support
  • UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • Gustavo Araujo – International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Jane Connors – Amnesty International
  • Lorrae Davey – UN Development programme
  • Paula Donovan – AIDS-Free World
  • Yahav Lichner – UNFPA
  • Sandra Sagrenm – World Health Organisation
  • Manoel Sobral Filho – UN Forum on Forests

The Working Globally outreach events were invitation only; however, materials from some of the presentations will be available on this website at the beginning of December 2016.

For more information on the Working Globally events, please contact:

  • Dr Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law and Global Development, University of Reading
  • Dr Aoife O’Donoghue, Senior Lecturer, Durham Law School
  • Pete Castle, Research Business Partner, University of Reading
  • Events team, University of Reading
Find out more

Recruitment at the United Nations

FCO people database


If you are interested in working for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, please sign up to the FCO people database.

You will receive a weekly newsletter keeping you up to date with FCO recruitment news as well as emails announcing every FCO vacancy.

Multilateral organisations and agencies

  • European Union
  • Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
  • Greenpeace International
  • Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
  • United Nations
  • World Health Organisation


mask
CHOOSE A SUBJECT
2025/26
2026/27
Undergraduates
Postgraduates
Undergraduates
Postgraduates

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Dietetics
  • Digital Business
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.

  • Charitable Status
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of use
  • Sitemap

© University of Reading