Fellowship Global Health

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: please note that the deadline for applications is indicated
in local time as per the time zone of the applicant's location.

1. Organizational context

(a)  Organizational Setting

Fellowships aim to provide fellows with experience to strengthen their knowledge and professional competence, which they can apply in their professional field once they have completed their fellowship with WIPO. Fellowships should be awarded for specific activities, which provide the fellows training, within the approved workplan of the employing office.

This fellowship is located in the Global Challenges Division, whose objectives are to strengthen WIPO's position as the leading intergovernmental forum for addressing the intersection between intellectual property (IP) and global public policy issues. The Division engages substantively with other UN and intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and civil society in order to lead and inform policy deliberations. It develops practical contributions to demonstrate the benefits of IP in the search for solutions to major global public policy issues, including trade and global health.

This fellowship provides an opportunity for a young professional to gain knowledge and experience in designing and implementing IP capacity building initiatives to boost medical innovation and manufacturing. Specifically, the fellow will support the initiatives under the Global Health Unit's IP for Medical Manufacturing Center of Excellence (CoE). The CoE leverages WIPO's expertise to support regional medical manufacturing in developing countries by taking a "One-WIPO" approach to sensitizing and training governments, universities, medical innovators and manufacturers on different aspects of IP. It focuses on demonstrating how IP supports the innovation, commercialization, and manufacture of medical products (including vaccines, diagnostics, medical technologies, and pharmaceuticals).  

The Fellow shall work under the supervision of the Head of Global Health, Global Challenges Division. 

2. Duties and responsibilities

The Fellow will be required to perform the following principal duties:

(i Contribute to and learn from the development of IP training materials tailored to the needs of stakeholders in medical manufacturing.

(ii Assist in IP capacity building initiatives by supporting needs assessments, conducting research, and contributing to the preparation of publications, and training and mentoring programs, thereby gaining hands on experience in program design and delivery.

(iii Support the preparation and dissemination of guides on IP strategies for health technologies and pharmaceutical anti-counterfeiting, including learning how to support publications, and plan and participate in related launch events.

(iv Support the WIPO Academy in developing and launching a specialized distance learning course on IP for medical manufacturing, while gaining exposure to curriculum design and e-learning approaches for IP and health.

(v Assist the Global Health Unit's scholarship work by helping to assess the IP landscape in the health sector and participating in stakeholder engagement activities.

(vi Support the communications strategy of the Global Health Unit by contributing draft news items, articles, and other communications outputs.

(vii Perform such other related duties.

3. Requirements

a Education:

Essential: First level university degree in law.

Desirable: Advanced university degree in global health, international law, international development or related fields.   

b Experience:

Essential: At least three years of relevant professional experience in IP law, preferably gained in a law firm or comparable setting, including substantial experience engaging with stakeholders in the health and life sciences sector.

Desirable: Additional experience in international organizations or academic settings, particularly in supporting research and publications related to IP and global health.

c Languages:

Essential: Excellent (written and spoken) knowledge of English.

Desirable: Knowledge of any other official UN languages may be an advantage.

d Specific skills and competencies:

Essential:

Good knowledge and understanding of Health and IP issues.

Excellent research and drafting skills.

Excellent analytical and communication skills.

Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Competent user of Microsoft Office applications, Zoom, and ability to adapt quickly to new systems and software.

4. Organizational competencies

1. Communicating effectively.

2. Showing team spirit.

3. Demonstrating integrity.

4. Valuing diversity.

5. Producing results.

6. Showing service orientation.

7. Seeing the big picture.

8. Seeking change and innovation.

9. Developing yourself and others.

5. Terms and conditions

a)     Term of fellowship: A fellowship may be granted for a period of up to 12 months which may be renewed.  

b)     Anticipated Start Date: January 1, 2026.

c)     Location: WIPO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.

d)     Stipend: CHF 7,000 monthly.

e)     Travel expenses: WIPO shall contribute towards the cost of the fellow's travel on engagement and separation from service. If necessary, WIPO may provide assistance in obtaining an entry visa to Switzerland.

f)      WIPO contributes to the medical insurance and provides accident insurance coverage during the course of the fellowship.

g)     WIPO will request a "carte de légitimation" for the Fellow, which serves as a residence and work permit, from the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva. Family members of the Fellow are not eligible for a "carte de legitimation."

h)     Tax and social security: Fellows shall be solely responsible for meeting any taxation and social security obligations that may arise directly or indirectly from their contract with WIPO.  

WIPO values diversity among its personnel and is committed to equal employment opportunities. We welcome
applications from qualified candidates from unrepresented Member States of WIPO, and from underrepresented
geographical regions and groups, including people with disabilities. If candidates need any accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, they should contact their HR focal point when they receive an invitation.
 

Fellows are not staff members of WIPO, and the position does not lead to any employment rights and entitlements beyond the terms of the fellowship.

The Fellowship will take place in Geneva, Switzerland and it cannot be carried out remotely.
 

By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.
 

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of an
identification and of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO only considers higher
educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updatedby the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list canbe accessed through the link: Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and these will be reviewed individually.
 

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening.