© HGEsch
Gather valuable experience – through an internship, trainee programme, voluntary work, practical training or by joining the company as an employee. Whichever path you take, you will have the opportunity to do meaningful work. Whether you work for us in Germany or overseas, we offer an exciting work environment where you can hone your professional skills.
As an intern, you will gain insights into the very varied work GIZ does. Internships are available across a range of units within the company and in different locations. In Germany, you can complete an internship at our major locations in Berlin, Bonn and Eschborn or at any one of our smaller regional offices. Internships are also available at many locations around the world.
The objective of an internship is to familiarise the intern with development cooperation and the work of GIZ in Germany or abroad. In terms of content, the internship programme abroad is oriented to the priority areas of development cooperation. In Germany, interns become familiar with the areas within which GIZ works and its organisational structures and take part in the day-to-day work of the unit in which they are based.
Would you like to support GIZ as an intern? We look forward to receiving your application.
Go to our Job Portal and select ‘Internship’ from the ‘Type of function’ drop-down menu on the right-hand side.
You must apply online for an advertised internship. We do not accept unsolicited applications.
We advertise internships in Germany and abroad all year round. Click here for our current vacancies. You should keep checking so that you can apply for an internship in your area of specialisation when one becomes available.
Within each specific internship advertisement, you will find an ‘Apply now’ button, which will take you to an online application form. Please use this form to apply. You will need to register to be able to complete the form. If you are applying for an internship, you should only complete the ‘Other competencies’ section under ‘Qualifications’; the other skills listed are not relevant to an internship, and you will not be able to access these sections.
Please take the time you need to complete the application form as fully as possible. We attach importance to short but informative covering letters.
Yes. You must be enrolled at a university or have graduated no more than six months prior to the start date of the internship.
Internships in Germany or abroad are possible for a maximum of six months. It is possible to do one internship in Germany and one internship abroad.
Shorter periods are possible, and this will be indicated in the advertisement or can be agreed on a case-by-case basis. Please indicate in your covering letter that you would like a shorter internship.
For an internship within Germany, you need statutory health insurance unless the internship is a mandatory part of a vocational training programme. Other kinds of insurance are not permitted. If the internship is mandatory, GIZ will not deduct social security contributions, and you are free to choose the form of insurance cover you wish.
For an internship abroad, decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Our Human Resources Department will advise you.
Yes. As a general rule, you will be able to write your final dissertation while at GIZ, and an internship is one way of doing that. If you are interested in this opportunity, please indicate clearly in your application that you will be writing your dissertation; your project/topic can then be taken into consideration when we make the selection.
Some internships are advertised on a part-time basis. This will be made clear in the advertisement.
Have you just graduated or recently started out in your career and are now looking for the right employer? If you are a graduate or young professional with up to two years’ work experience, you can apply for one of our junior positions. They are an excellent way to gain initial knowledge and skills within our company and within German international cooperation.
We offer junior positions at our offices in Germany and in our partner countries across the globe.
The DC Trainee Programme is a training programme for young professionals offered by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ.
The DC Trainee Programme will give you an introduction to the complex coordination and management roles available within development cooperation. Once you have completed this programme, you will be well qualified to take on a challenging role as an expert or manager at GIZ or with another German or international development institution.
The programme begins on 1 July each year and lasts 17 months. You will have a hands-on introduction to many different aspects of German and multilateral development cooperation (DC). The programme focuses on bilateral development cooperation. Your training begins in Germany with a one-month period of preparation for working abroad.
You will then complete an assignment abroad for a period of up to 11 months. Eight months will be spent working on a GIZ project in one of our partner countries and the remainder in a partner country or at the head office of another German or international DC organisation. Finally, you will undertake a five-month assignment at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in Bonn or Berlin.
You will have completed a university degree. Please refer to the relevant trainee programme advertisement for the specific profile requirements. You should also have initial practical experience, including experience gained as part of an internship. Initial experience of working in a developing country and knowledge of development cooperation will be an advantage. The programme is open to individuals of any nationality, but to get the most out of the training, it is important that you have a good command of spoken and written German.
You will receive EUR 2,300 per month.
Contact
Caroline Neininger
caroline.neininger@giz.de
T: +49 6196 79 7509
Further information
Current vacancies for DC TraineeshipsThe window for applying for the Development Cooperation Trainee Programme is between 1 September and 30 September each year. During this period, you can apply for a maximum of two of the trainee posts advertised on our Job Portal. Please ensure that you meet the requirements of the post(s) for which you apply. You must have completed your degree by the time you begin the DC Trainee Programme (not by the time you apply). Successful applicants will embark on the Development Cooperation Trainee Programme on 1 July of the following year.
We regret we cannot accept unsolicited applications or applications submitted outside the application window. You must submit applications during the application period and only in response to advertised vacancies.
During the application window, you can apply through our Job Portal for specific development cooperation trainee posts with different specialisms. To view our current vacancies, simply click on ‘Aktuelle Angebote für EZ-Trainees’ (‘Current vacancies for development cooperation trainees’) in the right-hand column. Please submit your application in German and using the electronic application form. Please attach a CV listing relevant experience and an informative covering letter for the shortlisting process. You are welcome to attach further documents, but these are not required for shortlisting purposes. You will receive an automated reply confirming receipt of your application. We regret we cannot accept applications submitted by post or email.
We plan to finish shortlisting in December and will then write to all applicants. The selection process begins in December and, depending on the traineeship in question, will be complete by March of the following year.
Have you completed your degree? Are you looking for an entry-level post in a commercial area? We have just the programme for you. Build on your basic expertise with a detailed look at the roles of financial management experts abroad or the commercial roles of financial and administrative managers within the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH’s country offices abroad. A trainee programme with us will enable you to combine theoretical knowledge with practical work experience.
The 18-month programme covers a number of assignments and areas of expertise. You will spend time in different units in Germany and abroad.
Following three weeks’ onboarding in Germany, you will be placed in a range of units in either Bonn or Eschborn. Each placement will last for between two and eight weeks and will give you a comprehensive overview of an area in which GIZ works; these include Finance, ELVIS (Procurement and Contracting), International Services, one of our regional departments, Legal Affairs and Insurance, Auditing, and Compliance and Integrity.
You will then complete a 12-month assignment on a project abroad, which forms the core of the programme. With the skills you have acquired in Germany, you will complete a full commercial cycle on one of our projects abroad. You will also work on your own project under supervision.
To enable you to familiarise yourself with the procedures and processes relevant to financial management, and the various interfaces this work involves, this 12-month field assignment will include a placement of around eight weeks in the country office.
On successful completion of the programme, we expect our trainees to be willing to work in one of GIZ’s partner countries.
Vacancies for the Financial Management Trainee Programme are usually advertised in May each year. Successful applicants will start the Programme on 1 October of the same year.
We regret we cannot accept unsolicited applications for the programme or applications submitted outside the application window.
You can find current vacancies on our Job Portal. Please submit your application in German using the electronic application form. Please attach a CV showing relevant experience and an informative covering letter for shortlisting purposes. You are welcome to attach further documents, but these are not required for shortlisting purposes. You will receive an automated reply confirming receipt of your application. We regret we cannot accept applications submitted by post or email.
You will be paid in line with GIZ’s company collective bargaining agreement. During your time abroad, you will also receive a foreign service premium.
We make every effort to recruit those who have successfully completed the Trainee Programme as finance managers in one of our partner countries.
Do you enjoy communications? Are you enthusiastic about international cooperation? The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Public Relations (PR) Traineeship is the perfect way of bringing these two areas together. Click here to find out what training with GIZ involves and you can apply.
You will receive a thorough training and acquire the tools for a communications role of the future during this 24-month traineeship, which will familiarise you with all aspects of corporate communications. The Corporate Communications Unit is responsible for strong and persuasive communications about the company’s services, successes, principles and values, both internally and externally. It devises the company’s Communications Strategy on the basis of its Corporate Strategy and makes targeted use of internal and external instruments to reach stakeholders, including media relations and staff communications. The Corporate Communications Unit provides continuing training and advice to communications officers in our partner countries.
During the traineeship, the various sections within the Corporate Communications Unit will support you. You will write press releases and texts for online media, organise internal and external events, and develop communications concepts. You will learn about the issues involved in an integrated company presence, moderate online communities and advise communications officers worldwide. We will assign you a mentor, who will support you throughout your training.
External training will enable you to acquire the skills needed for a public relations advisory post. You will take part in seminars run by an accredited examinations body for the PR sector to enable you to acquire a recognised PR qualification on completion of your training. GIZ will meet the costs of the seminars and examination fees. A placement with a media company will give you deeper insight into the sector. GIZ’s press team will support you in choosing your placement.
The majority of the training will be based in Eschborn, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. You will also learn about GIZ’s work in Berlin, Bonn and Brussels and in a partner country.
The training allowance is currently EUR 2,200 per month gross. The company will pay travel expenses and an accommodation subsidy. You will also be eligible for a ‘JobTicket’ (a free travel pass for local public transport).
The traineeship is expected to be advertised again in 2026.
Current vacancies can be found on GIZ's job market
You should have an undergraduate degree in a humanities, social science or business studies discipline; a Master’s degree is not essential but would be an advantage. You will be curious and enthusiastic about trends in the communications sector and will have initial practical experience in the area of communications from working at an agency, a company or a media outlet. You will be interested in international cooperation and, ideally, will already have some idea of the issues involved in working in this area. You will have a feel for language, love writing and be willing to learn about new topics. You should have fluent German and very good English; further languages would be an advantage.
All applications must be submitted online. The traineeships are advertised on GIZ’s online Job Portal. We regret we cannot accept unsolicited applications. Applicants who have applied previously may submit a fresh application and may find it advantageous to do so if they or their specialist knowledge have developed in the meantime.
The first stage is to submit a CV and covering letter, along with samples of your work, via the online Job Portal. Please note the maximum size of the files you can upload: your application documents must not exceed 2 MB in size. Following the closing date, the Human Resources Department will consider all the applications received. Suitable applicants will be invited to a one-day group selection event. This will involve interviews and tasks to test your aptitude and skills. Soon after the event, you will receive feedback.
As part of the PR Traineeship, you will move to a different section every three months, working with the Communications Strategy, Internal Communications, Media and Public Relations, and Communications Advisory Services sections. You will also learn more about local communications in Berlin and Brussels.
Depending on your experience, the order in which you work in these sections may vary. In most cases, you will start your Traineeship in Eschborn or Bonn. We will try to arrange the placements in such a way that you spend six months in Bonn and six months in Eschborn. The length of placements in Berlin and Brussels may vary. You will also spend three months in a GIZ partner country, gaining experience there. The company will take personal preferences into account for this element of the Traineeship. Your mentor will advise you on selecting a suitable country of assignment.
The PR Traineeship represents an investment by the Corporate Communications Unit in its future, so it is in the company’s interest to employ former trainees on a permanent basis. We will discuss the details and opportunities with you at the appropriate time.
Would you like to complete the elective element of your law degree working in international cooperation? GIZ offers you an opportunity to do just that. Below, we explain what is involved and how you can apply.
The Legal Affairs and Insurance Unit of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Bonn and Eschborn comprises a team of lawyers who handle the legal issues arising from the company’s work both in Germany and in partner countries. Given the cross-border and interdisciplinary nature of international cooperation for sustainable development, these issues cover a broad and diverse range of legal areas.
As a trainee, you will support the Unit in tackling these issues. You will provide support through internal discussions and external meetings. You will also take part in team discussions within the Legal Affairs and Insurance Unit. You will handle appropriate enquiries independently and in direct contact with clients/commissioning parties.
There is also an option to gain insight into the specialist planning and support of legal projects implemented by GIZ in cooperation with its partner countries.
You will take over specific local roles and carry them out under guidance and supervision. This will give you insight into the legal issues involved in development cooperation and a chance to find out more about GIZ projects locally.
Your role will focus mainly on contract law, especially contract design and disruption to the contract process, procurement law, tax law, European law, company law, international civil law, construction law and employment law.
There is no application deadline. You can apply at any time, either by email or via the GIZ Job Portal.
If you are interested in completing an elective element in Germany, we look forward to receiving your letter of application and CV by e-mail to Ms Christine Werthmann at the Legal Affairs and Insurance Unit.
If you are interested in an elective station abroad, you can contact Joanna Lowicka by e-mail, who will send you a list of projects abroad to which you can then apply.
Our recent news
