Global health careers

On this page, you will find links to relevant global health job databases and employers, tips and tricks to start the process of finding a internship or a volunteer job, and further down, you will find a selection of current global health career opportunities for students and professionals pursuing a career within the field of global health.

There are many job and internship opportunities within the field of global health, however the job market can still be a very competitive and complex jungle to navigate. A general advice is to know what you aspire to work with in the future, but not to be too picky in the initial phase of your career. You should keep working towards your dream job – and the majority of jobs will provide you with experience, skills and knowledge that can help you land that job in the future.

Listed below are suggested job listing sites to inspire and get you started in finding information concerning job and internship opportunities within the field of global health.

UCPH Job Sites

Job Search Sites

Non-Government Organisations

Patient Organisations

Private Companies

Multilateral agencies

Others

 

 

An internship provides a unique opportunity for students to gain valuable experience and put the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in the course of their studies into practice. There are numerous internship opportunities within the field of global health in the NGO, public and private sector in Denmark and abroad.

We are in an ongoing dialogue with a wide range of NGOs, universities, research institutions, consultancy firms, foundations, bi- and multilateral agencies, and other public and private sector partners about (announcement) of opportunities for students and graduates. They are posted in the list on this site below.

Where to start?

Below you will find some general advice to help you focus and structure your internship research and application process. Remember to check specific internship guidelines and procedures prevailing at your study as well.

1. Start early

The internship search process can begin up to one year in advance. Note that many established internship programmes, especially those at large international organisations, require a lengthy period of review to allow for security clearances and other bureaucratic technicalities.

2. Do your search

This is the most crucial part of the internship application process. There are thousands of relevant internships out there, but it will take some time for you to find which ones are most appropriate for you and your study and possibly also your subsequent thesis.

3. Develop contacts

It is important for you to make networking a priority while you are at the university. It is likely that the current exposure you have to a wide variety of fellow students, scholars and professionals is greater now than at later stages of your career. In addition to providing overall information on career options and job opportunities, your contacts may also serve as a source for specific advice and support throughout your internship or job search. Many will have been in the position you are in right now, and will be happy to share fond memories and useful tips.

4. The application process

The application process varies for each host organisation and position and will typically be explained in the advertisement. Often it is requested you include a letter of motivation, a CV, and/or a list of references and recommendation letters to your application. Some employers also ask for a transcript or an official letter from your university confirming that you are enrolled in a degree program.

Create a CV with the Europass CV template

5. Entering the formal Internship Agreement

Each study has its own internship guidelines and procedures and many even have their own fixed Internship Agreement format that is mandatory to use. Check specific requirements with relevant contact persons at your study.

6. The interview

If an internship interview is required in person or online, consider this as an opportunity to highlight your suitability for the internship position and also for you to assess if it is a good fit between the internship and your career and learning goals.

Are you ready for an internship?

Here are some key questions to guide your internship search and decision.

  1. Why are you searching for an internship? To complement courses, for thesis work, or both?
  2. What is your degree program and what are your fields of interest or topical concentration within your main studies? Does the internship position you want to pursue match your degree program?
  3. What kind of organisation and sector are you interested in working for? Public sector, private sector, non-profit NGO or International organisations?
  4. What kind of skills/competences do you want to develop? What sort of experience is lacking from your academic/professional training? Internships are often organised by function: research and analysis, project management, fundraising and event planning, field work, public relations and communications, training, etc. You should assess the internship opportunities not only by relevance to your field of interest, but also by in terms of which skills/competences and experiences each opportunity could help you develop.
  5. Where is your desired location of internship? Some students prefer internships in low- and middle income countries, others in high income countries abroad, while some prefer to stay within Denmark. How can an internship be funded if abroad? According to the study rules and regulations for University of Copenhagen, internships may not receive an actual salary from the hosting organisation, so make sure to plan how to cover the cost of the internship.

 

 

If you have the time and energy, we recommend that you seek out global health volunteer jobs in order to build your CV.

There are several reasons for the importance of volunteer work:

  1. You will learn valuable skills and expand your network;
  2. You will help organisations make a big difference to their target groups; 
  3. You will gain a stronger position in your future job search with volunteer experience on your resumé; 
  4. You can specialise within a specific field of your interest on a level that your study might not be able to offer - this is also important for future jobs as the demand for generalists is decreasing.

Many organisations (big and small) are looking for volunteers to fill various roles within their organisational structure and projects. Being a volunteer gives you the freedom to make more demands of the work place because you work for free e.g. in terms of responsibilities, hours and work load. However, you must also be okay with sometimes conducting simple tasks such as taking notes and making coffee.

Many organisations use volunteers as the driving force to accomplish their tasks. This means that you can start out as an assistant and work your way up to being a project manager if you show dedication and hard work. Even though you will work for free, it is time well-spent as it will significantly boost your resumé.

Selected websites relevant for volunteer jobs in Copenhagen

 

Global health career videos

Current global health career opportunities

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Questions?

Questions about academic and practical issues

Please contact Study Board Secretary and/or the Study and Career Advisors at your Faculty.

General questions

Bjørg Elvekjær
E-mail: belv@sund.ku.dk
Phone: +45 35 32 67 04

Additional career advice

How to write a job application
Perfecting your pitch
Prepare for a career
Career stories from alumni
Networking with companies

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