FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026: Apply for Nine P-1 Positions in Rome, Geneva, Vienna, Bangkok and Kathmandu

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has opened applications for nine positions under the FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026. The programme provides qualified early-career professionals with an opportunity to begin an international civil-service career while supporting FAO’s work on food security, agriculture, nutrition, climate resilience and sustainable agrifood systems.

The available Young Professional Officer positions cover a broad range of technical and professional disciplines, including finance, economics, communications, programme support, food loss and waste, aquaculture, school nutrition, climate change and support for Small Island Developing States.

Applications are being accepted for positions in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Thailand and Nepal. Each opening is classified at the international professional P-1 level and carries a two-year fixed-term appointment with the possibility of extension.

Candidates should carefully review the requirements of each position and apply through the official FAO recruitment portal before the deadline.

FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026: Key Information

Item	Details
Programme	FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026
Number of available positions	Nine
Grade	P-1, Professional category
Appointment	Two-year fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension
Probation	One-year probationary period
Locations	Rome, Geneva, Vienna, Bangkok and Kathmandu
Date vacancies were posted	10 August 2026
Application deadline	7 September 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Application method	Online through the official FAO recruitment portal
Application language	English
General age requirement	32 years of age or younger on 31 December 2026
General experience requirement	At least one year of relevant professional experience
General education requirement	An advanced university degree relevant to the selected position

FAO explains that the deadline time shown on an individual vacancy page may change according to the time settings of the applicant’s device. Its application guidance also states that vacancy announcements are removed from the career portal at 23:59 CET on the closing date. Applicants should therefore check the deadline displayed in their own portal and submit well in advance.

What Is the FAO Young Professionals Programme?

The FAO Young Professionals Programme is an international recruitment initiative designed to bring talented young professionals into FAO at the beginning of their international civil-service careers.

Young Professional Officers work under the supervision of senior FAO staff and collaborate with colleagues, governments, development partners, research institutions, civil-society organizations and other stakeholders. Depending on the assignment, their work may involve:

• Identifying and designing development programmes and projects;
• Supporting project implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Conducting research and technical analysis;
• Developing databases, indicators and knowledge products;
• Preparing policies, reports, briefs and communication materials;
• Supporting capacity-building programmes, workshops and consultations;
• Coordinating with governments, international organizations and donors;
• Contributing to FAO’s regional, country-specific and thematic initiatives.

Selected candidates are generally appointed at P-1 Step 1 during the first year and move to P-1 Step 2 during the second year, subject to applicable FAO policies.

This FAO programme is distinct from the United Nations Secretariat Young Professionals Programme examination. Applications for these positions must be made directly through the FAO career portal.

Complete List of FAO Young Professional Officer Positions

Position	Requisition	Duty station
Small Island Developing States	2601691	Geneva, Switzerland
Food Loss and Waste	2601699	Bangkok, Thailand
Aquatic Value Chain	2601689	Rome, Italy
Communication and Outreach	2601606	Rome, Italy
Programme Support	2601686	Vienna, Austria
School Food and Nutrition	2601701	Rome, Italy
Climate Change and Natural Resources Management	2601710	Kathmandu, Nepal
Economist	2601700	Rome, Italy
Finance	2601703	Rome, Italy

1. Young Professional Officer: Small Island Developing States

Requisition number: 2601691
Duty station: Geneva, Switzerland
Organizational unit: FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in Geneva

This position supports FAO’s engagement with Small Island Developing States, commonly known as SIDS. These countries face shared challenges that include geographic isolation, limited resources, exposure to climate change, vulnerability to disasters and difficulties in building resilient agrifood systems.

The officer will contribute to policy dialogue, partnerships and knowledge exchange concerning the transformation of agrifood systems in SIDS. The work will involve engagement with permanent missions, regional organizations and other international stakeholders based in Geneva.

Principal responsibilities

The selected candidate will:

• Support regular engagement with SIDS permanent missions in Geneva;
• Help coordinate the SIDS Solutions Dialogue Series;
• Contribute to implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS 2024–2034;
• Support coordination with FAO’s regional and subregional offices;
• Engage with CARICOM, the Pacific Islands Forum and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States;
• Help integrate SIDS priorities into FAO’s work on trade, climate change, resilience, fisheries and One Health;
• Contribute to a quarterly SIDS Digest using knowledge-management and applied artificial-intelligence tools;
• Prepare materials for meetings, conferences, seminars and policy discussions.

Position-specific qualifications

Candidates should possess an advanced degree in agriculture, natural-resources management, economics, public administration, international relations, political or social sciences, or another relevant discipline.

At least one year of relevant experience is required in development work, project design or project management, including engagement with governments, development partners, international organizations, research institutions or civil society.

Knowledge of SIDS challenges, climate change, biodiversity, food security, FAO programmes and applied artificial-intelligence tools will be advantageous.

2. Young Professional Officer: Food Loss and Waste

Requisition number: 2601699
Duty station: Bangkok, Thailand
Organizational unit: FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

This position supports FAO’s work on preventing, reducing and managing food loss and waste across agrifood value chains. The Regional Office’s work includes measuring food losses, evaluating their effects on food security and greenhouse-gas emissions, and identifying suitable technologies and policy interventions.

Principal responsibilities

The officer will:

• Collect, validate, manage and review food-loss and food-waste data;
• Compile statistics and information from multiple sources;
• Analyse qualitative and quantitative data;
• Present findings through tables, charts and analytical summaries;
• Support multidisciplinary projects and operational activities;
• Help improve data-collection tools, methodologies and analytical approaches;
• Identify gaps in available food-loss and waste data;
• Draft and revise technical reports, briefs and publications;
• Document emerging practices for preventing and reducing food loss and waste;
• Support workshops, seminars, conferences and capacity-building activities.

Position-specific qualifications

Applicants should possess an advanced degree in agriculture, economics, agricultural economics, food science and technology, environmental science, natural-resources management, agrifood systems, food systems, social sciences or a related field.

At least one year of experience is required in food loss and waste, food security, agrifood systems, governance, policy support or agricultural development.

Experience with data analysis, reporting, project coordination, climate-impact measurement tools and multidisciplinary teamwork will strengthen an application.

3. Young Professional Officer: Aquatic Value Chain

Requisition number: 2601689
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Organizational unit: Fisheries and Aquaculture Division

The Aquatic Value Chain position is based in FAO’s Value Chain Development Team. Its principal focus is the sustainable development of aquaculture value chains under FAO’s Blue Transformation framework.

Principal responsibilities

The selected officer will:

• Support policies and good practices for sustainable aquaculture value-chain development;
• Contribute to policy discussions with governmental and non-governmental representatives;
• Help prepare Blue Transformation project proposals;
• Provide technical support for aquaculture value-chain projects;
• Support pilot activities at country and farm levels;
• Gather and analyse information concerning global fish trade and markets;
• Assist with indicators related to aquaculture value chains;
• Develop and maintain online knowledge platforms;
• Prepare communication and knowledge products;
• Support capacity-development activities for institutions and stakeholders;
• Help organize international workshops, consultations and training activities.

Position-specific qualifications

Candidates should possess an advanced degree in fisheries, aquaculture, food sciences, biology, management or another relevant discipline.

At least one year of experience is required in aquaculture, aquatic-food value chains, trade or market development.

Relevant experience in aquatic food safety, nutrition, processing, value addition, food-loss reduction, blue-economy policies, developing countries, technical writing and partnerships with governments or international organizations will be advantageous.

4. Young Professional Officer: Communication and Outreach

Requisition number: 2601606
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Organizational unit: Office of the Deputy Director-General for Natural Resources and Sustainable Production

This position supports communications concerning FAO’s work on climate change, biodiversity, fisheries, forestry, animal production, food safety and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Principal responsibilities

The selected candidate will:

• Help plan and implement communication and outreach activities;
• Draft articles, statements, briefing notes, reports, presentations and key messages;
• Assist with speeches, talking points and opinion articles for senior management;
• Develop audience-focused campaigns, messaging and storytelling;
• Support digital communication activities;
• Coordinate webinars, exhibitions, panel discussions and side events;
• Compile communications data, metrics and analytics;
• Contribute to monitoring and performance reports;
• Maintain communication and knowledge-sharing resources;
• Ensure that communications follow FAO’s corporate standards and policies.

Position-specific qualifications

Applicants should have an advanced degree in communications, journalism, sustainable agriculture, food security, international relations, environmental science, political science or a closely related field.

At least one year of relevant communication and outreach experience is required, including experience at the international level.

Applicants should demonstrate excellent writing and editing ability, experience preparing communication products, familiarity with event coordination, and the capacity to work accurately under tight deadlines. Experience communicating sustainable-development issues will be an asset.

5. Young Professional Officer: Programme Support

Requisition number: 2601686
Duty station: Vienna, Austria
Organizational unit: Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre assists countries in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, promote sustainable agriculture and reduce poverty. Its work covers animal health, plant breeding, pest control, soil and water management, crop nutrition and food safety.

The Programme Support Officer will work in the Centre Director’s office.

Principal responsibilities

The officer will:

• Assist with the development of project proposals;
• Collect project information and monitor implementation progress;
• Support reporting and project-documentation requirements;
• Facilitate operational processes involving partnerships and donor contributions;
• Assist with resource-mobilization activities;
• Prepare presentations and communication materials for partners;
• Support webinars, exhibitions and other events;
• Monitor expenditure and identify financial variances;
• Prepare structured financial analyses for management;
• Review travel and meeting plans for compliance with procedures and funding allocations;
• Conduct quality checks on documentation prepared by the Director’s office;
• Support knowledge management and administrative-process improvements.

Position-specific qualifications

Applicants should possess an advanced degree in business administration, accounting, finance, social sciences, international relations or a closely related subject.

At least one year of experience is required in budget and project planning, project monitoring, coordination or international outreach.

Experience in financial analysis, statistical reporting, project implementation, partnership development, resource mobilization and management of large datasets will be beneficial.

6. Young Professional Officer: School Food and Nutrition

Requisition number: 2601701
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Organizational unit: Food and Nutrition Division

This position supports research and data-generation activities intended to improve the design, nutritional quality and implementation of school-meal programmes.

FAO’s school food and nutrition work connects child nutrition with local agrifood systems, food procurement, healthy food environments and nutrition education. The work is undertaken in cooperation with organizations such as the World Food Programme and other school-meals research and implementation partners.

Principal responsibilities

The selected officer will:

• Review methodologies, indicators and tools for evaluating the nutritional quality of school meals;
• Support the preparation of research proposals and survey protocols;
• Help develop and adapt standardized data-collection instruments;
• Contribute to menu analysis, nutrition-guideline assessments and procurement tracking;
• Coordinate data collection with multiple partners;
• Consolidate, clean, validate and document research data;
• Contribute to sampling approaches and data-collection protocols;
• Help pilot and test research tools in selected countries;
• Support coordination with research networks and organizations working on school meals.

Position-specific qualifications

Candidates should have an advanced degree in nutritional sciences, nutritional epidemiology or a related field.

At least one year of experience is required in nutrition research and quantitative data collection and analysis. This should preferably include the design, implementation, analysis or publication of quantitative surveys.

Experience with school-meal research, multicountry data collection, field research and technical writing will be advantageous. A PhD is considered an asset but is not mandatory.

7. Young Professional Officer: Climate Change and Natural Resources Management

Requisition number: 2601710
Duty station: Kathmandu, Nepal
Organizational unit: FAO Country Office in Nepal

This position supports climate-change and natural-resources management activities in Nepal. The assignment is aligned with the priorities of FAO Nepal’s Country Programming Framework 2023–2027 and covers agriculture, forestry, climate resilience and sustainable natural-resource management.

Principal responsibilities

The officer will:

• Support national, regional and global climate-related programmes;
• Assist with climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience interventions;
• Help coordinate activities in agriculture, forestry and natural-resources management;
• Prepare concept notes and project proposals;
• Contribute to resource-mobilization efforts;
• Monitor project implementation, expenditure and resource use;
• Identify possible inconsistencies against approved budget lines;
• Maintain project data and documentation in FAO’s corporate systems;
• Support partnerships with government agencies, UN organizations, civil society and the private sector;
• Help organize policy dialogues, workshops and consultations;
• Prepare communication and awareness-raising materials.

Position-specific qualifications

Applicants should possess an advanced degree in agriculture, climate change, environmental science, natural-resources management or another relevant field.

At least one year of relevant experience is required, including exposure to climate-change or natural-resources management programmes.

Experience in agricultural development, disaster-risk reduction, food and nutrition security, project formulation, technical writing, partnership development and workshop organization will strengthen an application.

8. Young Professional Officer: Economist

Requisition number: 2601700
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Organizational unit: Markets and Trade Division

The Economist will support FAO’s monitoring and analysis of agricultural commodity markets. The role covers commodity prices, trade, macroeconomic conditions, energy-market connections and policy developments affecting agriculture and food security.

Principal responsibilities

The officer will:

• Develop, maintain and quality-assure commodity-market databases and indicators;
• Conduct economic and quantitative analysis of agricultural markets;
• Examine price developments, macroeconomic linkages and trade trends;
• Monitor emerging market developments and policy changes;
• Help assess their implications for agricultural commodities;
• Prepare technical reports, policy briefs, presentations and datasets;
• Contribute to the Commodity Market Review;
• Support meetings, technical consultations and workshops;
• Develop training materials, analytical tools and knowledge products.

Position-specific qualifications

Candidates should hold an advanced degree in economics, agricultural economics, macroeconomics, international trade, development economics or a related discipline.

At least one year of relevant experience is required in economic research and quantitative analysis. Experience should preferably cover international markets, trade, econometrics, economic modelling or database management.

Experience using MATLAB, R, Stata, Python or comparable analytical software is particularly relevant. A strong foundation in empirical economics, commodity-market analysis and macroeconomic databases is expected. A PhD is a strong asset but is not compulsory.

9. Young Professional Officer: Finance

Requisition number: 2601703
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Organizational unit: Finance Division

The Finance Division manages FAO’s financial policies, accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, custody of resources and oversight of financial operations across the Organization.

Principal responsibilities

The officer will:

• Collect and review financial information;
• Analyse financial data and internal financial controls;
• Support financial reporting and oversight activities;
• Examine financial or investment data to support decision-making;
• Maintain financial records and relevant databases;
• Contribute to improved financial procedures and working methods;
• Participate in special projects and multidisciplinary work teams;
• Provide analytical support for assigned financial products and services.

Position-specific qualifications

Applicants may qualify through either of the following routes:

1. An advanced university degree in finance, business or a related discipline; or
2. A first university degree in a relevant field combined with a recognized professional qualification in accounting, finance, risk management or investment.

The vacancy specifically recognizes qualifications such as CPA, CA, FRM and CFA.

At least one year of relevant experience is required in accounting, finance, investment management or a related area. Relevant experience in financial analysis, internal controls, accounting or investments will be considered during assessment.

General Eligibility Requirements

Although the technical qualifications differ, all nine positions share the following core requirements:

• Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger as of 31 December 2026;
• Candidates must possess the degree or professional qualification required by the selected position;
• At least one year of relevant professional experience is required;
• Applicants must have proficiency-level working knowledge of English;
• Intermediate knowledge of another FAO official language is required: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish;
• Candidates must not be the son, daughter, brother or sister of an FAO staff member;
• Applicants must be able to work effectively in an international and multicultural environment.

FAO assesses candidates against five core competencies:

• Results focus;
• Teamwork;
• Communication;
• Building effective relationships;
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

Experience in more than one country, location or technical field, particularly field experience, is desirable for several of the positions.

Contract, Compensation and Benefits

Selected Young Professional Officers will receive a two-year fixed-term appointment at the P-1 level. The programme is subject to a one-year probationary period, while any extension will depend on performance, organizational requirements and the availability of funds.

FAO offers a competitive compensation and benefits package under the United Nations common system. The precise salary depends on the duty station, applicable post adjustment and the candidate’s circumstances.

Subject to eligibility, the package may include:

• Dependency allowances;
• Rental subsidy;
• Education grants for eligible children;
• Home-leave travel;
• Thirty working days of annual leave;
• Participation in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund;
• International health insurance;
• Optional life insurance;
• Disability protection;
• Family-friendly policies and flexible working arrangements.

The possibility of contract extension should not be interpreted as a guarantee of continued appointment.

How to Apply for the FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026

Applications must be submitted through the official FAO career portal. Applications sent by email or through third-party websites will not be considered.

Step 1: Create an FAO candidate profile

First-time applicants must create an online profile. Existing users can sign in and update their information before applying.

Step 2: Complete every profile section

The profile should accurately include:

• Educational qualifications;
• Professional certifications;
• Employment history;
• Relevant responsibilities and achievements;
• Language proficiency;
• Technical and analytical skills;
• International or field experience.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Step 3: Prepare a targeted motivation letter

Candidates are required to attach a motivation letter. The letter should be tailored to the selected requisition and should explain:

• Why the candidate is interested in the particular role;
• How the candidate’s education matches the position;
• Evidence of at least one year of relevant experience;
• Relevant technical, analytical or communication skills;
• How the candidate could contribute to FAO’s mandate and the selected organizational unit.

Applicants seeking more than one position should tailor their application and motivation letter to each role.

Step 4: Check recognition of academic qualifications

FAO considers higher-education qualifications obtained from institutions accredited or recognized in the World Higher Education Database. Qualifications should also align with the relevant International Standard Classification of Education.

Step 5: Submit the application online

After completing the profile and attaching the required documents, applicants must select the relevant requisition and formally submit the application. Saving a draft does not constitute submission.

Step 6: Submit before the deadline

The published closing date is 7 September 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Because the displayed time may depend on personal device settings, applicants should confirm the deadline in their portal and avoid waiting until the final day.

Only shortlisted candidates will normally be contacted. Selected candidates will be subject to reference, educational, employment and background checks.

Important Application Advice

Competition for the FAO Young Professionals Programme is expected to be strong. Candidates should avoid submitting a generic profile or motivation letter.

A competitive application should:

1. Match the selected position’s degree requirements precisely;
2. Demonstrate at least one year of directly relevant experience;
3. Quantify achievements wherever possible;
4. Explain the candidate’s specific contribution to FAO;
5. Provide evidence of research, data analysis, policy, programme or stakeholder-management experience;
6. Clearly record proficiency in English and another FAO official language;
7. Use terminology consistent with the selected vacancy;
8. Be accurate, complete and free from unsupported claims.

FAO does not charge an application fee. Candidates should only submit information through the official FAO recruitment system and should disregard requests for payment or banking information from unofficial sources.

Conclusion

The FAO Young Professionals Programme 2026 offers nine distinct pathways into international work on some of the most urgent global development challenges. The available assignments span sustainable aquaculture, school nutrition, food-loss reduction, commodity markets, financial management, communications, climate resilience, programme coordination and development priorities affecting Small Island Developing States.

Each appointment provides early-career professionals with practical experience inside a United Nations specialized agency, exposure to international policy and programme implementation, and an opportunity to contribute to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

Interested candidates should identify the position that most closely matches their education and experience, prepare a role-specific application and submit it through the official FAO career portal no later than 7 September 2026.

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