FAO opens 9 Young Professional Officer opportunities through its YPP

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by Impactpool

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is recruiting for nine Young Professional Officer positions through its Young Professionals Programme (YPP), offering early-career professionals an opportunity to begin a career as an international civil servant. Applications are particularly encouraged from nationals of countries that are currently non- or under-represented at FAO.

Start Your International Career with FAO

Ready to build a career with global impact? The FAO Young Professionals Programme (YPP) offers talented young professionals an opportunity to contribute to the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The programme is designed primarily for nationals of FAO Member Nations that are non- or under-represented within the organization. Priority is also given to candidates from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and developing countries more broadly.

As a Young Professional Officer, you will work alongside colleagues from around the world on the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of FAO activities—contributing to efforts that support sustainable agriculture, food security and resilient communities.

Successful candidates are initially appointed at the P-1 level on a two-year fixed-term contract, subject to a one-year probationary period.

Who Can Apply?

To be considered, candidates should:

  • Be 32 years old or younger as of 31 December 2026

  • Hold an advanced university degree (Master’s, PhD or equivalent) in a field relevant to FAO’s work

  • Have at least one year of relevant professional experience

  • Have a working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of at least one other FAO official language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish

Take the next step

If you meet the criteria, the FAO Young Professionals Programme could be your opportunity to bring your skills to an international organization—and contribute to work that matters for people and communities around the world.

The application and selection process is conducted in English.

Is your country non- or under-represented at FAO?

As of 1 August 2026, FAO lists the following Member Nations as non-represented:

Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Botswana, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cook Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Grenada, Kiribati, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Montenegro, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The following Member Nations are currently under-represented:

Belgium, China, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America.

FAO encourages applications from qualified nationals of these countries as well as qualified women.

Explore the 9 current Young Professional Officer vacancies

Applications for the following opportunities close on 7 September 2026:

Interested candidates are encouraged to review the individual vacancy requirements carefully and apply well ahead of the deadline.