Questions about interview for UNODA internship

[u/IIBIL]

Hi, I have a interview this week for an internship position in UNODA in Geneva that I applied for about a month ago.

Some background about me:

• Somewhat recent PhD graduate in a STEM field with experience in science policy, worked as a postdoc until July and unfortunately have since been unemployed (thanks, job market)

• Speak English, German, and Russian fluently

• Several publications, including in biosecurity and science diplomacy, and would like to pursue a career in these areas

I have no experience with the UN, so I have been trying to read about the processes a bit more. I intend to practice answering behavioral questions in the days leading up to the interview.

• Any idea how many other candidates are competing against me? Do I have a good chance at an offer if I do well in the interview?
• It seems it depends on the office, but if my panelists like me, should I expect an additional task to complete after this or another interview? Is there a typical number of interviews for an internship position (unpaid)? My invitation email describes this as a "screening opportunity for shortlisted candidates."
• When asked about my availability and desired duration, I said 2-3 months for sure with willingness to extend based on the team's needs and my circumstances. Does this hurt my chances compared to a candidate who upfront could commit to six months? I said I could start as soon as early December (given the visa and housing logistics).
• I am fluent in the mother tongue of both of my panelists. Should I expect to answer a lot of the questions in this language? I assume my skills in the third language would not be tested if my panelists do not know it. All of our communications have been in English, and the internship does not require knowledge of another language (though desirable).
• I think I could make the unpaid position work if I receive an offer, but I absolutely would apply for funding from an external source that could respond to me within about a week (and obviously significantly lessen the burden for me if my grant were approved). Is this worth mentioning in the interview?

At the moment I am desperately applying for jobs without much success, but as hiring winds down for the year, this could be a great opportunity for me. It would be cool to work for the UN someday, but I absolutely do not expect to come back after six months and be offered employment. However, this experience could meaningfully improve my profile for other positions in science diplomacy. I also would love to move to Switzerland in the near future, so I would like to build connections in the country.

Thank you for any tips.