About Intellectual Property IP Training IP Outreach IP for… IP and... IP in... Patent & Technology Information Trademark Information Industrial Design Information Geographical Indication Information Plant Variety Information (UPOV) IP Laws, Treaties & Judgements IP Resources IP Reports Patent Protection Trademark Protection Industrial Design Protection Geographical Indication Protection Plant Variety Protection (UPOV) IP Dispute Resolution IP Office Business Solutions Paying for IP Services Negotiation & Decision-Making Development Cooperation Innovation Support Public-Private Partnerships The Organization Working with WIPO Accountability Patents Trademarks Industrial Designs Geographical Indications Copyright Trade Secrets WIPO Academy Workshops & Seminars World IP Day WIPO Magazine Raising Awareness Case Studies & Success Stories IP News WIPO Awards Business Universities Indigenous Peoples Judiciaries Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions Economics Gender Equality Global Health Climate Change Competition Policy Sustainable Development Goals Enforcement Frontier Technologies Mobile Applications Sports Tourism PATENTSCOPE Patent Analytics International Patent Classification ARDI – Research for Innovation ASPI – Specialized Patent Information Global Brand Database Madrid Monitor Article 6ter Express Database Nice Classification Vienna Classification Global Design Database International Designs Bulletin Hague Express Database Locarno Classification Lisbon Express Database Global Brand Database for GIs PLUTO Plant Variety Database GENIE Database WIPO-Administered Treaties WIPO Lex - IP Laws, Treaties & Judgments WIPO Standards IP Statistics WIPO Pearl (Terminology) WIPO Publications Country IP Profiles WIPO Knowledge Center WIPO Technology Trends Global Innovation Index World Intellectual Property Report PCT – The International Patent System ePCT Budapest – The International Microorganism Deposit System Madrid – The International Trademark System eMadrid Article 6ter (armorial bearings, flags, state emblems) Hague – The International Design System eHague Lisbon – The International System of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications eLisbon UPOV PRISMA Mediation Arbitration Expert Determination Domain Name Disputes Centralized Access to Search and Examination (CASE) Digital Access Service (DAS) WIPO Pay Current Account at WIPO WIPO Assemblies Standing Committees Calendar of Meetings WIPO Official Documents Development Agenda Technical Assistance IP Training Institutions COVID-19 Support National IP Strategies Policy & Legislative Advice Cooperation Hub Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC) Technology Transfer Inventor Assistance Program WIPO GREEN WIPO's Pat-INFORMED Accessible Books Consortium WIPO for Creators WIPO ALERT Member States Observers Director General Activities by Unit External Offices Job Vacancies Procurement Results & Budget Financial Reporting Oversight

WIPO Careers

Pursuing a career at WIPO means being part of a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to making intellectual property (IP) work for innovation and creativity.

Our staff work in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams in a stimulating international setting. We work with governments, IP practitioners, civil society and the private sector to administer global IP services, develop international law and standards, set up collaborative networks, and build capacity in the use of IP for development.

The majority of staff positions are based at our Geneva headquarters.

We encourage applications from women as well as from nationals of unrepresented WIPO member statesPDF, List of unrepresented member statesand underrepresented geographical regions.

Apply

"I really like my job: it’s intellectually challenging and exciting to see the results and impact of my work". Impactpool Interview with BeeBee Moret-Tan, Senior Database Applications Officer, on her career at WIPO, work in IT and in international organizations. (Photo: WIPO/Berrod)

Contract types

WIPO offers two types of contract for staff positions:

  • Fixed-term: Usually granted for an initial period of one-two years, and may be extended further subject to business needs and individual performance.
  • Temporary: Granted for a period of up to one year, and may be extended to a cumulative length of two years.

Categories of staff position

Regardless of contract type, staff roles fall into three categories: Directors (D), Professional (P) staff and General Service (G) staff, each with their own grading structure.

Useful resources

  • How to apply pdf
  • FAQs pdf
  • Staff Regulations and Rules pdf
  • Competency-based Interviews (CBI) Applicant Guide pdf

Professional staff and Directors

Professional staff and directors are recruited internationally for roles which require a high level of professional knowledge, functional skills and management ability.

  • Legal
  • Financial management
  • Communication
  • Public information
  • Program and project management
  • Information and communications technology
  • Translation and revision
  • Human resources management
  • Operations
  • Procurement
  • Audit
  • Economics
  • Statistics

The Taleo recruitment platform allows you to sign up to receive job alerts for specific job families.

General service staff

General service staff provide our essential administrative and technical support, and are normally recruited locally.

  • Legal
  • Office management
  • Human resources
  • Finance and administration
  • Procurement
  • Information and communications technology
  • Patent and trademark processing
  • Program management

The Taleo recruitment platform allows you to sign up to receive job alerts for specific job families.

National Professional Officers

National Professional Officers are locally-recruited staff serving at a non-heaquarters duty station. They perform professional functions requiring local expertise.

  • Legal
  • Financial management
  • Communication
  • Public information
  • Program and project management
  • Information and communications technology
  • Translation and revision
  • Human resources management
  • Operations
  • Procurement
  • Audit
  • Economics
  • Statistics

The Taleo recruitment platform allows you to sign up to receive job alerts for specific job families.

Meet our staff

Staff in the Madrid Registry talk about their work on the Madrid System for the protection of trademarks.

Find out how staff in the Global Databases Division provide accessible and usable IP information using cutting-edge technologies.

Learn about the work of translators and revisers in our PCT Translation Division.

"What I enjoy most is the energy coming from working with my colleagues" – Violetta Ghetu, Legal Officer, Design and Geographical Indication Law Section. 

"It’s the diversity in activities that makes working at WIPO so attractive" – Eun Joo Min, Senior Legal Counsellor, Building Respect for IP Division.

"I can assist the creative people of the Caribbean to obtain value to the work that they are doing" – Carol Simpson, Head of Caribbean Section.

“WIPO offers the chance to increase competencies throughout professional life” – Yves Ngoubeyou, Senior Program Officer, Regional Bureau for Africa.

"I am given the opportunity to work on things that I care passionately about" – Glenn Mac Stravic, Head of Brand Database Section.

Benefits

WIPO aims to be an employer of choice, offering competitive conditions of service, a rewarding work environment, opportunities for professional development, and a family-friendly, work-life balance.

Remuneration

Remuneration in the Professional and Director categories is made up of two main elements: the base salary, plus the post adjustment element which varies according to the cost of living in the country where the job is based. The post adjustment is added to the base salary in order to provide equivalent living standards at different locations.

The salary scale for professional and director categories PDF, Professional & Director categories salary scalescomprises five Professional levels (P-1 to P-5) and two Director levels (D1 and D2). These scales are applied worldwide by all organizations in the United Nations Common System.

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally and paid according to the local salary scale (Geneva, Switzerland)General Service salary scales.

Other benefits

Staff are eligible for 30 days of annual leave per year on a full-time basis (or the pro-rata equivalent). They are covered by the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Scheme, and by worldwide medical and dental insurance.

Other benefits, which vary according to category and level, may include:

  • Dependency allowance
  • Education grant for schools and first-level university education
    (up to 75% of expenses)
  • Home leave for staff member and dependents
  • Life insurance
  • Maternity/paternity/adoption leave
  • Travel and removal expenses, and an appointment grant
  • Rental subsidy

Applying for a staff position

WIPO seeks to recruit staff from a wide range of backgrounds, and with diverse experience, languages and expertise.  We are committed to matching the best candidate to each role through a thorough review of all applications. Our recruitment process can therefore be lengthy as it involves several steps, usually including pre-screening, a written test, and a final interview with the Appointment Board. On average, it takes about 19 weeks between publication time and the final decision.

WIPO competencies

Competencies pdf are a combination of skills, attributes and behaviors which are essential for all staff.

  • Communicating effectively
  • Showing team spirit
  • Demonstrating integrity
  • Valuing diversity
  • Producing results
  • Showing service orientation
  • Seeing the big picture
  • Seeking change and innovation
  • Developing yourself and others

Our recruitment principles

  • For each post we seek to appoint the strongest candidate, who will meet the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity.
  • We select on the strength of candidates' qualifications, experience and demonstrated competences for the job.
  • We seek to recruit staff from as wide a geographical basis as possible.
  • We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all candidates who meet the minimum requirements, irrespective of gender, racial, ethnic or social origin, color, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
  • We are committed to achieving gender balance at all levels of the Organization.

Tips for applicants

  • Understand the requirements of the position you are interested in, and only apply if you meet them all.
  • If you are invited for an interview, come prepared. Familiarize yourself with the work of WIPO and the position you are applying for.
  • Be ready to share concrete examples and situations from your previous professional experiences that illustrate your ability to perform the duties of the job you are applying for.
  • Make sure to familiarize yourself with the WIPO competencies.