Research Assistant Intern

Avocats Sans Frontières is looking for its new Research Assistant Intern. Deadline for application: 12 July 2026. Start date: ASAP.

  • Duty station: Brussels
  • Status: Paid Professional Immersion Traineeship (Convention d’Immersion Professionnelle – CIP)
  • Start date: As soon as possible.
  • Duration: 3 months
  • Deadline: July 12, 2026

Our organisation

Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in Belgium in 1992. ASF supports access to justice, the realization of human rights, and the fight against injustice in countries where human rights are threatened. ASF has offices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tunisia, Morocco, the Central African Republic, and Niger. General coordination is managed from the Brussels office.

Purpose of the Role

The assistant will work at the ASF office in Brussels, primarily with the regional office for Central Africa and the Sahel. The assistant will contribute to the production of legal analyses, particularly in the field of international criminal law. The assistant’s main missions will be related to projects implemented by ASF on the themes of transitional justice, detention, and community justice.

The assistant will perform their duties in direct collaboration with, and under the supervision of, Valérie Arnould, Senior Legal & Policy Advisor. The assistant may occasionally be required to work with other members of the Brussels office as well as certain members of the country teams.

Responsibilities and Tasks

The assistant will collaborate particularly on the following tasks:

  • Analyzing judicial decisions related to international criminal law
  • Creating a database of legal actions
  • Supporting the development of a training curriculum on detention
  • Contributing to the production of policy briefs on legal pluralism

Profile Sought

The ideal candidate:

  • Holds a degree in international law or human rights, with a specialization in international criminal law;
  • Demonstrates very strong legal analysis skills;
  • Demonstrates excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills;
  • Enjoys working in a team;
  • Has perfect command of French and English; a good command of Dutch is an asset;
  • Is proficient in the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, and is comfortable with social media;
  • Knowledge of or experience in the Central Africa region is an asset;
  • Demonstrates a commitment to human rights and international criminal justice.

We Offer

  • A professional immersion contract (CIP) paid at €1,095/month
  • Reimbursement of transportation costs
  • A position offering significant room for initiative within a dynamic, multicultural organization

How to Apply

Please send your CV, cover letter, and availability to [email protected], specifying “Stage Assistant.e Recherche” (Research Assistant Internship) in the subject line, by July 12, 2026.

Please note: In accordance with the conditions of professional immersion contracts (CIP), only Belgian and European Union citizens, or non-EU nationals who already hold a valid work permit, are eligible.

Due to limited human resources, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted by ASF. Thank you for your understanding.