Application Guide
How to Apply for Remote and unpaid internship, researcher-Start in November 2026 or beyond
at TRUST Consultancy & Development
🏢 About TRUST Consultancy & Development
Trust Consultancy & Development is a research and third-party monitoring & evaluation (M&E) consultancy with offices in Gaziantep, Islamabad, and Erbil, serving high-profile clients like UNICEF, USAID/BHA, and Save the Children across the MENA region. What sets them apart is their on-the-ground network in conflict-affected areas such as Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, offering interns rare exposure to real-time humanitarian research. Working here means contributing directly to evidence-based humanitarian programming in some of the world's most challenging contexts.
About This Role
As a remote unpaid Junior Officer intern, you'll support research and M&E projects by assisting with data collection, analysis, and reporting for clients like UN agencies and NGOs. This role is impactful because your work will inform humanitarian interventions in crisis zones, giving you hands-on experience in third-party monitoring and evaluation. You'll collaborate with a distributed team and gain insights into the full lifecycle of research projects, from design to dissemination.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve reviewing survey data collected from field teams, cleaning and analyzing it in Excel or SPSS, and drafting sections of a monitoring report for a client like UNICEF. You could also attend a virtual team meeting to discuss project progress, coordinate with colleagues in Turkey or Iraq, and research background information for a new evaluation. The work is detail-oriented and collaborative, with a focus on producing accurate, timely outputs that inform humanitarian decisions.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who TRUST Consultancy & Development Is Looking For
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in social sciences, international development, statistics, or a related field, with a strong academic record.
- Demonstrated interest in humanitarian research, M&E, or data analysis, evidenced by coursework, thesis, or volunteer experience in MENA or conflict-affected regions.
- Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, or Python) and experience with qualitative research methods or survey design.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in Arabic, Turkish, or Kurdish is highly desirable for working with regional data.
- Self-motivated and organized, able to work independently in a remote setting and manage multiple tasks across time zones.
📝 Tips for Applying to TRUST Consultancy & Development
Highlight any experience with M&E frameworks (e.g., logframes, theory of change) or data collection tools (e.g., KoboToolbox, ODK) in your application, as Trust heavily relies on these for third-party monitoring.
Mention specific MENA countries or contexts (e.g., Syria, Yemen) you've studied or worked in, and connect them to Trust's current operations to show you understand their geographic focus.
Since the internship is unpaid and starts November 2026 or later, explicitly state your availability and confirm you can commit to a 3–6 month remote internship, as this flexibility is crucial for their planning.
Reference Trust's clients (e.g., UNICEF, USAID/BHA) and explain how your skills align with the types of projects they fund, demonstrating you've researched the company's portfolio.
Use your cover letter to describe a specific research or data analysis project you've completed, detailing your role and the impact, to showcase your ability to contribute from day one.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your motivation for working in humanitarian research and M&E, particularly in conflict-affected regions, and why Trust's mission resonates with you.", "Concrete examples of your research or data analysis skills, including tools you've used and any experience with remote collaboration.", "Your understanding of Trust's work and clients, and how you can support their projects in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, or Afghanistan.", 'Your availability and commitment to a remote, unpaid internship starting November 2026 or later, and how this fits with your career goals.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Trust's website and LinkedIn page to understand their core services, recent projects, and the countries they operate in, noting any specific reports or publications.
- → Research their major clients (e.g., UNICEF, USAID/BHA) and the types of M&E or research projects they typically fund, to understand the context of Trust's work.
- → Look into the humanitarian situations in Trust's focus countries (Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, etc.) to grasp the challenges and how research can inform aid delivery.
- → Investigate common M&E tools and methodologies used in humanitarian settings (e.g., OECD-DAC criteria, CHS) to speak knowledgeably about industry standards.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Trust's specific work, clients, or geographic focus, which shows a lack of genuine interest.
- Failing to address the unpaid and remote nature of the internship, or not confirming availability for the 2026 start date, which can lead to immediate disqualification.
- Overlooking the importance of data analysis skills or M&E experience, as these are core to the role and should be highlighted even if from academic projects.
- Using a tone that is overly informal or not tailored to a professional consultancy environment, as Trust works with high-profile international organizations.
📅 Application Timeline
⏰ Deadline: October 19, 2026
We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to TRUST Consultancy & Development!