Find out more about our recruitment criteria and the next steps when you apply:
1) General requirements for all profiles
- Commitment to the values of the MSF Charter
- Commitment for at least two missions
- Available for a minimum of six months (six to eight weeks for medical specialists)
- Solid professional experience (excluding internships)
- Willingness to work in all kinds of contexts worldwide, including unstable areas
- Proven English and/or French language skills; Arabic, Russian, Spanish or Portuguese are strong assets
- IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- Good health
- Adaptable and able to work in a multicultural team
- Flexible and able to cope with high levels of stress
- Self-driven with a solution-oriented approach
- Ability to train others
- Strong team player
Please check the additional specific requirements for each role here: All profiles
2) Application steps
Watch our video to learn about the recruitment process or read about some of the next steps here:
Step 1 : get informed
Before applying online, it is necessary to either participate to one of our face to face information sessions in Switzerland (if you live in the region), or via one of our webinars. Alternatively, you can also follow our online version. Please take the time to read carefully the following rubrics: "What is your profile", "What to expect" et "What MSF offers".
Step 2 : apply
MSF has several offices that recruit for the movement. Find out which MSF office you can apply to by selecting your country of residence via the Apply online link.
Only complete applications will be considered. Please send your detailed CV in French or English, together with a cover letter explaining your motivations and availability. You will also find an Application Form to fill in online.
Step 3 : pre-interview
We study all applications and do our best to answer everybody within one month. If you answer all our recruitment criteria and we have current operational needs corresponding to your profile, we will organise a first selective telephone interview.
If MSF is open to the use of artificial intelligence in its work, you are asked not to use it during the recruitment process, as the aim is to get to know you better, not your ability to use AI. This will also ensure fair treatment of all applications.
With the knowledge you have gained through our information session or webinar, as well as from our website (Information session, What is your profile, What to expect, What MSF offers) you will be prepared at best.
Step 4 : the interview
We then invite you to an online HR interview lasting around 2 hours, during which we will also ask you to share your reference contacts. We remind you that behavior is an important recruitment criteria and that this will also checked with your reference contact.
Step 5 : joining the pool
You will then join our pool of available staff. We will contact you for potential job postings that match your profile and skills, as well as your availability.
Step 6 : preparing for the field
Before going into the field, you will attend an induction to learn more about MSF. This will take place in Geneva, Vienna or Dakar and is fully paid for by MSF.
Step 7 : departure
Once a position matching your profile and skills is available, your career manager will contact you with a specific assignment offer and comprehensive information about the role. You will then be given full briefings about the post and context before you set off for the field.