Civitas Maxima is looking for a Junior Legal Fellow (2 positions; French-speaking)

Application deadline: 10/06/2026

Contract Type: Fixed term contract / CDD

Location: Genève

Activity rate: 100%

Job Description

Civitas Maxima

Description

Civitas Maxima is launching two Excellence Fellowships in International Criminal Law for graduates who completed a Master’s degree in International Law from a Geneva-based university in 2025 or 2026:

• One fellowship is open to graduates from any Geneva-based university with a focus on international criminal law.
• One fellowship is specifically reserved for graduates of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID).

The selected fellows will join the legal team of Civitas Maxima for a two-year period and gain practical experience in the field of international criminal law.

Qualifications

• Completion of a Master’s degree in International Law from a Geneva-based institution in 2025 or 2026 (first Fellowship) or of a diploma from the IHEID (second Fellowship);
• Outstanding academic performance throughout university studies;
• Demonstrated and sustained interest in international criminal law;
• Excellent command of both French and English; knowledge of Spanish and/or Arabic is a strong asset;
• Authorization to work in Switzerland.

Personal Attributes

• Respect for different cultures, flexibility, diplomacy, and the ability to work independently and take initiative;
• Ability to adapt in a dynamic environment with frequently changing priorities and to manage multiple tasks simultaneously;
• Readiness to interact with victims of serious human rights abuses;
• Willingness and availability to travel occasionally, sometimes in challenging conditions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Fellows are responsible for the following tasks:

• Investigation:
• Assist in preparing and conducting investigations, including investigative planning, evidence collection, interviews, reporting, etc.;
• Assist in conducting opensource investigations.
• Legal:
• Conduct legal and/or factual research and analysis related to the case assigned;
• Assist in drafting and/or draft complaints, legal memoranda, judicial acts, and any other legal documents, as required.
• Analysis:
• Assist in identifying leads and advise on potential perpetrators, sources of evidence, witnesses (victims, insiders, experts or other), OSINT, documents, etc.; and
• Assist in drafting analytical synthesis/reports.
• Other:
• Assist in day-to-day liaising with a variety of stakeholders and/or partner organizations (e.g. NGOs, international organizations, community leaders, etc.) and in establishing new partnerships, as required;
• Participate in drafting detailed preparation documents, agendas, minutes, follow-up communications, etc., as required;
• Assist with case management and analysis platforms related to international crimes, as required;
• Monitor various conflict developments and/or conduct ad-hoc research related to the main investigation and attend various events/conferences, as required.

What Civitas Maxima offers

• A dynamic environment within one of the leading organizations working on extraterritorial criminal justice for victims of mass crimes;
• A unique opportunity to work on concrete cases in the field of international criminal law;
• The Swiss minimum monthly salary.

How to apply

Applications must be sent by email before 10 June 2026 to [email protected] with the following documents:

• A CV and cover letter;
• The names and contact details of three references (who will only be contacted if the candidate is shortlisted for interviews);
• A short legal writing sample in English (maximum two pages).

Only complete applications meeting the required qualifications will be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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