Jeroen Vandervelde, Field Security Associate, Belgium

After gaining my master’s degree in social work, I left my native Belgium to volunteer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I was involved in educating and socializing street children. This gave me a real fascination with humanitarian and development work, so after a few years as a social worker back in Belgium, I decided to join the military. That might appear an odd decision, but my background as a social worker gave me an excellent grounding to operate as an Intelligence Officer. 

When the terror threat hit Europe in 2015, I was working at the frontline of intelligence. I didn’t believe I would get accepted when I applied to UNDSS, but I was engaged by them as a consultant and then offered a full-time position. 

I’m not exaggerating when I say that my life is divided into two parts: before I joined UNDSS and after. Working here has provided me with tremendous opportunities, taken me to places I never thought I would visit and introduced me to fascinating people from around the world. Interacting with people from such diverse backgrounds and uniting them in a common cause can be challenging, but that’s precisely what makes my role so absorbing. 

Some people imagine that UNDSS is all about conventional security – guns, gates and guards – but there’s so much more to it. Another great thing is that there’s often no clear procedure to follow, so you have to find creative solutions to potential threats, which really stretches your mind and makes you so much more adaptable. 

Ultimately, when you work for UNDSS you’re working for the good of the whole UN, which promotes international peace and security. Who wouldn’t want to work towards these goals? If you’re thinking of applying here, don’t hesitate. Give it a try, because you’ll always learn something new here.