Work overseas

Thank you for your interest in working with MSF

 Every year around 3,000 professionals from around the world, both from medical and non-medical backgrounds, put their ideals into practice working with MSF in more than 60 countries across the globe. Together with more than 20,000 locally-recruited staff, they volunteer their skills and time for very little financial reward, providing medical treatment and healthcare to people struggling to survive amid armed conflicts, natural disasters, nutritional crises and epidemics. Whether in high-profile emergencies in the glare of the worlds' media, or in forgotten crises that never make the news, MSF gives life-saving humanitarian assistance to those in the greatest need - irrespective of politics, race, or religion - and speaks out to raise awareness of people's suffering.

MSF is urgently seeking applications from skilled French speakers to work in our projects in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Chad and Haiti, across all of the professions that we recruit for. Of course, non-French speakers are still welcome to apply for all positions. 

We also have urgent needs for experienced Midwives and Orthopaedic Surgeons.

If you would like further information about the profiles we are recruiting, or would like to receive a copy of our recruitment brochure entitled 'Put Your Ideals into Practice', please contact our MSF Dublin office at 01 660 337 or email: recruitment.dublin@dublin.msf.org

View the most frequently asked questions about volunteering with MSF, by clicking on “Questions about Volunteering”

You can also download our recruitment brochure "Put Your Ideals into Practice" here. 


© Tomas Van Houtryve

Where does MSF work?

      

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Who is needed?

The medical staff composition of each programme can vary greatly and depends on the situation at hand.   Coordinators at headquarters and on the ground determine what skills are needed and therefore what staff are neeeded. In Ireland we recruit: 

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Surgeons
• Anaesthetists
• Midwives
• Mental Health Specialists
• Biomedical Scientists
• Epidemiologists
• Pharmacists
Although MSF is an emergency medical organisation, we need logistical, technical, financial and managerial staff to ensure our operations function well and that our assistance gets to those who need it most.  Therefore, we also recruit:
• Logisticians
• Water and Sanitation Specialists
• Financial Controllers/Administrators/HR officers
On average, for every expatriate posted to a specific project there are seven local workers. Our locally-recruited staff provide everything from technical and administrative assistance to nursing and medical skills, and constitute large parts of our teams. 

Basic requirements 

• Significant and relevant professional experience
• Available for a minimum of 9 months (with the exception of surgeons and anaesthetists who can be accepted for shorter assignments)
• Commitment to the aims and values of MSF
• Adaptable and able to work in a team
• Flexible and able to manage stress
• Minimum of three months' travel or work experience in developing countries
• Ability to train others and pass on your skills
• Willing to work in unstable areas
• Fluency in English (foreign language skills are a valuable asset)
• Valid passport to cover period overseas

You should meet all the basic requirements, as well as the specific requirements relevant for your profession before applying to MSF.


Terms and conditions 

If you are successful in the recruitment process and have been offered a placement, MSF will offer you a contract for the duration of your assignment. The benefits included are:

• Basic starting 'volunteer salary' of 900 EUR per month (higher depending on humanitarian experience)
• Visa expenses and travel to/from Ireland and country of assignment
• Daily per diem during assignment in local currency to cover basic living costs
• Pre-departure vaccinations and any health checks required by MSF
• Annual leave of 25 to 28 days pro rata
• Health insurance, including medical evacuations and repatriation, whilst on mission and for up to 3 months after return to Ireland
• Option to join contributory pension plan after completion of assignment

Applying to MSF 

We welcome applications to our office in Dublin on an ongoing basis. Please see our Application Form page for all the instructions you need.


Ideally, you should apply 3-6 months before you are thinking of going overseas.


The MSF recruitment process is competitive; we seek to recruit the best candidates in order to provide the highest standard of care to people who need it most. We look for skilled professionals with a genuine humanitarian impulse. Not everyone who applies is selected. However we endeavor to respond to all candidates who submit a full application.


If you have any questions about volunteering with MSF, or would like to receive a copy of our recruitment brochure entitled 'Put Your Ideals into Practice' please feel free to contact us through our “Questions about Volunteering” page or give us a call on 01 660 3337.