Intern - Middle East Program (Fall 2026) at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Washington, District of Columbia, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

07 Sep, 26

Salary

20.0

Posted On

09 Jun, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Research, Writing, Oral Communication, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Data Analysis, Data Visualization, AI Knowledge, Literature Review, Policy Analysis

Industry

Think Tanks

Description

JOB SUMMARY The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy organization established in 1962 to provide strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers concerned with global security and prosperity. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the largest organizations of its kind, with a staff of over 200 employees, including more than 120 analysts working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe. The CSIS Middle East program is currently seeking candidates for a full-time, paid Fall 2026 internship running from the beginning of September to the end of December. CSIS interns mostly work downtown at our office in DC, but some flexibility is offered to work remotely part of the time. All candidates must be legally eligible to work in the United States. The hired candidate will be paid hourly, commensurate with experience ($18.00/hour for current undergraduate hires, $19.00/hour for hires with a bachelor’s degree, and $20.00/hour for hires with a master’s degree). ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Interns have substantive programmatic and research responsibilities. Essential functions include, but are not limited to the following: • Compiling research briefs and literature reviews for fellows and research staff; • Observing or listening to virtual or in-person events and writing event summaries; • Pitching and researching content for the Middle East Program’s newsletter, especially for the “Charting the Middle East” chart series; • Supporting maintenance of the program’s website, impact tracker and contact database; • Completing other minor administrative tasks. KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE: • Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in Middle East studies, international affairs, political science, or a related field. Candidates must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree by the start date of the internship.; • Minimum of a 3.5 GPA on a U.S. scale or equivalent; • Strong demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the Middle East; • Outstanding written, research and oral communication skills; • Zest for challenging assignments that demand creativity; • Working knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and/or Hebrew strongly preferred with an emphasis on reading and listening skills. • In addition to the above, candidates with demonstrated skills in data analysis and visualization, knowledge of AI, and experience working on the Gulf are highly encouraged to apply. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS: The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee working in an office environment. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status. HOW TO APPLY: •Interested applicants should submit a resumé, cover letter, a writing sample of up to five double-spaced pages, and all available college transcripts no later than June 19, 2026. •All required materials should be submitted through https://careers.csis.org/. •Writing samples should demonstrate the ability to research and write policy-relevant work on the region. If candidates advance in the hiring process, we will ask for additional references at a later stage. •Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. CSIS reserves the right to close the position before the posted end date.

Responsibilities

The intern will conduct research, compile briefs, and write summaries for events and newsletters. Additionally, they will support the maintenance of the program's website, contact database, and impact tracker.