Russia & Ukraine Intelligence Analysis Internship Fall

Overview

ISW Internship Program Overview. ISW is offering in-person, remote, and hybrid internships for Fall 2026. ISW seeks motivated college students or recent graduates to join our intern team. Internships are available across diverse research portfolios and departments, including Russia, China, and Iran's Axis of Resistance, as well as Geospatial Intelligence and National Security Technologies, the Cognitive Warfare Project, and Communications.

ISW believes that ground realities must drive the formulation of strategy and policy. ISW conducts detailed open-source intelligence analysis to provide timely and accurate information on current conflicts and security threats to policymakers and warfighters. Interns have the opportunity to work directly with analysts, receive classroom education, regular leadership engagement, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies used in the intelligence community. Interns help analyze conflicts and contribute to policy-relevant research.

The ISW Internship Program is part of The General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders. ISW views interns as an integral component of its team; interns have drafted, edited, and published research under mentorship and have been hired onto ISW staff in the past.

• Conduct daily collection and analysis of open-source information in native language sources.
• Contribute to long-term research projects in the Russia & Ukraine portfolio under the guidance of ISW researchers.
• Collaborate with the wider research team to generate intelligence products and assist with editing, documenting, and compiling materials for publications.
• Support planning, preparation, and execution of public events and private briefings held by ISW.
• Work with analysts to produce timely, policy-relevant insights in a fast-paced environment.
• This is a full-time internship (five days per week); part-time work may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Candidates must be motivated and organized college students or recent graduates with demonstrated expertise in a related field.
• Candidates must possess excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills.
• Candidates should preferably have strong critical language capabilities in Russian;
  Ukrainian language skills are a plus.
• Candidates must demonstrate the ability to conduct complex tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Candidates should be self-motivated, independent, creative, and able to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Candidates must show commitment to—and interest in—the core mission and values of ISW.

Dates:
September 8, 2026 through December 11, 2026. Interns must be authorized to work in the United States and be physically present in the United States during the internship. Remote work from outside the United States is not authorized. If you attend a U.S. university on a student visa, you must be eligible for and obtain CPT authorization before beginning lications are reviewed on a rolling basis until July 24, 2026.

Upload your resume, cover letter, and writing sample. The cover letter and writing sample should be no longer than five pages combined; the writing sample may be an excerpt from a longer paper. ISW will work with students to gain academic credit for internships where applicable.

The Institute for the Study of War offers interns a scholarship program with up to a $1,000 monthly living stipend. To be considered for the scholarship, upload a scholarship application as part of your internship application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until July 24, 2026.

• Ability to contribute as a member of ISW’s research, operations, business development, or external relations teams.
• Financial need, such that an unpaid internship would not be possible without assistance.

Within the scholarship application, candidates should upload a 2- to 3-page cover letter answering the following questions (this should be a different cover letter than the one used for the internship application):

• Which ISW internship is your top choice? Why do you believe you are qualified?
• What do you believe to be the most pressing national security problem the US faces today? What solutions would you propose?
• Where do you see yourself in your future career? How will an ISW internship help you get there?
• Why have you chosen to apply for this supplemental scholarship?
• Are you currently receiving federal financial aid and/or need-based aid from your university?
• Please note that the up to $1,000 monthly scholarship is classified as taxable income.

Questions? Email (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). for more information.