Fall 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program Trainee

German Marshall Fund of the United States; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 19,889 - 28,326; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Exposure to experts

Gain valuable research experience

Job summary

A prominent think tank in Washington, DC is looking for a part-time trainee for its Civil-Military Relations Program. This role offers the opportunity to gain valuable experience in program support and research while engaging with experts in the field. Ideal candidates will be graduating with a degree relevant to international relations or political science. Compensation is $17.50 per hour for a commitment of 20-30 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Graduating in spring of 2025 with a bachelor's degree in international relations, political science, history, security studies, or a related field.
• Demonstrable research skills, preferably with research experience on issues related to democratic backsliding, civil-military relations, or immigration.
• Previous experience in a think tank, foundation, NGO, government body, media outlet, or similar organization preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate convenings of policymakers, civil society groups, and military experts.
• Research civil-military relations across national and international contexts.
• Assist with logistics planning for expert convenings.

Skills

Strong analytic skills

Writing skills

Organizational skills

Detail-oriented

Research skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Fall 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program Trainee

Fall 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program Trainee

3 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Job Summary

GMF’s Strategic Democracy Initiatives workstream is seeking a part-time program trainee for the period from September 2025 – January 2026 to assist with program support, research assistance, and network coordination associated with the establishment of a new initiative on the Military, Democracy, and Society (MDS). The trainee will support the team with essential operational, outreach, and administrative activities relating to programming around the intersection of civil-military relations and democratic resilience.

Reports To: Senior Fellow

Job Summary

GMF’s Strategic Democracy Initiatives workstream is seeking a part-time program trainee for the period from September 2025 – January 2026 to assist with program support, research assistance, and network coordination associated with the establishment of a new initiative on the Military, Democracy, and Society (MDS). The trainee will support the team with essential operational, outreach, and administrative activities relating to programming around the intersection of civil-military relations and democratic resilience.

Trainees will benefit from exposure to GMF’s experts and network, and will gain valuable research, analysis, and writing experience. The traineeship will consist of both in-person and remote work. Only applicants who are college graduates will be considered.

The position will be compensated at a rate of $17.50 per hour with a flexible time commitment of 20-30 hours per week. Trainees are offered an ideal opportunity to acquire substantive professional experience for those interested in a career in public policy or international affairs.

Potential Key Areas Of Responsibility

• Coordinate convenings of policymakers, civil society groups, current and former members of the military, and other civil-military relations experts and practitioners
• Research civil-military relations across a wide range of national and international contexts
• Assist with planning of logistics of expert convenings, including the formation of a distinguished advisory council of US civil-military thought leaders
• Monitor civil-military relations developments at both the state and federal levels
• Provide research, writing, and editing support on publications related to the military, democracy, and society
• Other duties as assigned
  
  

Qualifications And Requirements

• Strong analytic, writing, and speaking skills in English
• Excellent organizational skills and attentiveness to detail, experience with program management or event planning preferred
• Knowledge of or demonstrable interest in issues of transatlantic democratic backsliding and civil-military relations
• Graduating in spring of 2025 with a bachelor's degree in international relations, political science, history, security studies, or a related field (this requirement is more flexible if the applicant is a military veteran)
• Demonstrable research skills, preferably with research experience on issues related to democratic backsliding, civil-military relations, or immigration
• Previous experience in a think tank, foundation, NGO, government body, media outlet, or similar organization preferred but not required
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Comfortable multi-tasking and working independently
• Military experience or experience with veterans’ issues preferred but not required
  
  

Start And Length Of Traineeship

• Preferred start and end: Sept 2025 – Jan 2026
• Preferred time commitment: 20-30 hours per week, Monday–Friday between 9 AM to 5 PM (EST preferred)
  
  

Due to a high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

GMF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We highly encourage individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Historically, underrepresented groups include (but are not limited to) Black, Latinx/o/a/e, Indigenous, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, biracial, multiracial, female-identifying, the disability community, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized identities.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At GMF we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role, but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles at GMF.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Internship

Employment type

• Employment type

  Part-time

Job function

• Job function

  Strategy/Planning and Information Technology

• Industries

  Think Tanks

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