IR career starters - August 2026
We're delighted that Alexander Borum, a special advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark diplomatic corps, has kindly agreed for us to reproduce his periodical list of internships, traineeships, fellowships and entry-level positions in IR on our website.
It is a quiet summer month. Recruitment has ground to a halt, inboxes are getting quieter, and half the international affairs industry appears to have disappeared on holiday.
Which makes it a reasonably good time to look back for a moment.
The IR Career Starters newsletter has now entered its fifth year of operation, building on top of three years of much less refined, yet nonetheless usable, formats.
I donβt think I ever expected the newsletter to blow up quite as much as it did. Back when I started, it was essentially a paste-bin dump of positions and monthly updates/shares of a LinkedIn article. It did the job, but it was hardly a sophisticated effort.
Then LinkedIn launched newsletters and, for reasons that I am still not entirely sure I understand, decided to give me early access. That changed things considerably.
There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, most of them stemming from LinkedIn being the primary vehicle for these efforts. There have been plenty of shadow bans, throttling and algorithmic hurdles over the years, but also, perhaps, changes in the audience when it comes to engagement and expectations.
The newsletter doesnβt stand alone. Alongside it, I run https://ircareerstarters.com/ - my website, compiling all newsletter editions, my articles, and an overview of what I run around and do.
I do a fair few talks and lectures, both online and in person, about starting a career in international affairs, the challenges that need to be faced, and often a bit of a reality check compared to the information universities provide. This is often my favourite thing to do, especially when it is in person!
Between newsletter editions, I also post positions that fall outside the newsletterβs scope; often young professional programmes, cool ways to shine, or jobs with the Danish MFA. LinkedIn no longer particularly likes that you link away from the platform, so if you miss out on these, you now know why...
A last, and actually very time-consuming, aspect of what I do is responding to inquiries. I get several dozen per week, and I often have several months of waiting lists for individual talks.
While I really want to help, it is simply impossible for me to find time to do everything. Being a career diplomat is a full-time job, and things like social life, unwinding, sports and nerdy hobbies need their space too.
For the most part, the answers are in my general guides on the website, and I gladly cover the general stuff in plenary settings. Special challenges are better handled one-on-one, so I try my best to make room for those where I can.
Thank you for another year,
Alex
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Project Officer (Lebanon), Beirut [DIP]
π International Crisis Group π
ππ§πππ«π§, Video & Photography, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Green Climate Fund business development, Eschborn [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Digital Outreach Officer, Paris [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Financial Accounting, London [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, Kyiv [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Business Analyst, Sofia [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Climate Risk, London [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Sustainability Reporting, FC, London [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, OGC, Cairo [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistant Consultant, Washington [DEV] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Financial Control Officer, Manila [ECO] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Financial Management Officer, Islamabad [ECO] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate - We-ID Project, Stockholm [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Part-time (50%) Project Assistant for Youth, Stockholm [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Student Assistants, Copenhagen (3) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², International Field Officer, - [SEC] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Logistics, Harare [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Fianance Admin Assistant, - [ECO] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Logistics Assistant, Damascus [HUM]
π Asia-Europe Foundation π
ππ§πππ«π§, Culture Department [EDU]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications Department [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Digital Transformation Department [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Governance and Sustainable Development Department [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Human Resources Department [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Technical Assistant, Michoacan [SEC] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant, Port Sudan [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant and IM Officer, Beirut [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Marketing and Communications, Geneva [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Congressional Affairs, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Washington [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Multimedia Production, Washington, Washington [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Center for the Industrial Base, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Missile Defense Project, Washington [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Project on Nuclear Issues, Washington [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program, Washington [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics, Washington [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Economics Program, Washington [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Renewing American Innovation, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Wadhwani AI Center, Washington [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Americas Program, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Japan Chair, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Korea Chair, Washington [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Strategic Technologies Program, Washington [TEC] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate / Associate Fellow - Wadhwani AI Center, Washington [ACA] [TEC]
π Carnegie Endowment for International Peace π
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Beirut [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Research, Beirut [ACA] [SEC]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Clean Energy and Geopolitcs, Washington [ENV] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, Washington [ACA]
π European Army Interoperability Centre π
ππ§πππ«π§, Defence & Security Research Traineeship, Brussels [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal Research Traineeship, Brussels [LAW] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications Traineeship, Brussels [PUD] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Editor Traineeship, Brussels [PUD] [ACA]
π Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Europe Studies, Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Member Relations Associate, Washington [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Women and Foreign Policy, Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, Southeast Asia and U.S. Foreign Policy, Washington [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, Southeast Asia and U.S. Foreign Policy, Washington [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, China Strategy Initiative, Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Executive Assistant, Development and Corporate/CEO Programs, Washington [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, U.S. Foreign Policy, Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Meetings, Washington [DIP]
π European Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§πππ«π§, Advocacy, Berlin [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Africa Division Intern (Great Lakes region), Nairobi [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Development & Outreach Department Intern, Washington [DEV] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Administrative Officer - IP1, Vienna [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Team Assistant - LS1, Ankara [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Project Officer - IP1, Vienna [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Team Assistant - S1, Vienna [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Project Officer - LP1, Erbil [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Management Assistant - LS2, Erbil [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Project Officer - IP1, Vienna [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Management Assistant - S2, Vienna [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Climate Programme, Brussels [ENV] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Partnerships, Development & Intelligence, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Membership and Partnership, Brussels [PUD]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Health, Pharma and Biotech, Brussels [HEA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Human Rights Trainee (Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy), Brussels [HUM] [LAW]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Research Fellow, Europe - Cyber and Tech, London [TEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, MEAL, Tunis [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant - Medical, Sada [HUM] [HEA]
ππ§ππ«π², Finance Assistant, Aleppo [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant, Gadaref [HUM] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Humanitarian Mine Action Assistant (Paramedic), Sumy [HUM] [HEA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Center for Corporate Diplomacy, Washington [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Communications & Journalism, Washington [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, The (Geo-)Politics of Global Telecommunications, Kiel [DIP] [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, βThe Ukraine Support Trackerβ, Kiel [HUM] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, research project on international capital flows, Kiel [ECO] [ACA]
π Asia Society Policy Institute π
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Society Policy Institute β New York [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, International Trade, Asia Society Policy Institute β Washington, D.C. [ECO] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis (Society) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis (Domestic Politics) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Senior Associate, Global Programming, Washington [DIP] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, FasterCures, Washington [HEA] [ACA]
π Foreign Policy Research Institute π
ππ§ππ«π², Asia Program Assistant, Philadelphia [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Eurasia Program Research Assistant, Philadelphia [DIP] [ACA]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Resident Research Fellow, Iraq Initiative [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Transatlantic Security Initiative [SEC] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Europe Center [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant Director, Forward Defense [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Global Energy Center [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Political Mobilization, Washington [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building, Washington [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Online Media and Website, The Hague [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Visual Design, The Hague [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Senior Project Associate - Communication, New Delhi [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Development Operations Assistant, Jakarta [DEV]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Legal Fellow, Washington [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate: Center for Monetary & Financial Alternatives, Washington [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant/ Manager β Technology Policy, Washington [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate for Budget and Entitlement Policy, Washington [ECO] [ACA]
π International Justice Mission π
ππ§πππ«π§, Program Management Internships and Fellowships β January 2027 Field Office Deployment (Latin America), - (5) [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, Investigations and Law Enforcement Development Internships and Fellowshipsβ―β January 2027 Field Office Deployment (Latin America), - (5) [SEC] [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Pacific Strategy & Operations Intern - Fall 2026, Washington [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Evaluation Fellow - Fall 2026, Washington [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², People Events Associate, - [PUD]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Brembeck Fellowship: Project Coordinator, Strong Cities Network, Washington [PUD] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant Policy Advisor & Policy Advisor [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal, New York [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², People Operations Associate, New York [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Development Services Assistant, Washington [DEV]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Policy Fellow or Senior Policy Fellow, US Development Policy Program, Washington [DIP] [DEV]
π German Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, Berlin [ACA] [DIP]
π Middle East Institute π
ππ§πππ«π§, Arts & Culture Internship (Fall 2026 - Unpaid) [EDU]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications and Multimedia Intern (Fall 2026 -Unpaid) [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Programs and Events Internship (Fall 2026 -Unpaid) [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Policy Center (Fall 2026) [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Library Assistant (Onsite) [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant: Policy Center (onsite) [ACA] [DIP]
π Center for a New American Security π
ππ§πππ«π§, Research, Washington [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Washington [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Development, Washington [DEV]]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant/Associate, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Washington [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant / Research Associate, Technology and National Security Program, Washington [TEC] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant / Research Associate, Defense Program, Washington [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Strategic Communications, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Youth Networker (Youth Network Officer), Kenya [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Youth Networker, Malaysia [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Erasmus+ Internship, Brussels or Maastricht (2) [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Voluntary Fieldworker Crete, Greece [HUM]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Joint Research Fellow [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Remote Operations Support, Remote [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Conservation Research Assistant, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Senior Conservation Research Assistant, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Officer - Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Officer - Conservation and Rural Livelihoods, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Media and Communications Officer, Fort Dauphin [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Accountant, Washington [ECO]
π Transparency International π
ππ§ππ«π², Finance Associate, Berlin [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Policy officer: aviation and shipping decarbonisation, Brussels [ENV]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Communications Fellowship, Bangkok [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Law Student Internship, Remote (US) [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, Carbon Markets & Pricing / International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), Berlin [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Programs, Remote or New York [ACA] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Remote or New York [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DME), Remote or New York [ACA]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Communications, New York [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Uganda Program Associate, New York [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Health Protection, IFRC Health and Care Department, Geneva [HEA] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Health Security, IFRC Health and Care Department, Geneva [HEA] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Innovation Associate (Consultant), Thies [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Ukraine Human Rights Associate, Kyiv [HUM]
π United Nations University π
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant I, Tokyo [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant II, Tokyo [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Japan Outreach Communications Assistant, Tokyo [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Associate, Maputo [PUD]
π Dag HammarskjΓΆld Foundation π
ππ§ππ«π², Strategic Partnerships and Coordination Officer [PUD] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, BDF Communication, Chiang Mai [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Accountant and Finance, Chiang Mai [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, HR & Admin, Chiang Mai [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Child Protection Program, Chiang Mai [HUM] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Business Development, Remote [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Media & Communications, Beirut [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Volunteer, Dublin [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Campaign Assistant (Freelance) with Centenary Action, Remote (UK) [HUM]
π The Clingendael Institute of International Relations π
ππ§πππ«π§, EU & its Neighbours, The Hague [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Chad : Country Finance Volunteer β Nβdjamena [DEV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Morocco : Country Finance Volunteer β Rabat [DEV] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², France : Grants Management Officer β Paris [DEV] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Sudan : Area Logistics Officer β Roving [DEV]
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash