IR career starters - May 2025
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.
May has kicked off, and despite an incredibly hectic period at work, it is time for another edition of the IR Career Starters Newsletter this month, packed with over 350 relevant internships, traineeships, fellowships and entry/early-career positions.
While this might look to be a return to normal on the IR job market, it might honestly just be a case of a single large organisation having a dreadful recruitment platform, and not cleaning out old defunct listings - so take the numbers with a grain of salt!
Last week, I did a career talk for L.S.A Custodia from Leiden University on kicking things off career-wise; I am always happy to try and fit these in, both in person and hybrid, as it is a little bit more personal and two-way oriented (save for the 1hr+ monologues that I sometimes do) so it was definitely a pleasure.
With an increasingly busy schedule, I am generally leaning more towards these engagements than 1:1 sessions, as I honestly struggle to find the time for them. I do get a few dozen requests per week, and while I try to respond to everything, I do maintain a fair backlog. While I always try to help where I can, a lot of questions can however be answered through the many guides and how-tos that I have written over the years, so please check them out!
I also have to give props to Jens WickstrΓΆm who has been supporting the newsletter production by fulfilling a recurring wish for categories and labels, making it easier to search up the right opportunities! and also to the paid subscribers (Tamara, JT and Mark) who despite this being a fully open-access newsletter, with no additional benefits for paid subscribers, manage to offset pretty much all the costs involved in hosting the site, domain name etc - as I have noted before, things are running at near zero as it is, so I would much rather recommend you supporting Ukraine during its time of need.
ππ§πππ«π§, Learning & Development Unit, Geneva [HEA] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, Paris [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Legal Advisor - Accession, Directorate for Legal Affairs, Paris [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Policy Analyst- Aggressive Tax Planning, Digitalisation of the economy, Paris [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Technical Support Unit Mitigation Action Facility, Berlin [ACA] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Capacity for Nutrition β Advisory and Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, Bruxelles [HUM] [HEA]
ππ§πππ«π§, GIZ Representation, Brussels [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Senior Digital Program Specialist - Generative AI Analytics, Beijing [TEC] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Analyst, Board Operations, Beijing [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate - Americas, - [HUM]
π Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Education, New York [EDU]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Finance, Business, and Technology, New York [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, History and Foreign Policy, New York [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President and Director of Studies, New York [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Executive Assistant, Human Resources, New York, Washington DC [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Executive Assistant, Digital Content, New York, Washington DC [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Global Health, Economics, and Development, Washington DC [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, U.S. Foreign Policy, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Climate Change Policy, Washington DC [ACA] [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Global Economics, Washington DC [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Global Governance, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Southeast Asia and South Asia, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Defence & Security Research, Brussels [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal Research, Brussels [ACA] [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Editor, Brussels [PUD]
π Brookings Institution π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Fellow/Senior Fellow & Director of Trade and Economic Statecraft, Washington DC [ACA] [ECA]
ππ§ππ«π², Staff Assistant, Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Washington DC [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Paralegal, Washington DC [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant - Governance Studies, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Technical AI Policy Associate, - [ACA] [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Field Interviewer, Santa Monica [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Multimedia Production External Relations (Summer 2025), Washington DC [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Japan Chair (Summer 2025), Washington DC [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Energy Security and Climate Change Program (Summer 2025), Washington DC [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Project on Prosperity and Development (Summer 2025), Washington DC [PUD] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Southeast Asia Program (Summer 2025), Washington DC [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Economic Security and Technology Department (Summer 2025), Washington DC [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Americas Program (Summer 2025), Washington DC [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Office of Korea Chair (Summer 2025), Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Freeman Chair in China Studies, Washington DC [ACA]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Critical Minerals Security Program, Washington DC [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Coordinator/Research Assistant - Economics Program and Scholl Chair in ππ§ππ«π², International Business, Washington DC [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², CRM Associate - External Relations/ Information Technology, Washington DC [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Beirut [SEC] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Research, Beirut [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Liaison Officer for Jamaica, Remote [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², ICLA and Community Project Assistant Consortium Nashiriki DR Congo, BΓ©ni [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Finance Technical Assistant, Jerusalem [HUM] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Health, Safety and Security Technical Assistant, Jerusalem [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Culture, Singapore [EDU]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Singapore [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Executive, Singapore [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Governance, Singapore [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Human Resources, Singapore [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistants, Kyiv (4) [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Data, Analytics & Strategy, London [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Impact (Corporate Sector), London [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Green Financial Systems, London [ECO] [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Banker, Istanbul [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, London
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Legal, Procurement Policy and Advisory Department, London [LAW] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Talent Acquisition, Belgrade [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Gender and Economic Inclusion, London [HUM] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, London [LAW] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Banker, Istanbul [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, London
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, Mission Coordination, Kyiv
ππ§ππ«π², Institutional Fundraising, Berlin [ECO] [HEA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Operations and Support Junior Officer, Fort Dauphin [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Operations and Administration Officer, Fort Dauphin [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Programme Manager - Schools, WASH and Solar, Fort Dauphin [DEV] [EDU]
ππ§πππ«π§, SCRP, Remote [ACA] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications and Events, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, European Affairs, Brussels [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Programmes development, Remote [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, MEAL Development, Remote [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communication, Lesvos [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Fieldworker, Lesvos [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, HR Support, - [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Humanitarian Aid, - [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Community Empowerment Mobilization, - [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Integration Support, - [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², P&C Administrative Assistant, London [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Associate, Remote [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Data Scientist, Remote [ACA] [SEC]
π Adam Smith International π
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Associate, Honiara [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Misc Internships, - (178) [HUM]
π International Center for Transitional Justice π
ππ§πππ«π§, Programs, New York [LAW] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, New York [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Design, Monitoring and Evaluation, New York [ACA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Finance and Administrative Assistant - MENA, New York [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Investment Associate, New York [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, - (32) [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Executive Assistant, New York [DEV] [DIP]
π United Nations University π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Government Fellows, Guimaraes (8) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Communication Assistant (GS5), Bonn [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant (CTC2), Kanazawa [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Video Editor and Translator, Chiang Mai [PUD] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Accountant and Finance, Chiang Mai [ECO] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Health Literacy Empowerment Program (HLEP), Chiang Mai [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, HR & Admin, Chiang Mai [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Women Empowerment Program (WEP), Chiang Mai [HUM] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Community Empowerment Program, Chiang Mai [HUM] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal, Geneva [LAW] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Translator, Remote [HUM] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Food Systems Toolkit, Berlin [ENV] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Climate Resilience, Bonn [ENV] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Volunteer, Dublin [HUM] [DEV]
π Search for Common Ground π
ππ§πππ«π§, Program Development Asia Regional Team, Bishkek [DIP]
π Center for Disaster Philanthropy π
ππ§ππ«π², Strategy and Research Program Associate, New York [ACA]
π Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations π
ππ§πππ«π§, EU and Global Affairs Research Unit (with a focus on EU Agriculture), The Hague [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, 'Prospects for political reform and renewal' - Middle East, The Hague [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, West Africa & Sahel: Politics and Crime, The Hague [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Business & Peace, Horn of Africa, The Hague [SEC] [ECO]
π Protection Approaches π
ππ§ππ«π², On Your Side Outreach Officer, London or Remote [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Development Assistant, Washington DC [HEA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Social Services, Silver Spring [HUM] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Social Services, New York [HUM] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Conflict Prevention in the Great Lakes Region, Nairobi [SEC] [ACA]
π European Endowment for Democracy π
ππ§πππ«π§, Administration, Logistics and Events support, Brussels [HUM]
π Center for Democracy & Technology π
ππ§πππ«π§, legal, Brussels [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, policy analyst, Brussels [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, research, Brussels [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, technologist, Brussels [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, nonprofit communications and development, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Environment, Brussels [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant, London [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant - Education, Employment and Skills, London [ACA] [DIP]
π German Marshall Fund of the United States π
ππ§πππ«π§, Summer 2025 Trainee - GMF Technology Team, Washington DC [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Summer 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program, Washington DC [SEC]
π Centre for Policy Research π
ππ§πππ«π§, Law and Social Science Research, Brussels [LAW] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 Research Specialists (taking applications now) [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 Young Professionals Program (accepting applications now) [ACA] [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, 2025 Publication Fellows [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Grant and Donor Engagement, Shoreline [DEV] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Shoreline [DEV] [HUM]
ππ«ππ’π§ππ, General, - [TEC]
π European Policy Centre π
ππ§ππ«π², Communication and Events Team, Brussels (4) [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant/Researcher in Tech Policy and AI, GRID Unit, Brussels [ACA] [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Team Assistant, Ankara [DEV] [SEC]
Photo by Leandro Barreto on Unsplash