IR career starters - January 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.
New year, new ideas and a new edition of the IR Career Starters Newsletter!
I have now been running the newsletter on both Substack and LinkedIn for a year, and on LinkedIn alone for almost 4 years (in its current format). And while it is a rewarding hobby, it is also challenging and time-consuming.
Each edition of the newsletter takes a few evenings to produce, and with twelve editions per year, this translates to workweeks of production.
In addition, there are regular shares, articles, guest lectures, and responding to the immense number of messages that come my way on LinkedIn; many people are struggling to enter the field and seek help. I try my best to get to everyone, but itβs next to impossible.
I do take pride in maintaining the newsletter, website, and everything as an open-access service for those entering the field; the fuel for me is good karma and making sure these efforts reach those who need them.
Despite the altruism, I do have to share my huge appreciation for Jennifer, Mark, Chloe, CIS, YCW, Artem, and Tamara for more than covering the costs of server, domain, and software upkeep through their Substack subscriptions, and to Vanessa for sending very welcome coffee my way.
All the best,
Alex
π International Peace Institute π
ππ§ππ«π², Program Coordinator, New York [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistants β Science, Technology and Innovation, Paris (6) [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Policy Analyst, Paris [ECO] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB), Bonn [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications for the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI) / Digital transformation of social protection systems, Bonn [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Venture Capital in Africa, Eschborn [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Investment Associate, Project & Corporate Finance, Beijing [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Case Management Assistant, Bama [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Safety Assistant - Liaison, Tubah [SEC] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², WASH Assistant, Khoka [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Safety Assistant, Mykolaiv [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Supply Chain Assistant (Fleet Assistant), Mykolaiv [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², WASH Assistant - Site Engineer, Lahj [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², MENA Humanitarian Representation Assistant, Dubai [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Europe & Central Asia Division, Berlin [HUM] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Development & Outreach Department, Tokyo [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Asia Division, Tokyo [HUM] [DIP]
π Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Fellowship Affairs, New York or Washington [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, Local Journalists Initiative, New York [PUD]
π European Army Interoperability Centre π
ππ§πππ«π§, Defence & Security Research, Brussels [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal Research, Brussels [LAW] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Editor, Brussels [PUD]
π Brookings Institution π
ππ§ππ«π², Finance Assistant, Economic Studies, Washington [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant, Special Events, Washington [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, Economic Studies, Washington [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Washington [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant or Senior Research Assistant, The Hamilton Project, Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Bachelorβs Level Research Assistant β Quantitative, - [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Bachelorβs Level Research Assistant - Qualitative, - [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Economic Security and Technology Department (Spring 2026), Washington [ECO] [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Americas Program (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business (Spring 2026), Washington [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Critical Minerals Security Program (Spring 2026), Washington [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Korea Chair (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Southeast Asia (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Renewing American Innovation Project (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Project on Prosperity and Development and the Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics (Spring 2026), Washington [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Japan Chair (Spring 2026), Washington [ACA] [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Economic Security and Technology (EST) Front Office, Washington [ECO] [TEC]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Energy Security and Climate Change Program, Washington [ECO] [ACA]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, H. Andrew Schwartz, Washington [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant - Aerospace Security Project, Washington [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant or Research Associate - Center for the Industrial Base, Washington [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate - Department of Operations - Accountability, Analysis and Evidence Unit, Geneva [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate in the Protection Division, Geneva [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Logistics Assistant Ethiopia, North Maitsebri [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Logistics Assistant Ethiopia, North Amhara [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Logistics Assistant Ethiopia, North-Humera [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Technical Assistant, Yemen [HUM] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Shelter Technical Assistant, Tripoli [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Culture Department, Singapore [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications Department, Singapore [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Executive Office, Singapore [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Governance Unit, Singapore [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Human Resources Unit, Singapore [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Accounting Officer (P2), Vienna (3) [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Publishing Officer - Content Design(P2), Vienna [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Banker, Baghdad [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, London [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Social Development Specialist, Paris [ACA] [ECO]
π Center for Democracy & Technology π
ππ§πππ«π§, 2026 Development or Communications Summer, Washington [PUD] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2026 Legal, Policy, Research, or Technologist Summer Internship, Washington [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Spring 2026 Academic-Year Externship, Washington [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant - Science and Emerging Technology, Cambridge [ACA] [TEC]
π German Marshall Fund of the United States π
ππ§πππ«π§, Transatlantic Security/Global Power Shifts, Washington [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Geostrategy Hub-Risk and Strategy Workstream, Paris [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, HSPRS Caseworker Assistant, New York [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant - Receptionist, Phoenix [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Food and Agriculture Assistant, New York [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Cash and Basic Needs Assistant, Dnipro [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Humanitarian Access, Safety and Security Assistant, Dnipro [HUM] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², MEAL Assistant, Mykolaiv [HUM] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Youth Program Assistant, Atlanta [EDU]
π Consortium on Gender, Security & Human Rights π
ππ§πππ«π§, Research & Administrative, Boston [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², UK Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Remote (London) [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maroua [ACA] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Education in Emergency Assistant, Gambela [EDU] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Procurement Assistant, Gambela [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Supply Chain & Admin Assistant for Drilling Operations, Gambela [ECO]
https://actalliance.org/careers/
ππ§ππ«π², Finance & Administrative Assistant, Remote (Jordan) [ECO] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Assistant β Sustainable Prosperity for Europe programme, Brussels [DIP] [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Associate, Remote (Germany) [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Associate, Remote (USA) [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Conservation Research Assistant, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Junior Programme Officer - Schools, WASH and Solar, Fort Dauphin
Intern, Junior Programme Officer - Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Fort Dauphin [DEV] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Lead, Fort Dauphin [ACA] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Pro Bono PR & Media Consultant, Remote [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Media and Communications Officer, Fort Dauphin [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Officer - Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Fort Dauphin [DEV] [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Manager β Schools, WASH and Solar, Fort Dauphin [HUM] [EDU]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Officer β Schools, WASH and Solar, Fort Dauphin [HUM] [EDU]
ππ§ππ«π², Programmes Manager - Community Health, Fort Dauphin [DEV] [HEA]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Kyiv [PUD] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, Washington [PUD] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, HR Support, Lesvos [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Humanitarian Aid, Lesvos [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Community Empowerment Mobilization, Lesvos [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Integration Support, Lesvos [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Fieldworker, Lesvos [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Philanthropy and Partnership, Zurich [PUD] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Philanthropy and Partnership, Ecublens [PUD] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Assistant, Postgraduate Degree and Training Programme, Tokyo [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Associate, Biodiversity and Society, Tokyo [ENV] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Operations & Finance Associate GS6, Kuala Lumpur [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Early-career computer scientist: AI tools for data extraction, Stockholm [ACA] [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, BSI Communications, Bangkok [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Video Editor & Translator, Remote (Thailand) [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Accountant and Finance, Chiang Maitsebri [ECO] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Full-time Advocacy Programme, Geneva [HUM] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Volunteer, Dublin [HUM]
π Climate Action Network π
ππ§ππ«π², Network Development Assistant, Bonn [ENV] [PUD]
π Basel Institute on Governance π
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Corruption Prevention β Ukraine, Kyiv [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, General, the Hague [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant Program Officer, Philippines [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Human Resources Associate, Suva (2) [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistant, Strengthening Water and Sanitation Governance in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM WASH), Suva [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Democratic Republic of the Congo : Country Transparency & Compliance Volunteer β Kinshasa [ECO] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Democratic Republic of the Congo : Transparency & Compliance Volunteer β Kinshasa [LAW] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Kenya : Project Development Officer β Nairobi [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Democratic Republic of the Congo : Area Logistics Officer β Gbadolite [DEV]
Photo by Leandro Barreto on Unsplash