Korean Peninsula Intelligence Analysis Internship

Job Description

About the Role
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) seeks motivated and experienced college students or recent graduates to join its intern team as a Korean Peninsula Intelligence Analyst. This role contributes to ISW’s mission of training the next generation of national security leaders by conducting detailed open-source intelligence analysis to provide timely and accurate information on current conflicts and security threats directly to policymakers and warfighters.

What You’ll Do
• Provide critical assistance to analysts and receive hands-on training from supervisors.
• Be trained to use innovative technologies to conduct open-source collection and analysis.
• Conduct daily collection and analysis of open-source information in native language sources.
• Contribute to long-term research projects for the weekly Korean Peninsula Update in partnership with the Center for Defense of Taiwan (CDOT) at the American Enterprise Institute.
• Collaborate with the wider research team to generate weekly Korean Peninsula Update intelligence products.
• Assist with editing, documenting, and compiling materials for publications.
• Support the planning, preparation, and execution of public events and private briefings held by ISW.

You’re a Good Fit If You
• Are a motivated and organized college student or recent graduate with demonstrated expertise in a related field.
• Possess excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills.
• Display the ability to conduct complex tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Are self-motivated, independent, creative, and capable of working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Show commitment to—and interest in—the core mission and values of ISW.
• Are authorized to work in the United States and be physically present in the United States during your internship tenure.
• Are eligible for and obtain CPT authorization before beginning at ISW if attending a US university on a student visa.
• Are available for a full-time internship (five days per week), with part-time work considered on a case-by-case basis.

Bonus Qualifications
• Possess strong critical language capabilities in Korean.
• Possess language capabilities in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and other regional languages.

Role Highlights & Compensation
• Opportunity to analyze conflicts in ways that directly inform policymakers on pressing American national security issues.
• Work directly with analysts and receive classroom education, regular leadership engagement, and a chance to work with cutting-edge technologies.
• Opportunity to stand at the front lines of military research and policy development, tackling the latest crises.
• Integral component of the team, with opportunities to draft, edit, and publish research under mentorship, and potential for staff hiring.
• ISW will work with students to gain academic credit for internships where applicable.
• Up to a $1,000 monthly living stipend offered as part of a scholarship program (taxable income).
• Internship dates: September 8, 2026, to December 11, 2026.
• Applications reviewed on a rolling basis until July 24, 2026.
• Offered in-person, remote, and hybrid internship options.