Russia Occupation Research Internship

Job Description

About the Role
The ISW Internship Program trains the next generation of national security leaders, offering college students and recent graduates the opportunity to analyze conflicts and directly inform policymakers. This specific internship supports ISW’s Russian Occupation Update product line and related research, providing critical analysis and intelligence on global conflicts, particularly examining Russian occupation strategy, governance policy, and coercive apparatus in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Interns are an integral component of ISW’s mission to ensure ground realities drive strategy and policy.

What You’ll Do
• Support ISW’s Russian Occupation Update product line and related research efforts.
• Examine the implications of Russian occupation strategy, governance policy, and coercive apparatus in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
• Collect, process, and analyze data from a wide variety of open sources.
• Write sections of the Russian Occupation Update to publishable ISW standard.
• Support longer-term research efforts focusing on occupation administration, repression, sociocultural control, administrative integration, and humanitarian and human rights implications.
• Conduct open-source collection and analysis using innovative technologies.
• Work directly with analysts and receive hands-on training.
• Draft, edit, and publish your own research under the mentorship of senior analysts.

You’re a Good Fit If You
• Have a demonstrated interest in war studies, national security, or regional studies related to Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and the post-Soviet space.
• Have a demonstrated interest in military occupations, irregular warfare and coercive activities, humanitarian and human rights issues in conflict zones, and international and human rights law.
• Possess strong analytical writing, editing, research, and communication skills.
• Are self-motivated, detail-oriented, independent, and capable of working in a constantly changing and fast-paced professional environment.
• Show commitment to—and interest in—the core mission and values of ISW.
• Are authorized to work in the United States and will be physically present in the United States during your internship tenure.
• Are eligible for and can obtain CPT authorization if attending a US university on a student visa.

Bonus Qualifications
• Possess strong reading and listening comprehension in Russian and/or Ukrainian.
• Have demonstrated professional or academic experience using foreign languages (preferably Russian and/or Ukrainian) to conduct primary source research.
• Have professional or academic familiarity with open-source intelligence methodologies, including analysis of social media sources, government statements, satellite imagery, and local-level reporting.
• Have experience with mapping and data visualization and organization tools.

Role Highlights & Compensation
• In-person, remote, and hybrid internship options available.
• Up to a $1,000 monthly living stipend available through a scholarship program.
• Full-time internship (five days per week), with part-time considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Opportunity to gain academic credit where applicable.
• Direct engagement with policymakers and warfighters.
• Classroom education, regular leadership engagement, and access to cutting-edge technologies.
• Mentorship opportunities for drafting, editing, and publishing research.
• Internship starts September 8, 2026, and runs until December 11.
• Many past interns have been hired onto ISW staff.