Communications Internship

Job Description

About the Role
ISW’s External Relations Team offers a unique opportunity to candidates interested in learning more about non-profit communications with an eye towards national security. Interns will hone their skills supporting a variety of communications functions, working alongside a small and flexible external relations team in an engaging and fast-paced environment.

What You’ll Do
• Support a variety of communications functions, including media relations and monitoring, writing and copyediting, social media monitoring and management, digital content creation, and media research.
• Receive guidance from ISW’s professional communications and publishing staff, gradually expanding and honing ability to develop and execute effective communications strategies.
• Create and edit videos, graphics, and written material.
• Assist in special projects and company initiatives.
• Help develop and execute social media campaigns across platforms like X, Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

You’re a Good Fit If You
• Are motivated and organized college students or recent graduates with demonstrated proficiency in a related field.
• Possess excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills.
• Have experience adhering to a codified writing style guide such as the AP Stylebook, the Chicago Manual of Style, or the American Psychological Association Stylebook.
• Have experience reviewing the written work of others; this can include peer reviews of papers, work in a college writing center, or other copyediting experience in a professional or academic setting.
• Are self-motivated, creative, and capable of working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Must both be authorized to work in the United States and be physically present in the United States during their internship tenure.
• If attending a US university on a student visa, you must be eligible for and obtain a CPT authorization before beginning at ISW.

Bonus Qualifications
• Have experience with visual content creation and digital communications, including social media platforms.

Role Highlights & Compensation
• This is a full-time (five days per week) in-person, remote, or hybrid internship; but part-time work will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Internships start September 8, 2026, and the program will run until December 11, 2026.
• ISW will work with students to gain academic credit for internships where applicable.
• The Institute for the Study of War will offer intern candidates up to a $1,000 monthly living stipend as part of a scholarship program.
• The scholarship is classified as taxable income.
• Interns have an unparalleled opportunity to analyze conflicts in ways that directly inform policy-makers on some of the most pressing issues facing American national security.
• Interns work directly with analysts.
• Interns receive classroom education and regular leadership engagement.
• Interns have a chance to work with cutting-edge technologies employed in business and the intelligence community.
• Interns have the opportunity to stand at the front lines of military research and policy development, tackling the latest crises in the headlines.
• ISW has worked with interns to draft, edit, and publish their own research under the mentorship of senior analysts.
• ISW has hired many interns onto its staff.