Cognitive Warfare Project Internship – Cognitive Warfare

Job Description

Cognitive Warfare Project Internship Fall 2026 | Institute for the Study of War

The Tone:
This is an internship at the Institute for the Study of War, with options for in-person, remote, or hybrid work from within the United States. The Institute for the Study of War conducts detailed open-source intelligence analysis to provide timely and accurate information on current conflicts and security threats directly to policymakers and warfighters. This role supports the new Cognitive Warfare Project, which studies and analyzes adversary cognitive warfare against the United States and its allies, directly informing national security strategy and policy.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time (part-time considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Location: Hybrid, Washington, DC
• Pay: $1000 monthly (scholarship program)
• Team: Works directly with analysts within the Cognitive Warfare Project and the General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders.
• Mission: Collect, process, analyze, and synthesize open-source intelligence relating to adversary cognitive campaigns against the United States and its allies.
• Tech Stack: data visualization tools, large data sets, AI, data management systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Support: Provide assistance to the new Cognitive Warfare Project (CWP) at the Institute for the Study of War.
• Analyze: Collect, process, analyze, and synthesize open-source intelligence (OSINT) relating to adversary cognitive campaigns.
• Research: Support long-term research assignments within the project.
• Collaborate: Engage with software partners who are transforming the national security space.
• Learn: Understand the cognitive domain and its impact on policymaking, kinetic activities, and strategy.

The Must-Haves
• Background: College student or recent graduate with a demonstrated interest in cognitive and information warfare; disinformation/misinformation; artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology; international affairs; or propaganda and media studies. Also, a demonstrated interest in national security or regional studies, particularly relating to Russia, Ukraine, Europe, or China is required.
• Experience: Demonstrated ability to conduct excellent research.
• Skills: Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills. Ability to conduct complex tasks in a timely and efficient manner. Self-motivated, independent, creative, and capable of working in a demanding environment. Commitment to the core mission and values of ISW.
• Bonus: Strong critical language capabilities in Russian, Ukrainian, or Mandarin. Experience conducting research using primary sources in a foreign language. Experience with data visualization tools, large data sets, artificial intelligence (AI), and data management systems.