Research Intern

Job Description

Here is a detailed summary of the company and job description:

About the Company: The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

CSIS is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy organization established in 1962. Its core mission is to provide strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision-makers focused on global security and prosperity. Over the years, CSIS has grown significantly, becoming one of the largest organizations of its kind. It employs approximately 250 staff members, including over 120 analysts who are dedicated to addressing the evolving challenges in international security worldwide. CSIS is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About the Futures Lab

The Futures Lab is an integral part of the Defense and Security Department (DSD) at CSIS. Its mission is straightforward: to generate evidence-based products that leverage both qualitative and quantitative analysis to inform US policymakers’ decision-making processes and ultimately impact US policy. The Lab accomplishes this through independent research, by convening experts from diverse backgrounds, and by publishing robust reports that feature tailored policy recommendations pertinent to a rapidly changing global landscape.

A distinguishing characteristic of the Futures Lab is that each scholar is a first-generation graduate with a deep commitment to civil service. This foundation guides the Lab’s research, providing an expansive view of strategic studies and national security. The scope of their work is broad, encompassing areas from cyber threats impacting the federal enterprise to gender analysis under authoritarian regimes, and quantitative analysis of Russian firepower strikes, aiming to cover all facets of national and international security within public policy. While the Lab may engage in cross-team collaboration within the DSD, most research and analysis is conducted autonomously under the direction of its leader, Dr. Benjamin Jensen, who is a Senior Fellow and Co-Founder of the Futures Lab.

Job Description: Research Intern (Futures Lab)

The CSIS Futures Lab is seeking a motivated candidate for a full-time (35 hours per week), 10-week internship commencing in mid-September 2025 (Fall). This will be an in-person position at CSIS’s DC office.

Role Overview:
The Research Intern will play a supportive role, dividing their time between research tasks (30%) and administrative tasks (60%). The position requires a candidate who understands that no task is too small or too big to execute in support of the team, acknowledging that the role is not uniquely research-heavy and leans significantly into administrative duties.

Key Responsibilities (Essential Duties and Responsibilities):
Interns will bolster the team with a variety of core research and analytical skills, including but not limited to:
• Assisting with research and analysis, encompassing data collection and management.
• Data wrangling, cleaning, reshaping, modeling, and presentation as directed by their supervisor.
• Copy-editing upcoming publications and filling out promotional material.
• Printing and document assembly for tabletop exercises or wargames.
• Note-taking and writing summaries of events and meetings.
• Assisting with event planning and staffing, which includes drafting invitation letters, conducting background research, drafting questions, and providing on-site event support.
• Various administrative duties such as general printing, brewing coffee, and managing event logistics.

Required Knowledge, Education, and Experience:
• Applicants must be recent graduates of an undergraduate or master’s program with at least a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
• Relevant fields of study include Political Science, International Relations/Affairs, Security Studies, Computational Social Sciences, Public Policy, or a minor/concentration/certification in these areas, including data analytics or computer science. Students with low academic constraints based in D.C. may also apply.
• Demonstrated interest AND experience in data science, emerging technologies, strategic studies, or state fragility.
• Demonstrated interest AND experience in administrative tasks such as data entry, packet/document assembly, or other non-research tasks.
• Proven experience (evidenced by a work sample/publication) in data analytics or advanced statistical analysis, specifically in causal inference or Bayesian inference (e.g., IV, DiD, RDD, Fuzzy RDD, Fixed Effects, or quasi-experimental approaches).
• For recent undergraduate candidates, at least 3-4 research internship experiences; for recent Master graduates, at least 1-2 years of full-time, non-internship experiences. The Lab specifically seeks candidates with foreign and security policy research experience.
• Experience in QGIS or GIS using R.
• Intermediate R user familiar with Tidyverse functions without AI assistance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to carry out tasks without ongoing oversight (minimal supervision).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research and present information clearly and efficiently.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and possess a strong, independent work ethic.
• Candidates must be passionate about the Lab’s research, willing to learn new skills, and eager to contribute and implement new ideas.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Intermediate to advanced R or Python user.
• Experience with dashboard creation (e.g., Shiny app or Streamlit in R/Python).
• Experience with virtual machines, handling large datasets (greater than 80 GB), and utilizing tools like arrow or parallelization.
• AIS experience.
• GitHub repository management.
• API queries.
• Experience with GIS/spatial analysis/geocomputation in R/Python or other open-source tools.
• Experience in machine learning/statistical learning in R or Python with practical applications.
• Experience using program evaluation techniques with causal inference in a professional setting.

Internship Duration and Compensation:
Internships are seasonal, typically lasting 10 weeks, with a possibility of extension up to six months at the program’s discretion. Applicants should specify their available start and end dates in their cover letter.
Hired candidates will be paid hourly, commensurate with experience:
• $18.00/hour for current undergraduate hires.
• $19.00/hour for hires with a bachelor’s degree.
• $20.00/hour for hires with a master’s degree.

Application Requirements:
Applicants must strictly adhere to the following guidelines:
• The use of any AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, Claude) is strictly prohibited for generating any application materials to ensure proper representation of the candidate’s writing style, coding, and analysis.
• All applications must include all 5 requested components in PDF copies only; incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
1. All academic transcripts (from undergraduate to graduate level, clearly showing grades/pass/no pass, including transfer institutions or non-degree credentials).
2. CV/Resume:
• Applicants with 5 or fewer years of relevant experience must submit a 1-page resume.
• Applicants with more than five years of relevant experience may submit their CV or a resume, limited to 10 pages.
3. Cover letter: Must demonstrate interest and alignment with the role, CSIS, and the Futures Lab’s work. It should use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format to highlight transferable and applicable prior experiences.
4. One written publication, work sample, or class paper: Not to exceed 5-8 pages single-spaced or 15 pages double-spaced. This should showcase writing skills and critical thinking analysis, and can be for an academic, technical, or general audience.
5. One coding sample (R preferred): In knitted PDF or Quarto/RMD format with visible code and written analysis, OR a PDF with instructions to download a public, cloneable, and reproducible GitHub repo project. The sample should showcase coding skills, optimization, conciseness, data wrangling, analysis, and a brief write-up.