Back to jobs

Research Intern - Korea Chair (Fall 2026)

Washington, D.C.

JOB SUMMARY

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy organization established in 1962 to provide strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers concerned with global security and prosperity. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the largest organizations of its kind, with a staff of some 275 employees, including more than 120 analysts working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe.

The Office of the Korea Chair is devoted to building an active policy research program in Washington, DC on the Korean peninsula. The CSIS Korea Chair conducts independent policy research on issues critical to the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Asia more broadly; convenes public and private sector stakeholders in Washington and Seoul; and advances a greater understanding of Korean policy issues to policymakers and the public at large. Korea Chair interns gain experience in the areas of professional writing development, policy-research, data collection, social media and event planning. Due to our fast-paced work environment, interns should be motivated self-starters able to engage in a wide variety of logistical tasks, event management assistance, and research/writing work. We are hiring two full-time interns. Only in extraordinary circumstances will part-time interns be considered.

We are specifically looking for interns with experience or coursework in at least one of the following areas:

  1. Compiling and coding qualitative data
  2. Geospatial analysis (including ship and aircraft tracking)
  3. Conducting policy research 
  4. Korean language ability is strongly preferred

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Monitor current events related to the Korean peninsula and write weekly policy issue briefs on topics including, but not limited to, unification planning, South Korean domestic politics, trade, & economics, the U.S.-Korea alliance, North Korea, and regional relations
  • Compile and code qualitative data on topics including North Korean provocations, North Korea-Russian cooperation, and media coverage for Korea Chair events and publications
  • Create promotional and news-related content for the Korea Chair's Twitter/X, Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads accounts
  • Gather, organize, and input data on infrastructure projects and related primary source documents
  • Provide logistical and administrative support, including social media outreach, contact database management and event statistics tracking
  • Assist in developing the Korea Chair's biweekly podcasts, The Impossible State and The Capital Cable through social media promotion and brainstorming questions
  • Assist in event planning, preparations, and staffing
  • Assist in background research for staff
  • Assist in research and writing for articles, conference reports, event summaries, grant proposals, and other such projects as dictated by program needs
  • Assist in social media posting across Bluesky, Instagram and Twitter/X


KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE

  • Excellent attention to detail, good organizational abilities, professional demeanor, general office skills and strong computer skills
  • Have a demonstrated interest in the Korean peninsula and Asia
  • Experience or coursework in compiling and coding qualitative data, designing data visualizations, and/or database management
  • Good social media (Bluesky, Twitter/X, Threads & Instagram)
  • Canva, Excel and coding skills preferred
  • Possess strong writing and research skills
  • Possess strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Possess good understanding of the research with and usage of primary sources
  • Willingness to complete administrative and logistical tasks
  • Ability to work independently as well as closely with a team with a strong work ethic
  • Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple projects under tight deadlines
  • Be at least a junior in an undergraduate degree program and have at least a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) from an accredited U.S. institution or equivalent from a non-U.S. institution
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Ability to commit to working 35 hours per week
  • Korean language ability strongly preferred

Salary Range

$18.40 - $20.40 USD

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS


The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee working in an office environment.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
 
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.
 
Equal Opportunity Employer. 

 

 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

If yes, you can always opt-out by replying STOP. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (ADD LINKS)

Conditions of Application and Employment: I understand that any false statements in this application may be cause for rejection or termination of my employment with Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS). I also grant permission to Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) to investigate my former employment and references, to my former employers and references to release information about me to Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS). In consideration of my potential employment with Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS), I absolve Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS), former employers, and references from any liability with respect to providing information about me, including my employment and attendance records and reasons for termination. I understand that neither this document nor any offer of employment from the employer constitutes an employment contract, unless a specific document to that effect is executed by Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) and myself in writing. *
Pre-employment Authorization and Consent for Release of Personal Information: The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (""the Company"") may obtain information about you from a consumer reporting agency for employment purposes. Thus, you may be the subject of a ""consumer report"" and/or an ""investigative consumer report"" which may include information about your character, general reputation, personal characteristics, and/or mode of living and which can involve personal interviews with sources such as your neighbors, friends, or associates. These reports may contain information regarding your credit history, criminal history, social security verification, motor vehicle records (""driving records""), verification of your education or employment history, or other background checks. You have the right, upon written request made within a reasonable time after receipt of this notice, to request disclosure of the nature and scope of any investigative consumer report. Please be advised that the nature and scope of the most common form of investigative consumer report obtained with regard to applicants for employment is an investigation into your education and/or employment history conducted by CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Ave, Washington, DC 20036, 202-887-0200 or another outside organization. The scope of this notice and authorization is all-encompassing, however, allowing the Company to obtain from any outside organization all manner of consumer reports and investigative consumer reports now and throughout the course of your employment to the extent permitted by law. As a result, you should carefully consider whether to exercise your right to request disclosure of the nature and scope of any investigative consumer report. New York applicants or employees only: You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of any investigative consumer report requested by Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) by contacting the consumer reporting agency identified above directly. Acknowledgement and Authorization I acknowledge receipt of the NOTICE REGARDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION and A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT and certify that I have read and understand both of those documents. I hereby authorize the obtaining of ""consumer reports"" and/or ""investigative consumer reports"" by Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) at any time after receipt of this authorization and throughout my employment, if applicable. To this end, I hereby authorize, without reservation, any law enforcement agency, administrator, state or federal agency, institution, school or university (public or private), information service bureau, employer, or insurance company to furnish any and all background information requested by CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, DC 20036, 202-887-0200, another outside organization acting on behalf of Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS), and/or Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) itself. I agree that a facsimile (""fax""), electronic or photographic copy of this Authorization shall be as valid as the original. Minnesota and Oklahoma applicants or employees only: Please check this box if you would like to receive a copy of a consumer report if one is obtained by Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS). [ ] California applicants or employees only: By signing below, you also acknowledge receipt of the NOTICE REGARDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA LAW. Please check this box if you would like to receive a copy of an investigative consumer report or consumer credit report at no charge if one is obtained by Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS) whenever you have a right to receive such a copy under California law. *

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Center for Strategic and International Studies, Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.