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 250 employees, including more than 120 analysts working to address the changing dynamics of international security across the globe.

 

 

The CSIS Middle East program is currently seeking candidates for a full-time, paid Summer 2026 internship running from the end of May to the end of August. CSIS interns mostly work downtown at our office in DC, but some flexibility is offered to work remotely part of the time. All candidates must be legally eligible to work in the United States.

 

The hired candidate will be paid hourly, commensurate with experience ($18.00/hour for current undergraduate hires, $19.00/hour for hires with a bachelor’s degree, and $20.00/hour for hires with a master’s degree).

 

Essential functions include but are not limited to the following:

 

Interns have substantive programmatic and research responsibilities. Essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Compiling research briefs and literature reviews for fellows and research staff;

• Observing or listening to virtual or in-person events and writing event summaries;

• Pitching and researching content for the Middle East Program’s newsletter, especially for the “Charting the Middle East” chart series;

• Supporting maintenance of the program’s website, impact tracker contact database;

• Completing other minor administrative tasks.

 

 

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in Middle East studies, international affairs, political science, or a related field;

• Minimum of a 3.5 GPA on a U.S. scale or equivalent;

• Strong demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the Middle East;

• Outstanding written, research and oral communication skills;

• Zest for challenging assignments that demand creativity;

• Working knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and/or Hebrew strongly preferred with an emphasis on reading and listening skills.

• In addition to the above, candidates with demonstrated skills in data analysis and visualization, knowledge of AI, and experience working on the Gulf are highly encouraged to apply.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Interested applicants should submit a resumé, cover letter, a writing sample of up to five double-spaced pages, and all available college transcripts no later than March 27, 2026.  All required materials should be submitted through https://careers.csis.org/.

Writing samples should demonstrate the ability to research and write policy-relevant work on the region. If candidates advance in the hiring process, we will ask for additional references at a later stage.