CFR’s volunteer internships give selected volunteer interns the opportunity to receive training in the area of foreign policy; as well as skills training in areas such as writing, research, and program planning.

The Corporate Program, the Council’s primary point of contact with the private sector, enlists the business community’s participation in and support of the Council’s activities. Corporate members include nearly 200 U.S. and non-U.S. firms representing a wide range of business sectors, including financial services, law, manufacturing, consulting, technology, media, and others. Each year the program hosts over 70 events in New York and Washington.  

Through this internship, the Washington corporate affairs intern will develop an understanding of issues at the nexus of business and foreign policy. The volunteer intern will hone research skills by supporting the programming team on developing meeting ideas and supporting member relations on background research. The intern will also draft and edit memoranda and business communications.

CFR volunteer internships are unpaid, require a 16- 21 hour commitment, and are filled on a rolling basis. 

• Preparing for member outreach and correspondence by drafting background briefs, summarizing company interests, and drawing connections to current CFR research, and researching bios on executives
• Monitoring member company news and announcements to help corporate member relations team identify upgrade opportunities and at-risk membership
• Researching multinational companies that are current members or may be interested in joining the Corporate Program
• Participating in the administration of conferences and meetings, including research and planning for events in DC and New York, follow-up phone calls to invitees and staffing events
• Other departmental support as needed

• Undergraduate student with a concentration in international relations, political science, business, finance, or related field
• Experience in a corporate environment and/or prior administrative experience preferred
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills
• Database management skills highly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel
• Superior telephone etiquette and attention to detail

Founded in 1921, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a leading nonprofit membership organization, research center, and publisher, with headquarters in New York, an office in Washington, DC, and programs nationwide. It is dedicated to increasing America's understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policy. CFR's 5,000+ members are leaders in international affairs and foreign policy. CFR also publishes Foreign Affairs, the preeminent magazine on global issues, and provides up-to-date information about the world and U.S. foreign policy on its award-winning website, CFR.org.

The Council on Foreign Relations is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Quality, diversity, and balance are the key objectives sought by the Council on Foreign Relations in the composition of its workforce.