All who are selected to participate in CFR’s Blavatnik Internship Program and Robina Franklin Williams Internship Program receive training in the field of foreign policy and international affairs as well as skills training in writing, research, program planning, and much more.

The Council’s outreach initiative aims to engage an interested and influential group of Americans from around the country and the world by providing ideas and timely, clear, and accurate information on key international issues. CFR.org, America’s foremost Internet resource for foreign policy and national security analysis, is one of the primary tools for doing so.

CFR internships are paid, require a 14 - 18 hour commitment, and are filled on a rolling basis.

CFR’s summer internship program gives interns the opportunity to choose whether to work in our office in a hybrid capacity (half in the office, and half remote), or on an offsite fully remote basis. 

• Assist with research for CFR.org Backgrounders, Timelines, Interactives, and In Briefs
• Find and analyze data for graphics on CFR.org
• Stage edit content published on CFR.org
• Write at least one In Brief
• Update Backgrounders as needed, including flagship pieces
• Perform taxonomy work across CFR.org

• Undergraduate or graduate student focusing on Journalism, Communications, International Relations, History, or Political Science
• All applicants should have completed the equivalent of four semesters of college coursework (not including AP classes in high school) by the time they begin an internship
• Previous on-campus work and/or internship experiences in writing and/or editing
• Excellent writing, copyediting, and fact checking skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Additional language skills useful, but not required
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, basic HTML, and Google Docs

Pay Rate

$17.00 per hour

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.

CFR’s Internship Program is made possible through the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Robina Foundation, CFR members, and the family and friends of Franklin Williams.

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.