Welcome to the Council on Foreign Relations Career Opportunities homepage, where you can learn more about employment with our organization.
CFR offers exceptional opportunities for individuals at all levels in their careers, from recent graduates interested in our openings for Research Associates and Program Assistants for pursuing a career in international relations, to skilled professionals in a service area such as development or information services.
Below are links to current openings at the Council on Foreign Relations. CFR updates this section on a daily basis. The Council on Foreign Relations also offers paid internships for college students, graduate students, or recent graduates focusing on international relations or pursuing a career in foreign policy or a related field.
Here are our current job openings. Please click on the job title for more information, and apply from that page if you are interested.
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CFR’s David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks, with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program aims to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
The research associate will work under the direction of the senior fellow for history and foreign policy. This position is based in CFR’s New York office on a hybrid basis. CFR currently defines hybrid status as working at least three days a week onsite, with Tuesdays and Thursdays considered institutional anchor days when all staff are required to be onsite.
Under the direction of the Senior Vice President and Director of Studies, the Managing Director oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of Studies, CFR’s internal think tank. This includes staffing, budgeting, and developing and implementing departmental procedures. It also involves working with senior staff outside of Studies in areas including human resources, fundraising, compliance, and outreach.
Objectives of this role
- Partners with the Director of Studies to both drive the creation of high quality, rigorous, and original policy scholarship and to expand the reach and...
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 Intern, Executive Office will work under the direction of the Research Associate to the President and Chief of Staff. Qualified candidates will have related experience that requires judgment, discretion, strong writing and editing skills, the ability to prioritize, and experience dealing with high-profile individuals.
CFR internships are paid, require a...
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 Intern, Executive Office will work under the direction of the Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff. Qualified candidates will have related experience that requires judgment, discretion, strong writing and editing skills, the ability to prioritize, and experience dealing with high-profile individuals.
CFR internships are paid, require a 14...
CFR’s David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program aims to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
Slated to launch in early 2025, the CFR Cross-Cutting Climate and Energy Initiative will represent one of the top four institutional priorities of the Council, alongside the China Strategy Initiative, RealEcon, and the technology initiative. The Climate and Energy Initiative (CEI) will harness the full range of CFR’s capabilities to advance impactful...
The Council’s avid David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program’s aim is to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
The research associate will report to the senior vice president, director of studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg chair. The fellow’s current work focuses on two general research areas: international trade and Latin America. The fellow’s work on international trade focuses on global supply chains and industrial policy, and their effects on...
The Facility Operations Assistant will work in CFR’s Facility Operations department, and report directly to the Manager of Public Space.
This is a full-time position, and the hours of this position are Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. However, this position is considered essential personnel, and will be expected to work flexible hours upon request.
CFR Outreach works to raise the profile of the organization and develop relationships with communities across the United States. Current initiatives focus on college and university students, educators, and administrators; state and local officials; local journalists; and congregational leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations. We are also currently developing a fifth initiative focused on the technology industry.
The program coordinator will work mainly on the Students and Educators Initiative, which provides programming for college and university students, educators, and administrators to foster understanding of global affairs and cultivate relations with the academic community, under the...
The assistant director will support the work of the Corporate Affairs department, which administers the Corporate Program and is the Council’s primary point of contact with the private sector. The Corporate Program raises over $6 million through its membership program, which offers a forum for executives from approximately 100 leading global businesses to explore issues at the nexus of business and foreign policy.
Reporting to and working closely with the Managing Director, Corporate Member Relations, the assistant director will ensure the highest level of corporate member interaction. Qualified candidates will have related experience that requires exceptional attention to
CFR is truly a national organization, with a plurality of its membership based outside of our New York and Washington, DC, hubs. The National Program provides a forum for these members to discuss pressing foreign policy issues and contribute to CFR’s research by organizing approximately eighty on-the-ground meetings each year in cities across the country, as well as two large annual events and interactive virtual programming.
The Council on Foreign Relations seeks a creative video production professional to join our award-winning video team. Reporting to the Director of Video, the Senior Video Producer will produce a wide range of video products, series, and initiatives for the Council’s website and its various distribution channels.
The candidate will have demonstrated experience writing, producing, and editing visually compelling video explainers rich in graphics, short form documentaries, virtual shorts for social platforms, and animated graphics. Strong background in video editing and motion graphic production is required. Must have a passion for visual storytelling and a love of collaborative problem-solving.
The Council on Foreign Relations is seeking a Senior Manager of Analytics and Insights to join our digital team. This role will lead the efforts to infuse data into decision-making processes, providing insights that drive audience engagement, platform growth, and the overall impact of CFR. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in data analytics with a passion for leveraging data to inform and enhance content and product decisions.
Reporting to the Director, Digital Operations, this position will collaborate and work alongside the think tank, content, product, design, and technology teams to help shape our approach to data analysis and insights.
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Assistant to support the Vice President and Chief Digital Content Officer (CDCO). This role is essential in helping support CDCO in the execution of CFR’s digital strategy, which aims to enhance our role as a leader in foreign policy analysis and engagement. The Assistant will play a key role in assisting with the day-to-day operations of the digital department, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring the smooth execution of projects aligned with the digital strategy.
The Assistant Director, Event Management will provide support to the Event Operations team based out of the New York office, both in contributing to management and oversight of the Harold Pratt House rental operations, and in supporting day-of logistics for Council events. This is an on-site role.
CFR’s Fellowship Program offers unique opportunities for mid-career and senior-career professionals focusing on international relations. The program affords fellows the opportunity to broaden their perspective of foreign affairs and to pursue proposed research, with a placement at either CFR or another institution in New York City or Washington, DC.
The assistant director will report to the managing director for studies administration and fellowship affairs on all activities related to the fellowship program. The assistant director will be part of a dynamic team working on activities in both Washington, DC, and New York.
CFR’s David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program aims to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
As part of the Studies Program, the research associate will support the work of the senior fellow for energy and climate and the CFR Initiative on Climate and Energy.
This position is based in CFR’s Washington, DC office on a hybrid basis. CFR currently defines hybrid status as working at least three days...
CFR’s David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program aims to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
As part of the Studies Program, the research associate will spend half of his/her time supporting the senior fellow for national security. The research associate will also support the work of other fellows and programs within the Studies Program.
This position is based in CFR’s New York office on a hybrid...
CFR is truly a national organization, with a plurality of its membership based outside of our New York and Washington, DC, hubs. The National Program provides a forum for these members to discuss pressing foreign policy issues and contribute to CFR’s research by organizing approximately eighty on-the-ground meetings each year, as well as two large annual events and interactive virtual programming. The Outreach side of the department is dedicated to raising the profile of CFR beyond CFR’s membership and promoting an informed citizenry through programming and the dissemination of CFR resources. Current initiatives focus on state and local officials; local journalists; college and university educators, administrators, and students; and congregational...
CFR Outreach works to raise the profile of the organization and develop relationships with communities across the United States. Current initiatives focus on state and local officials; local journalists; college and university educators, administrators, and students; and congregational leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations. This position will be the first hire to build out an Outreach initiative geared toward the technology industry and issues at the nexus of tech and foreign policy.
The assistant director will work closely with the National Program and CFR’s Cross-Cutting Initiatives on China, Technology, Climate, and RealEcon to cultivate relations with the technology community...
The Program Associate will be a member of CFR’s Meetings Program, which brings major international and domestic officials, thought leaders, and others together with CFR members over the course of more than 100 meetings each year.
CFR’s David Rockefeller Studies Program is one of the country’s largest foreign policy think tanks with a widely respected and influential research staff. The Studies Program aims to advance the discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs through its writing, publications, public outreach, and discussions.
The Research Associate will work under the direction of Ira A. Lipman Chair in Emerging Technologies and National Security and Director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program.
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 intern will have the opportunity to help to research and create a new series of multimedia tools for a variety of educational materials in international relations. By actively participating in this project, this intern will participate in learning how to creatively educate a diverse audience on topics in international relations. The intern will also will gain a deeper understanding of several current foreign policy topics,...
Reporting to the Chief Investment Officer, the Investment Manager is part of a small, collaborative, high-performing, and diverse investment team of generalists. The position provides opportunities to have material impact on CFR’s growing, active investment program and mentorship from an experienced investment team. In addition, the position offers access to the broad range of activities and research work of the Council.
In this role, the individual will work closely with the Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Director of Investment Operations in the day-to-day oversight, management, and monitoring of the endowment portfolio as well as advising the Investment Committee in establishing risk and...