Reports To: Program Coordinator, Alliance for Securing Democracy

Job Summary:

The Alliance for Securing Democracy is seeking trainees for Spring 2025 to assist with research on foreign state-sponsored actors’ efforts to undermine democracies. Trainees will be responsible for tracking and compiling research on developments in this area, including real-time events and policy debates in the United States and Europe.

Trainees will benefit from exposure to GMF’s network, and will gain valuable research, analysis, and writing experiences. Traineeships will be a mix of in-person and remote work, and trainees must maintain an address in the Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland area.

Trainees are paid $17.50 an hour and are offered an ideal opportunity to acquire substantive professional experience for those interested in a career in public policy or international affairs.?

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Compiling research on malign actors’ attempts to undermine democracies, including in-depth looks at the range of tools used by state actors like Russia, China, and Iran.
• Tracking and cataloguing foreign state-sponsored use of information manipulation, cyber operations, malign finance, economic coercion, and civil society subversion across transatlantic space.
• Contributing to ASD’s research and tracking of foreign state-sponsored attempts to interfere in upcoming elections across transatlantic space.
• Providing research and writing support for ASD fellows and products, including daily news clips.
• Producing summaries of hearings and events relevant to ASD’s work.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Excellent analytic and writing skills and previous research experience.
• Familiarity with and interest in autocratic efforts to undermine democratic institutions, alliances, and societies.
• Fluency in English is required; European language(s) a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Comfortable multi-tasking and working independently.
• Graduate or undergraduate student pursuing a degree in International Relations, Regional Studies, Security Studies, or a related field—or a recent graduate of such a program.
• Previous experience in a think tank, foundation, NGO, government body, media outlet, or similar organization preferred.
• Strong interest in democracy, national security, disinformation, US-Russia and US-China relations.

Start and Length of Traineeship:

• Preferred start and end: January-April 2025
• Preferred time commitment: 25-30 hours per week, Monday–Friday between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST

We highly encourage individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Historically, underrepresented groups include (but are not limited to) Black, Latinx/o/a/e, Indigenous, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, biracial, multiracial, female-identifying, the disability community, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized identities.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At GMF we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role, but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles at GMF.

GMF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.