Intern - Congressional & Government Affairs (Spring 2026)

JOB SUMMARY:

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.

CSIS Congressional and Government Affairs seeks highly motivated candidates for a full-time, paid internship to join our dynamic and fast-paced team beginning in January and through May 2026. The Congressional Affairs Intern will serve as an integral part of the team, helping to strengthen CSIS's relationships with Congress, support briefings, and promote CSIS research to Capitol Hill. They will advance CSIS's mission of providing targeted, useful, and timely support to help inform the decision-making of key policymakers. This is a fast-paced work environment, so interns should be self-starters with strong attention to detail who enjoy a wide variety of analytic and logistical tasks. The intern will be paid an hourly rate.

The hired candidates 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 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Drafting and copyediting official correspondence;

• Assist with event preparation and staffing for both public and private events;

• Support program research and analysis of congressional activities;

• Tracking relevant congressional actions and legislation;

• Support various long term projects (background research, proposal writing, data gathering); for the Congressional Affairs team;

• Draft and format program mailings, and support accuracy of mailing lists;

• Provide general administrative support to the full Congressional Affairs team.

KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Pursuing a Bachelors' degree in a relevant field;

• Excellent research, writing, and copy-editing skills with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both in written and verbal communication.

• Strong interpersonal skills and attention to detail and the ability to prioritize, track, and accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously in a dynamic and fast-paced environment;

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability and willingness to work in a team environment

• General knowledge of international affairs and an interest in the Hill.

• Able to exercise effective professional judgment, sensitivity, and creativity to changing needs and situations

• Political or nonprofit experience is a plus

• Strong background in Excel, database management, and/or email marketing platform desirable.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS:

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.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants should apply as soon as possible and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants must submit cover letter and resumé to the CSIS website at The last day to submit applications is Friday November, 21 at 5:00pm ET.