Summer 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program Trainee

Job Summary:

GMF’s Strategic Democracy Initiatives workstream is seeking a part-time program trainee for the period from June 2025 through August 2025 to assist with program support, research assistance, and network coordination associated with the establishment of a new program on civil-military relations (CMR). The trainee will support the team with essential operational, outreach, and administrative activities relating to programming around the intersection of civ-mil relations and democratic resilience.

Trainees will benefit from exposure to GMF’s experts and network, and will gain valuable research, analysis, and writing experience. The traineeship will consist of both in-person and remote work. Only applicants who are graduating with a bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2025 (or who are military veterans who graduated or plan to graduate with bachelor’s degree between 2023-2026) will be considered.

The position will be compensated at a rate of $17.50 per hour with a flexible time commitment of 20-30 hours per week. Trainees are offered an ideal opportunity to acquire substantive professional experience for those interested in a career in public policy or international affairs.

Potential Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Coordinate convenings of policymakers, civil society groups, current and former members of the military, and other civ-mil experts
• Research civ-mil relations across a wide range of national and international contexts
• Assist with planning of logistics of expert convenings, including the formation of a distinguished advisory council of US civ-mil thought leaders
• Monitor CRM developments at both the state and federal levels
• Provide research, writing, and editing support on publications related to CMR and democratic resilience
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Strong analytic, writing, and speaking skills in English
• Excellent organizational skills and attentiveness to detail, experience with program management or event planning preferred
• Knowledge of or demonstrable interest in issues of transatlantic democratic backsliding and civil-military relations
• Graduating in spring of 2025 with a bachelor's degree in international relations, political science, history, security studies, or a related field (this requirement is more flexible if the applicant is a military veteran)
• Demonstrable research skills, preferably with research experience on issues related to democratic backsliding, civil-military relations, or immigration
• Previous experience in a think tank, foundation, NGO, government body, media outlet, or similar organization preferred but not required
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Comfortable multi-tasking and working independently
• Military experience or experience with veterans’ issues preferred but not required

Start and Length of Traineeship:

• Preferred start and end: June 2025-August 2025
• Preferred time commitment: 20-30 hours per week, Monday–Friday between 9 AM to 5 PM (EST preferred)

Due to a high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

GMF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.