The Project on Defense Alternatives (PDA) usually has one or two summer interns, and occasionally we have an intern for few months during the school year. Others find it useful to intern with PDA during a transition to regular employment.

Please note: The regular intern program is suspended for 2009 due to lack of available staff time for for proper supervision and guidance of interns. Nonetheless, we are looking for a volunteer with knowledge of HTML, MySQL with PHP and CSS coding to help with various website projects. This volunteer could also expect to take part in other aspects of the Institute work, but should expect somewhat less supervision this summer than we usually provide. Please contact Charles Knight at cknight(at)comw.org if you wish to apply.

PDA internships are unpaid. Sometimes our budget allows for a small stipend for local travel and sundry expenses. Selection of PDA interns is competitive and requires special skills or background in the particular areas of PDA study (check our current programs page for information about our work.)

Responsibilities of PDA Interns typically include:

• Library and online literature searches; locating and requisitioning of government and congressional reports and data;
  
  
• Identification and collection of new articles, reports, and books for posting to PDA's compendium Websites;
  
  
• Assistance in the preparation of materials for publication and Internet posting;
  
  
• Assistance in research for the project's publications and activities;
  
  
• Help in developing and refining the project's lists of experts, policy-makers, and opinion-leaders in government, academia, and the media.

Required background and skills:

• Familiarity with the terms and concepts of security studies;
  
  
• Awareness of current trends and controversies in international affairs; and
  
  
• More specifically, familiarity with US military policy, the organization and functioning of the US armed forces, and the US military budgeting process.

The successful candidate will also possess:

• Strong online research skills;
  
  
• Strong writing and communications skills;
  
  
• Ability to quickly organize and clearly present diverse data; and
  
  
• A focused, systematic, and self-motivated work style.

In recognition that interns are volunteering their time to our organization in order to gain experience, we make an effort to set aside time to discuss PDA's work in depth with interns and to provide specific skill advancement in the areas of interest to interns whenever those overlap with PDA's work. We expect interns to come away from the experience with real gains in their skills and increased confidence in their abilities. Indeed many interns who have worked with us move on to positions of considerable responsibility as researchers and program staff at other institutions.

We also reserve about one-third of the Intern's time with us for supervised independent research. Interns who wish to pursue an independent research project with PDA will negotiate a research agenda with the directors which meets the mutual objectives and interests of PDA and the intern. Research findings can subsequently be used by both PDA and the intern in their academic work. Prospective interns should consider information on our current programs page in thinking about possible research topics.

Interns typically work no more than twenty hours a week with us, allowing time to pursue course work or to take gainful employment elsewhere.

If you are interested in applying for a PDA Internship and you think you meet the qualifications above, please send a resume and writing sample to Charles Knight, co-director, at cknight(at)comw.org. Feel free to send hard copy in the mail if you prefer.

I try to keep up with Internship queries, but I must request your patience in advance since we are often overloaded with work in these demanding times. Thank you for your interest in PDA,
Charles Knight
co-director

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