Candidate Profile

Competitive candidates will have an interest in U.S.-China relations, and be pursuing, or recently have obtained a bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree from an accredited institution. We are looking for problem solvers who can think on their feet and anticipate tasks ahead of time. Candidates with previous research experience at a D.C. think tank are preferred. Professional fluency in English and Mandarin is highly desired. Knowledge of ArcGIS or other mapping and analytics platforms is also desirable, but not required.

Qualifications and required skills:

• Deep understanding of U.S.-China relations with area specific knowledge of one or more of the following:
  • Maritime security and the South China Sea dispute.
  • The crisis on the Korean peninsula/nuclear weapons policy.
  • Trade & Economics.
• Research: fluid navigation of Internet search engines, primary and secondary resources.
• Excellent writing skills and analytical ability.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office & Google Docs.
• Outstanding communication/interpersonal skills.

Duties will include the following, but are not limited to:

• Conducting primary and secondary research in support of scholarly research agendas.
• Proofreading and copy editing.
• Assisting in the bi-monthly publication of the ICAS Bulletin.
• Office administration: Answer phones and receive visitors.
• Assistance with event planning and setup, such as ICAS’ Annual Conference on April 25th and 26th.

Benefits:

This is an excellent opportunity for young professionals interested in U.S.-China relations. We offer a small stipend at the conclusion of the internship, and selected candidates will have access to our scholars and network. We offer all our research interns the opportunity to co-author with our scholars and encourage solo publication. We also offer our interns the opportunity to publish a commentary in the ICAS Bulletin on relevant topics.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample as a single PDF to our application form found below.

PLEASE NOTE: ICAS encourages applicants to think outside the box when drafting their cover letter. Don’t tell us “I am writing to express my interest in your internship.” We already know that. Instead, consider telling us a story that highlights your experiences, and details what exactly makes you the best fit for the task. For an idea about what we are talking about, please refer to this excellent article from NPR on best practices in cover letter writing.

Questions about the internship can be addressed to our research associate and program officer, Matt Geraci at mattgeraci@chinaus-icas.org.