Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program
Apply through Independent Application Process
Internal Deadline: November 29th, 2023 at 12:00 PM noon
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Description
The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an international policy think tank based in Washington D.C., is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Approximately 15 fellows work as employees each year on a full-time basis for 10–12 months, beginning in September of the award year. Fellows provide research assistance to scholars working within Carnegie’s programs and have the opportunity to conduct research, contribute to op-eds, papers, reports, and books, edit documents, participate in meetings with high-level officials, contribute to congressional testimony and organize briefings attended by scholars, activists, journalists and government officials.
As part of the application process, candidates select one of the Institute's thematic projects, including topics such as (research areas change each year): non-proliferation, democracy building, energy and climate, international economics, Middle East studies, and Russian and Eurasian affairs. They provide a salary of $47,000 for the year, pre-tax, and paid semi-monthly. A full benefits package is also provided. They also offer up to $1,500 in relocation support.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants:- Graduating seniors (either this fall or next spring)
- Recent graduates who have completed their bachelor's degree within the past academic year and who have not started graduate studies
Applicants should have completed a significant amount of coursework related to their discipline of interest. Language and other skills may also be required for certain assignments. The selection process for the program is very competitive. Accordingly, applicants should be of high academic quality.
Qualifications for Gaither Junior Fellows may vary by program. Please review the bulletin for program requirements and more information on what each program is looking for.
International student eligibility:
U.S. citizenship is not required for this program, but you must be eligible to work in the United States for a full twelve months from approximately September 1st through June 30th (possibly August 31st) following graduation. Students on F-1 visas who are eligible to work in the United States for the full year may apply for the program. This would likely require twelve months of OPT. Inquire with International Student Services to learn more about OPT.
Selection Criteria
The application process is highly competitive. Approximately five percent of applicants are ultimately selected for positions. Applications are judged on
- the quality of the written essay;
- related academic study and/or work experience;
- grades;
- recommendations;
- personal interviews.
As an organization dedicated to pursuing global engagement and peace, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace believes their work is enriched and should be informed by a diverse array of perspectives. They are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community among staff and partners and on their public platform.
They seek to increase the diversity of their junior fellow applicant pool and strongly encourage participating institutions to join them in this initiative. If one or more of our nominees is from a historically underrepresented group, then Reed may nominate up to three applicants each year (else we can only nominate up to two applicants).