IR Career Starters
September 2025
We have officially passed the summer slump, and a new month of opportunities awaits those seeking a career in international affairs.
September, October, and November are usually relatively decent recruitment periods, and some highly valuable opportunities have intakes now with the international organisations.
I do not cover these in the newsletter, but I post upper-tier opportunities here, alongside positions with my ministry on LinkedIn, 2-3 times per week, such as below:
I also have to give some advance warning; next monthβs edition of IR Career Starters will be cancelled, as I will be vacationing in South Korea and, quite honestly, just want to focus on relaxing, celebrating my birthday and experiencing what Seoul and Busan have to offer (and not have this hanging over my head).
That being said, this is the first time I have missed an edition in quite some years, and while I do this purely as a hobby, I do prefer to keep to my commitments.
If you have must-try suggestions or things I have to check out, then feel free to drop a comment below!
Beyond that, I can only mention that I hope you will like, comment and share the newsletter; it is almost impossible for me to ensure that this content reaches the next generations of students and graduates, and stuff like this does need an audience to make sense!
All the best,
Alex
Legend
ACA - Academia and Research
DEV - International Development
DIP - Diplomacy and Policy
ECO - Economic Affairs and Trade
EDU - Education and Culture
ENV - Environment and Climate
HEA - Global Health
HUM - Human Rights / Humanitarian Affairs
LAW - International Law and Justice
PUD - Public Diplomacy, Communication and Media
SEC - Peace and Security
TEC - Technology, AI and Cyber
π GIZ π
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Carbon Markets Project, Bonn [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications in the International Power-to-X Hub on climate protection with green hydrogen and PtX, Bonn or Berlin [PUD] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, βSino-German Cooperation on Climate Change (SGCCC)β and Green Cluster at GIZ East Asia, Beijing [DIP] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Green Climate Fund Oversight Unit of GIZ [ENV] [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Event Management and Political Communications for the EU-LAC Digital Alliance Secretariat, Berlin or Bonn [PUD] [TEC]
π OECD π
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Legal Coordinator, Paris [LAW]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Policy Analyst - Guidance on Responsible Business Conduct and Development Co-operation, Paris [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Policy Analyst β Illicit Trade and Free Trade Zones, PAL4, Paris [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Trade Policy Analyst, PAL4, Paris [ECO] [ACA]
https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/OECD/oecd---en
π CoE Civilian Crisis Management π
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Policy Officer Civilian Crisis Management, Berlin [ACA] [DIP]
https://www.coe-civ.eu/about/opportunities
π Human Rights Watch π
ππ§πππ«π§, Development & Outreach, Amsterdam [HUM] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Development & Outreach, Paris [HUM] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Press Associate, Nairobi [HUM] [PUD]
https://www.hrw.org/careers#all_jobs
π Council on Foreign Relations π
ππ§ππ«π², Business Development Associate, New York [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant, Membership, New York [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Operations Assistant, New York [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Nuclear Security and U.S. Foreign Policy, Washington DC [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Climate and Energy, Washington DC [ACA] [ENV]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Technology and National Security, Washington DC [ACA] [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Nuclear Security, Washington DC [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate, Global Governance, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
https://www.cfr.org/career-opportunities/open-positions
π FINABEL π
ππ§πππ«π§, Defence & Security Research, Brussels [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal Research, Brussels [LAW]
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Brussels [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Editor, Brussels [PUD]
π Brookings Instituion π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Fellow/Senior Fellow, China Center, Washington DC [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, Washington DC [ACA] [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant to the Vice President, Brookings Metro, Washington DC [ECO] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant to the Vice President, Economic Studies, Washington DC [ECO] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant to the Vice President and Program Coordinator, Washington DC [DIP]
https://careers-brookings.icims.com/
π RAND Corporation π
ππ§ππ«π², Administrative Assistant - Research Support (Security Clearance), Washington DC [ACA]
https://www.rand.org/jobs.html
π Carnegie Endowment for International Peace π
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications, Beirut [PUD] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Research, Beirut [ACA] [DIP]
https://carnegieendowment.applicantpro.com/jobs/
π CSIS π
ππ§πππ«π§, Southeast Asia Program (Fall 2025) [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Center for the Industrial Base (Fall 2025) [ACA] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Economic Security and Technology Department (Fall 2025) [ECO] [TEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Renewing American Innovation Project (Fall 2025) [ACA] [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Project on Nuclear Issues (Fall 2025) [PUD] [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Japan Chair (Fall 2025) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Critical Minerals Security Program (Fall 2025) [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Health Policy Center (Fall 2025) [HEA] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Office of Korea Chair (Fall 2025) [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Americas Program (Fall 2025) [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, Energy Security and Climate Change Program (Fall 2025) [SEC] [ENV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Missile Defense Project (Fall 2025) [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics (Fall 2025) [ECO]
ππ§πππ«π§, Multimedia Production - External Relations (Summer 2025) [PUD]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Fellow/Senior Fellow - Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business [ACA] [ECO]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Critical Minerals Security Program [SEC] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Web Assistant - Web Team [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Associate - Critical Minerals Security Program [ACA] [SEC]
https://careers.csis.org/opportunities
π GCSP π
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Business Support & Digitalisation Assistant, Geneva [ECO] [TEC]
https://www.gcsp.ch/work-with-us
π EBRD π
ππ§πππ«π§, General, Cairo [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, General, London [ECO] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Security Associate, Lagos [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Platform Engineering, Wintel, London [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Policy, Almaty [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate - Funds Accounting, London [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate, Sector Economist Mining, London [ECO]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Product Engineer Service Now - IRM and BCM, Sofia [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Associate Security Engineer Identity, Sofia [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Product Engineer Service Now - HRSD and Workplace, Sofia [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior AI/ML Engineer, Sofia [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Junior Digital Device Engineer, Sofia [TEC]
https://jobs.ebrd.com/search/?q=&locationsearch=
π Seed Madagascar π
ππ§πππ«π§, Pro Bono PR & Media Consultant, Remote [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer, Fort Dauphin [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, Junior Programme Officer - Community Health, Fort Dauphin [HEA] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Junior Media and Communications Officer, Fort Dauphin [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Operations and Support Junior Officer, Fort Dauphin [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Programmes Manager - Community Health 2025, Fort Dauphin [HEA] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Manager - Schools, WASH and Solar, Fort Dauphin [EDU] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Officer - Agroforestry, Fort Dauphin [ENV] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Media and Communications Coordinator, Fort Dauphin [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Media and Communications Officer, Fort Dauphin [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Operations and Administration Officer, Fort Dauphin [DEV]
π IREX π
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant -America House, Odesa [EDU] [DEV]
ππ§ππ«π², Events & Tech Assistant - America House, Kyiv [PUD] [TEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Program Assistant - America House, Kyiv [EDU] [DEV]
https://www.irex.org/job-seekers
π Bruegel π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Visiting Fellow, Brussels [ECO] [ACA]
https://www.bruegel.org/careers
π Egmont Institute π
ππ§πππ«π§, Communications & Events, Brussels [PUD] [DIP]
ππ§πππ«π§, European Affairs Programme, Brussels [DIP] [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Doctoral Researcher for the Europe in the World Programme [ACA] [DIP]
https://www.egmontinstitute.be/jobs-internships-and-opportunities/
π DrΓ₯pen i havet π
ππ§πππ«π§, HR Support, Greece [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, Humanitarian Aid, Greece [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Community Empowerment Mobilization, Greece [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, Integration Support, Greece [HUM]
https://www.drapenihavet.no/ledige-internship/
π Environmental Justice Foundation π
ππ§ππ«π², Korea Researcher/Investigator, Seoul [ENV] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², EU Advocacy Officer, Brussels [ENV] [PUD]
π Last Mile Health π
ππ§πππ«π§, Operations & Facility Management Assistant, Monrovia [HEA] [HUM]
ππ§πππ«π§, People Operations, Monrovia [HEA] [HUM]
https://lastmilehealth.applytojob.com/apply
π ACLED π
ππ§ππ«π², Syria Researcher, Remote [SEC] [ACA]
https://acleddata.com/about/careers
π IRC π
ππ§πππ«π§, Various, USA (137)
NB. terrible HR platform so impossible to gauge if the positions are active or not.
π Open Society π
ππ§ππ«π², Legal Operations Associate, London [LAW]
https://osfglobal.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/OSF
π MyAgro π
ππ§ππ«π², Program Associate, ThiΓ¨s or Bamako (30) [DEV]
https://www.myagro.org/careers/
π United Nations University π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Government, Guimaraes (8) [ACA] [DIP]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Reopened: Postdoctoral Fellow β Agent-Based Modeling & Reinforcement Learning, Macau [ACA]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistant - Outreach and Policy (PSA-2), Bonn [PUD] [DIP]
π SEI π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Research Fellow: Climate Impact and Climate Finance, Nairobi [ACA] [ENV]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Research Fellow: Water Resource Management, Nairobi [ACA] [ENV]
https://www.sei.org/people/jobs/
π Welthunger Hilfe π
ππ§ππ«π², Platform Administration Assistant, Stockholm [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Assistant Policy and External Relations, Bonn [HUM] [PUD]
https://www.welthungerhilfe.org/jobs/
π Baan Dek Foundation π
ππ§πππ«π§, BDF Communication, Chiang Mai [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, BSI Communication, Bangkok [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Volunteer Video Editor & Translator, Chiang Mai [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Accountant and Finance, Chiang Mai [ECO] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Health Literacy Empowerment Program (HLEP), Chiang Mai [HEA] [EDU]
ππ§πππ«π§, HR & Admin, Chiang Mai [PUD] [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Women Empowerment Program (WEP), Chiang Mai [DEV]
ππ§πππ«π§, Community Empowerment Program, Chiang Mai [DEV]
https://www.baandekfoundation.org/work-with-us#workwithus
π MENA Rights Group π
ππ§πππ«π§, Legal, Geneva [LAW]
https://www.menarights.org/en/about/careers
π GOAL π
ππ§πππ«π§, Volunteer, Dublin [HUM]
https://www.goalglobal.org/careers/#current-openings
π Non-Violent Peaceforce π
ππ§ππ«π², Policy & Advocacy Assistant, Hybrid (Washington DC) [SEC]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistant, Cotabato City [SEC]
https://nonviolentpeaceforce.bamboohr.com/careers
π Search for Common Ground π
ππ§πππ«π§, Global Program Development, Remote (US) [SEC]
ππ§πππ«π§, Administration, Hybrid (Brussels) [SEC]
π Global Center on Adaptation π
ππ§πππ«π§, Led Adaptation - People's Adaptation Plan, Dhaka [ENV] [ACA]
https://opportunities.gca.org/
π Protection Approaches π
ππ§ππ«π², On Your Side Outreach Officer, Remote (UK) [PUD] [LAW]
https://protectionapproaches.org/current-vacancies
π Asia Foundation π
ππ§ππ«π², Reform Associate for Local Governance Reforms, Coalitions for Change, Manila [ACA] [DIP]
https://asiafoundation.org/about/careers/
π People in Need π
ππ§πππ«π§, Monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) Assistant, Phnom Penh [ACA] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Project Assistant, BΔlΘi [HUM]
https://apply.workable.com/people-in-need-2/
π Samuel Hall π
ππ§πππ«π§, Research Assistant - Research & Policy Pillar, Nairobi [ACA] [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Research Assistant, SWANA Region- Research & Policy Pillar, Remote [ACA] [DIP]
https://www.samuelhall.org/careers
π ACTED π
ππ§ππ«π², Mali : Project Development Officer β Bamako [DEV] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Mozambique : Country Finance Officer β Pemba [DEP] [ECO]
https://www.acted.org/en/get-involved/join-us/vacancies/
π Institute for Security Studies π
ππ§ππ«π², Researcher, African Futures and Innovation, Pretoria [ACA] [DIP]
https://issafrica.org/about-us/careers-and-opportunities
π European Endowment for Democracy π
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Assistant (Turkey), Brussels [PUD] [DIP]
https://apply.workable.com/eed/
π Center for Democracy & Technology π
ππ§πππ«π§, Academic-Year Externship, Washington DC [TEC] [HUM]
π Centre for European Reform π
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Technology fellow 2025, London or Brussels or Berlin [TEC] [ACA]
https://www.cer.eu/job-vacancies
π Goethe-Institut π
ππ§ππ«π², Grants & Communication Assistant (m/f/d) for the EU-Funded project βCulture Moves Europeβ, Brussels [ECO] [PUD]
https://www.goethe.de/ins/be/en/ueb/kar/ste.html
π German Marshall Fund of the United States π
ππ§πππ«π§, Fall 2025 Civil-Military Relations Program Trainee, Washington DC [SEC]
π ππ₯π₯π¨π°, Taiwan-US-Europe Policy Program (TUPP) 2026, Washington DC [DIP] [ACA]
https://gmfus.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-openings.php?search=true&
π DRC π
ππ§ππ«π², Finance Assistant, Kampala [ECO] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant β GBV Case Worker, Hudet [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant- PSS, Hudet [HUM] [HEA]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant β Legal, Sheraro [LAW] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant β PSS, Shire [HUM] [HEA]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant- Emergency Response, Sheraro [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Cash & Voucher Assistance Officer, Adjumani [ECO] [HUM]
ππ§ππ«π², Protection Assistant-Child Protection, Rhino Camp [HUM]
π BIED Society π
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 Research Specialists, Washington DC [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 Young Professionals Program, Washington DC [ACA]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 Publication Fellows, Washington DC [PUD]
ππ§πππ«π§, 2025 International Affairs Fellows, Washington DC [DIP]
π EPC π
ππ§ππ«π², Office Assistant, Brussels [DIP]
ππ§ππ«π², Events Assistant, Brussels [DIP] [PUD]
ππ§ππ«π², Programme Assistant β European Politics and Institutions Programme, Brussels [DIP] [PUD]
π ICMPD π
ππ§ππ«π², Project Management Assistant [SEC] [PUD]
π Good Food Institute Europe π
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Associate, Germany (fixed-term contract), Brussels [HEA] [PUD]
https://gfieurope.org/careers/
π Lie Detectors π
ππ«ππ’π§ππ, Poland Country Programme Trainee (Polish Speaking), Brussels [EDU] [PUD]
https://lie-detectors.org/were-hiring/
π E3G π
ππ§ππ«π², Communications Assistant, Operations, London [PUD]
Thanks for the great leads! Can highly recommend a visit to some of the islands near Busan like Geoje and Tongyeong, or a bit further, Namhae. All gorgeous and reachable for day trips from Busan. Enjoy your trip :)