Internship at Council on Strategic Risks
Posted: 10/09/2026
About the Company/Organization:
Council on Strategic Risks
Type: Nonprofit/NGO, Other
Size:
https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/
The Council on Strategic Risks is a nonprofit, non-partisan security policy institute. CSR is devoted to anticipating, analyzing and addressing core systemic risks to security in the 21st century, with special examination of the ways in which these risks intersect and exacerbate one another, and finding novel ways to mitigate those risks.
To further this mission, CSR currently hosts institutes on climate and ecological security, strategic weapons and other catastrophic risks, and a converging risks “lab,” an institute designed to deepen understanding of the threats and opportunities stemming from how global trends are intersecting and exacerbating one another. Regular output from these institutes includes original research, timely analysis, expert policy recommendations, and impactful convenings.
CSR also brings together and helps to educate the next generation of security practitioners in these complex and converging risk spaces through multiple nuclear, climate, biological, and ecological security fellowships. These allow CSR to mentor and enhance the networks of active policy practitioners and implementers, future leaders of diverse fields, and scholars pursuing individual research and collaborative projects.
CSR is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and its experts work around the United States and the world to contribute collaboratively to our shared mission.
Internship Project/Opportunity
Location: Remote
Anticipated internship dates: The fellowship lasts for 10 months and will begin in January 2027.
Target intern experience level: Graduate Students, Postdocs
https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2026/09/25/call-for-applications-fellowship-for-ending-bioweapons-2027/
The risks posed by biological threats are clearer than ever. Whether biological threats arise naturally, by accident, or through a deliberate effort to weaponize pathogens, they pose grave risks to international security and stability. The urgency for mitigating this area of catastrophic risks is further driven home by the growing convergence of artificial intelligence and biological sciences, which may simplify pathways to the development of biological weapons and can spur the creation of novel pathogens, as well as Russia’s ongoing use of weapons of mass destruction in its conflict with Ukraine.
The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) continues to develop creative solutions to help address biological threats, with a particular focus on reducing the risks of the deliberate weaponization of infectious diseases. This work requires a robust ecosystem of talented people working together to generate ideas and drive progress.
As part of this work, CSR is announcing a call for applications for the 2027 class of our Fellowship for Ending Bioweapons. Applications are due by 8:00 am Eastern Daylight Saving Time on October 19, 2026. It is anticipated that six to eight Fellows will be selected.
Program Activities
In this 10-month Fellowship, participants will spend time with leading experts in threat reduction and biosecurity, including former government officials who helped dismantle Cold War-era biological weapons capabilities, advance international biodefense cooperation, and drive new policies. They will interact with current and former government leaders, as well as public- and private-sector innovators. Activities will include:
Virtual meetings with mentors from CSR and its network. In these sessions, Fellows will deepen their understanding of historical and current biological weapons risks and explore specific issues focused on reducing biological weapons threats and advancing international biosecurity norms. Virtual meetings may be held monthly or a few per month, among all Fellows or subsets of the cohort, based on discussion topics.
Approximately three in-person experiential learning trips among Fellows and select experts to deeply explore the dynamics behind addressing biological weapons risks. These will be held in different US cities to expose the Fellows to new networks and career ideas, and will include a tabletop scenario exercise.
Opportunities to produce written products, participate in CSR events and workshops, and more, based on the goals of the Fellows.
Fellows will gain deep knowledge of what it takes to address biological weapons activities and a strengthened network among biosecurity and biotechnology experts. Moreover, they will become part of an incredible network of alumni of CSR’s biosecurity fellowships—diverse experts who are driving progress against biological risks around the world.
If you have any questions about whether to submit a new application, please email biofellowships@csrisks.org
Informed by the unique experiences of its staff and years of collaboration across its expert networks, CSR’s work related to deliberate biological threats is tied to a bold vision: making biological weapons obsolete in terms of their mass-destruction and strategic potential.
Application and Eligibility
Eligibility: The Fellowship is open to applicants who currently hold a graduate degree or are pursuing a PhD and are interested in addressing biological threats in their careers. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who are at an early stage of their career, who specifically focus on biological threats, and individuals who may have worked in an adjacent field in a different capacity but find themselves drawn to work more focused on addressing biological threats. Eligibility for this Fellowship includes citizens from NATO member nations, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of South Korea.1
Location & Travel: Fellows may work from any location with reliable internet access for conducting video conferences. Fellows must commit to attending all of the meetings and three in-person events. CSR will cover travel costs.
Duration: The fellowship lasts for 10 months and will begin in January 2027.
Requirements and Benefits: The activities discussed above will require approximately 15-20 hours per month during non-travel months. During months when in-person activities are held, participation time is approximately 2 days plus travel time. Some of this time will likely be during normal work hours. Each Fellow will receive a stipend of USD $1,000 per month.
Application Instructions: All applicants should complete a CSR application form (link below) and upload a resume, cover letter, and a statement of their goals in applying for the fellowship. We also request that contact information be provided for two individuals whom we may contact for recommendations, either in the resume or the cover letter. CSR may conduct video interviews as part of the selection of Fellows.
Applications are due by 8:00 am Eastern Daylight Saving Time on October 19, 2026.