IPOA offers internships to undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates.

Internships vary in duration and are flexible to fit in with study. Interns are given great responsibility to manage their own projects and conduct their own research. Due to the nature of IPOA, interns are given much more responsibility than most other internships. Indeed, our interns are called "Associates" because the title of "Intern" simply does not describe the enormous responsibility of the position.

What kind of responsibilities do Associates have?

It is probably best to start off by describing what Associates do not do. For example, the IPOA internship does not involve photocopying, faxing or making coffee.

Associate responsibilities can include:

+ Managing projects
+ Managing IPOA Committees
+ Writing articles for and editing the Journal of International Peace Operations
+ Conducting research and writing content for the IPOA Weekly
+ Attending conferences and roundtables on behalf of IPOA
+ Assisting with marketing IPOA
+ Developing new project initiatives

IPOA Associates are split into five departments:

- Business Development
- Government and Legal Affairs
- Programs (Events)
- Publications
- Research

What kind of responsibilities does the Government & Legal Affairs Intern have?

Specific Government and Legal Associate responsibilities can include:
+ The Government and Legal Associate is in charge of administering the Government and Legal Affairs Committee, Standards Committee and their various Working Groups.
+ Keeping up to date with relevant legal and regulatory developments.
+ Interpreting legislation and regulations.
+ Writing articles for the Journal of International Peace Operations.
+ Contributing to the IPOA Weekly.
+ Assisting with other responsibilities requirements as they arise.

Does IPOA accept international candidates?

Yes. Actually, the majority of IPOA's Associates tend to be international. Of course, international staff must have authorization to work (or at least intern) in the U.S. If a visa is required, IPOA is more than happy to assist you with the paperwork. Obtaining the proper visa may cost upwards of US$1,000. However, all of IPOA's Associates who have had to pay handsomely for their visas all believe it was money well-spent. Unfortunately, IPOA is not able to cover the costs of visas or the visa application process.

Past and present IPOA Associates have come from Albania, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom. And, obviously, the United States.

Can interning with IPOA lead to a permanent position?

IPOA is a small organization, and so it is extremely rare for an internship to lead to a permanent position. Indeed, only two interns have ever been hired as permanent or semi-permanent employees. Ever. Nevertheless, the IPOA internship provides unparalleled exposure to the private sector, NGOs and government in the U.S. and abroad.

Does IPOA accept only full-time interns?

No. IPOA is able to accommodate both full-time and part-time Associates. Although, we prefer part-time Associates to work at least three days a week as a bare minimum.

What is the average duration of an internship?

The length of an internship varies. We prefer Associates to work with us for at least 3-4 months. Some Associates (particularly international staff) have worked with us for 6 months. And some Associates like us so much they even come back for a second stint.

Is the internship paid or unpaid?

IPOA offers a stipend based on academic qualification. Based on a full work week, pro rated for part-time interns, the stipend is as follows:

+ Current undergraduate student - $300 per month
+ Graduate or graduate student - $400 per month
+ Post-graduate or post-graduate student - $500 per month

Does IPOA prefer graduate students to undergraduate?

No. Within each intern group, we prefer to have a good mixture of undergraduate, recent graduate and currently enrolled graduate students. We also hire recent post-graduates.

How do I apply for the IPOA internship?

Send your resume and cover letter to Mr. J.J. Messner, Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The subject line of your e-mail must be "Summer Government & Legal Affairs Internship Application." This will prove to us how closely you read the application instructions!

+ In your cover letter, be sure to explain your interest in IPOA, as often an applicant's enthusiasm for IPOA will trump the importance of their qualifications. We all want to save the world, but tell us how you think you can save the world at IPOA.
+ Applicants MUST detail their intended period of interning with us (i.e., January 1st through December 31st).
+ Applicants MUST detail whether they intend to work full-time or part-time (and if so, what the intended working hours would be).

Be advised that IPOA generally receives over 300 applications each semester for only 2 or 3 positions. Because we do not have a dedicated personnel department, we ONLY contact those applicants who have been selected for an interview. Sorry.

If you have been selected for an interview, we will contact you within a week or two of your application. We interview and hire on a rolling basis, so it is wise to apply early.

What is the timeline for this application process?

Monday, February 8 - Position posted, applications open

Friday, February 19 - Application deadline (no applications will be accepted after 5pm ET)

Monday, February 22 - Final day of interview notifications

March 2010 - Internship begins

No phone calls, please. We really mean it. If we took calls from every applicant, we wouldn't have time for anything else.