Internship at the Swedish Defence University

Curious about what it is like to be a researcher? The Swedish Defence University is looking for interns with an interest in defence, security and crisis-management.

At the Swedish Defence University (SEDU) researchers are experts in the field of defence, crisis management and security studies. The internship provides insights to the work of a researcher and your work tasks will be similar to those of a research assistant.

A position as a research assistant intern is particularly appropriate for under-graduate students planning to move on to graduate studies, or for graduate students wishing to develop a deeper understanding of their field of study. In addition to assisting with research, interns have the opportunity to network with experts in their chosen fields. Other assignments such as administrative or educational work may occur.

Eligibility

The SEDU offers internships to undergraduate and master students. You must be admitted to a Swedish or a foreign university during the internship semester to authorize study allowance. Please note that this cannot be the Swedish Defence University as our policy is to not accept our own students as interns. You must also ensure you withhold insurance through your university. The internship is unpaid and we are not able to offer accommodation.

Requirements

Apply for internship during autumn semester no later than April 14.
Apply for internship during spring semester no later than November 7.

Internship ads below

The Swedish Defence University offers one research internship in political science with a focus on security policy during the spring term 2026. The position will be placed at the Department of Political Science in Stockholm.

During the internship, you will acquire work experience in the field of research and analysis by assisting Professor Linus Hagström to collect, summarise, and analyse various primary and secondary materials. Hagström has several research projects devoted to the analysis of security issues in the Asia-Pacific and globally.

As an intern, you may also be asked to help with research administration, such as writing interview transcripts and organising conferences, seminars, or workshops. You will also be able to write and try to publish your own short current affairs analysis, under Hagström’s supervision.

The selection criteria are:

interest in the kind of research that Hagström is doing
relevant academic interests
relevant educational background
analytical skills
relevant knowledge of languages (apart from English: Chinese and Japanese, but also e.g. Russian etc.)

Applications should include CV, transcript, a brief letter of intent (please state the subject of your BA or Master’s thesis and your own research interests, and how they relate to Hagström’s research; as well as other relevant qualifications). Please also include samples of your previous work.

For further information about the internship positions, please contact Linus Hagström at linus.hagstrom@fhs.se Applications should be sent by e-mail by October 31, 2025, and will be reviewed quickly thereafter. The process will be concluded by mid-November, or earlier.

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