Defence Futures and Force Design internship programme
Defence Futures and Force Design, part of the Military Strategic Headquarters, runs a paid internship programme open to individuals who are currently undertaking, or have recently completed, postgraduate studies.
Overview
The Defence Futures and Force Design (F&FD) postgraduate internship programme provides experience of working in government on defence and security related strategic issues.
The programme helps F&FD strengthen diversity of thinking, which is essential to our work, supporting research and analysis on a wide range of defence and security policy areas.
Details
The internship programme is now open for applications.
Interns will join F&FD at the end of July 2026, usually for around six to eight weeks, as part of the Insights, Analysis, Research and Challenge (IARC) Team. Interns will contribute to F&FD work in a wide range of areas, including:
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Providing research, data-gathering, data analysis and writing support on strategy papers across the Strategic Concepts, Strategic Foresight, Strategic Capability and Warfare Development Teams, helping to develop thinking and provide critical challenge to widen perspectives of future challenges.
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Supporting the IARC Team in their work providing evidence to support F&FD output. This may include involvement in a range of research and analysis and experimentation activities, including: red teaming, wargaming, data analysis, information graphics, synthesising operational lessons, identifying trends, developing thought-provoking insight, and constructively challenging thinking.
Detailed briefings on specific tasks, including length, scope, and depth, will be provided at the beginning of the internship. Task dependent, interns may also benefit from having their work published on the internal Defence intranet.
Interns will be employed as civil servants and will work 37 hours per week. Pay will be at least National Living Wage.
In line with F&FD ways of working, the internship will operate a hybrid working pattern with some time spent in the office and some time spent working remotely (from home). There will be in-office working at the start of the internship and at other times by mutual agreement between each individual intern and their assigned desk officer and/or mentor.
If available, accommodation will be provided on-site at MOD Shrivenham at no cost to the intern during periods that interns are expected in the office. Please note that travel costs will not be reimbursed.
F&FD is based at MOD Shrivenham and MOD Main Building in London, and is an organisation comprised of civil servants and military personnel from the UK and partner nations.
Application requirements and process
Applicants must either hold a Masters-level qualification or higher or be working on one at the time of application. There are no restrictions regarding study area, though an interest in Defence and/or international affairs is essential, and this should be reflected in your application.
All successful candidates will be security checked before joining. Interns are employed as civil servants, on a fixed-term, non-standard appointment.
Please note, this a reserved post for UK nationals only. You must have the right to work in the UK, be a current UK resident, and have a UK bank account and National Insurance number at the time of interview.
How to apply
To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining what you would bring to a F&FD internship and how it would benefit you, to MSHQ-FFD-StratFor-IARC@mod.gov.uk by 09:00 on 2 March 2026.
At the top of your CV, please clearly state your nationality and residency.
Please title your e-mail ‘Internship Application – your name’ and attach a PDF of each document to your email saved in the following filename format:
Surname, First Name – CV
Surname, First Name – Cover Letter
Applications received after this deadline, or not submitted in the requested format, will not be considered.
Please note:
After a paper sift, shortlisted candidates will be informed on 23 March 2026 and interviewed virtually between 26 March–1 April 2026. Interview slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure these deadlines are met, candidates are encouraged to add MSHQ-FFD-StratFor-IARC@mod.gov.uk as an email contact.
Successful candidates will be informed on 2 April 2026, however a formal offer will not be made until relevant clearances are successfully completed, including a physical check of identification documents between 15 and 17 April 2026.
To submit your application, or if you have any questions regarding the programme, please contact us at MSHQ-FFD-StratFor-IARC@mod.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
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The internship programme for 2026 is now open for applications.
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Applications now closed.
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Note added to top stating that internship is not available to current crown servants.
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Added info for 2024 applications.
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Applications now closed added.
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Updated with new guidance for 2023 internship applications.
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Changed the closing date to applications are now closed.
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Updated details and dates for applicants in the year 2022.
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Added notice to the page explaining that Applications for 2021 are now closed.
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First published.