HCSS is hiring: Cyber Program Internship

Work on International Peace and Security in Cyberspace.

HCSS’ portfolio is increasingly focusing on policies, international cooperation, competition, and conflict in cyberspace. This includes conceptual and data-driven research of the cyber threat landscape, as well as diplomatic, security, and legal implications of cyberspace in the context of international peace and security. Our main area of emphasis is to bring together the new field of cybersecurity with traditional national security and international relations.

• Deadline to send in your application: 3rd of August 2020
• Start date: 7th of September 2020
• Duration of the internship: 6 months

The successful candidate will contribute to the work of HCSS Cyber Policy and Resilience Program focusing on research, public relations, events and strategies. The intern will also provide operational support for the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (GCSC). The intern will work closely with the Directors and Project Managers of the Program and GCSC Secretariat as well as other GCSC members.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Conduct and contribute to research, briefings and reports;
• Track and synthesize trends and developments pertaining to international peace and security in cyberspace;
• Contribute to the project management and provide logistical and administrative support in organizing and executing public events and meetings of the GCSC;
• Manage public relations, especially social media and website, and support brand development;
• Manage program contacts and knowledge;

Requirements:

• Excellent written and oral command of English is a must; proficiency in Dutch or other languages is considered a plus;
• Preferably a graduate student in International Relations, Law, Security Studies, Computer Science, or Communications;
• Demonstrated interest in international affairs and security, preferably in the cyberspace context, through academic work and/or experience, is preferred;
• Well organized and strong attention to detail;
• The successful candidate will need an entrepreneurial ethos and a collegial spirit while also being an effective communicator;
• Must work well with others and interact professionally with senior/high-level individuals;
• Experience in PR, graphic design and social media is considered a plus;

Eligibility:

• Availability: the internship is fulltime. Candidates must be able to commit to working 40 hours a week.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the Netherlands.
• Candidates must be enrolled as a student at a university during the entire internship period.
• Successful candidates are asked to provide a certificate of good conduct (‘Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag’), available from the Dutch Ministry of Justice. Candidates residing outside of the Netherlands should provide a certificate from their country of residence.

What we offer:

• This is a paid internship.
• The candidate will be given the opportunity to interact with a group of highly notable and experienced international experts working on cybersecurity, and will gain valuable skills, experience, knowledge, and contacts in the international policy community.
• Small team at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies that moves at a high pace to support a truly global initiative.
• Possibility to travel in order to provide operational support for the GCSC meetings. In 2019, the Commission convened in Geneva (Switzerland), Kobe (Japan), The Hague (the Netherlands), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and participated in numerous events across the globe.

Application Procedure: 

Please apply only if you are able to start on the above mentioned start date.

To apply, send the following items to info@hcss.nl under the subject line “Cyber Internship 2020/9, Last Name”:

• A curriculum vitae, including a list of references with contact details
• A cover letter (one page)
• Proof of university enrolment, valid for the entire duration of the internship
• Copy of official transcript of academic grades
• A writing sample (up to 2 pages) answering the following question: “Is a cybersecurity treaty realistic in the short-term? If so, what would it contain? And if not realistic, why?”

HCSS internships attract a large number of outstanding candidates from around the world and are highly competitive. HCSS only considers candidates that submit a complete application and fulfil all eligibility requirements. Successful applicants will be invited for an interview.

About the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace

Launched at the 2017 Munich Security Conference, the mission of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (GCSC) is to develop proposals for norms and policies to enhance international security and stability and guide responsible state and non-state behavior in cyberspace. The Commission helps to promote mutual awareness and understanding among the various cyberspace communities working on issues related to international cybersecurity.

The Commission was initiated by The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) with the support of the EastWest Institute, the government of the Netherlands, France and Singapore, Microsoft, ISOC and Afilias. The GCSC’s composition mirrors the multi-stakeholder reality of cyberspace by bringing together 28 prominent Commissioners, and four Advisors from all regions and backgrounds. In addition to the Commission body itself, the GCSC is supported by a Research Advisory Group that connects the GCSC to the academic community.

The final GCSC report Advancing Cyberstability was launched at the 2019 Paris Peace Forum by Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, and David Koh, Chief Executive, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore. This report represents the culmination of the Commission’s work over the last three years, offering a cyberstability framework, principles, norms of behavior, and recommendations for the international community and wider ecosystem.

Following the release, the GCSC members will continue to advocate and engage with their respective communities. Input and feedback from these groups were reflective of interactions with both state and non-state experts and will form the basis of advocating for the report going forward in 2020.

For more information, please visit www.cyberstability.org.