The Stanley A. Weiss Internship program places high-performing candidates at the intersection of industry and national security. Interns work full time (40 hrs/week) to support Business Executives for National Security (BENS) in our mission to apply industry experience and best business practices to address the U.S.’s most pressing national security challenges.
Interns will have the opportunity to contribute directly to BENS' three campaigns, each of which guide our work and partner engagement:
- Homeland Resilience and Response: The private sector plays an increasingly central role in protecting the American homeland. BENS brings business expertise to bear on national security challenges, working across domains and with key government partners to develop innovative public-private partnerships, secure critical infrastructure, improve domain awareness, respond to economic coercion, and foster energy resilience.
- Strengthening Supply Chains: The U.S. is overexposed to supply chain disruption. BENS is working to identify opportunities to strengthen U.S. and allied supply chains to build a more resilient national security industrial base. Current lines of effort include leveraging private sector insight to support state-level national security initiatives, scaling emerging technologies, and improving U.S. biosecurity.
- Mobilizing Private Capital: National security priorities increasingly depend on private investment to accelerate industrial capacity, finance the defense industrial base at scale, and modernize critical infrastructure. BENS connects private capital with these priorities by helping senior leaders think creatively about policies and tools to mobilize private investment, and by expanding the community of investors familiar with national security opportunities.
Recognizing that threats to U.S. national security rarely stay within traditional borders, BENS also engages in programmatic work focused on broader geopolitical dynamics relevant to U.S. interests. BENS has long supported U.S. combatant commands and NATO strategic commands by examining business and economic conditions pertinent to their respective missions:
- Geopolitics and Economic Statecraft: BENS engages senior business and government leaders at the intersection of geopolitics and economic security. A signature element of this workstream is BENS' executive travel program, which brings private sector leaders to examine and offer insights on critical geopolitical issues. At the request of U.S. government partners and allies, BENS has sent delegations in recent years to Brussels, Athens, Hanoi, Buenos Aires, and Panama City.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Stanley A. Weiss Interns are essential members of the BENS team, contributing to the organization’s goals by working closely with government partners and BENS members within the national security community.
Interns will:
- Gain subject matter expertise in a national security topic through in-depth research and presentations to BENS senior leadership.
- Track and analyze relevant policy developments focused on critical infrastructure, geopolitics and economic statecraft, the national security industrial base, and emerging technology.
- Support BENS staff in outreach and engagement with national security-focused government partners and business leaders.
- Assist with event preparation, including producing preparatory materials, supporting logistics, and working with event participants.
- Draft and edit pieces for the BENS Substack, external articles, member-led reports, and partner-facing memos.
- Attend, take notes on, and analyze Congressional hearings, external events, and key meetings with government and private sector stakeholders.
- Maintain and update membership databases.
- Set up and break down office events.
- Provide general administrative support.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Event Participation: Interns will attend in-person and virtual events, such as panels, roundtables, and speaker series, gaining exposure to key national security figures and ideas.
- Mentorship: Interns will receive mentorship from BENS staff and private sector leaders with experience in the military, government, and key industries.
- Networking: Interns will have the opportunity to connect with BENS staff and program alumni with prestigious Washington backgrounds.
REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience
Candidates are selected based on their skills and prior experience. Most successful applicants have recently completed, or are in the process of completing, an undergraduate or graduate degree.
Skills
- Strong research, writing, data analysis, and organizational skills.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and excel in a fast-paced environment.
- Exceptional interpersonal and professional skills, with the ability to engage confidently with senior business executives, military and government officials, and staff at partner organizations.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
- Proficiency with standard office software and digital research tools.
Candidates with prior coursework, research, or professional interest in areas such as critical infrastructure, economic security, private capital, emerging technologies, the defense industrial base, critical supply chains, and/or critical minerals are encouraged to apply, though this experience is not required.
TERM
The fall internship will begin in the early September and end in mid-December. Interns are paid an hourly wage set at the current D.C. minimum wage and receive metro travel benefits. Interns are expected to work full time, though exceptions may be made for outstanding candidates with academic conflicts.
TO APPLY
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged. The final deadline to apply is July 17 at 5:00 pm ET.
