DCDC internship programme
The Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) runs a paid internship programme open to individuals who are currently undertaking, or have recently completed, postgraduate studies.
Overview
DCDC’s postgraduate internship programme provides experience of working in government on Defence and security related strategic issues.
The programme helps DCDC to 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 closed for applications.
Interns will join DCDC at the end of July 2024, usually for around six to eight weeks. Interns will contribute to DCDC work in a wide range of areas, including:
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Providing research, data-gathering, data analysis and writing support on strategy papers for the Doctrine, Concepts and Futures Teams to assist in the development of thinking and providing critical challenge to widen perspectives of future challenges.
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Supporting DCDC’s Analysis, Research and Challenge (ARC) Team in their work providing the empirical evidence to support DCDC output. This may include involvement in a range of analysis and experimentation activities, such as: red teaming, wargaming, data analysis, information graphics, synthesising operational lessons; identifying trends; developing thought-provoking insight; and challenging thinking.
Detailed briefings on specific tasks, including length, scope, and depth, will be provided at the beginning of the internship. Task dependent, interns will also benefit from having their work published internally across Defence.
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 DCDC’s 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.
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.
DCDC is based at MOD Shrivenham, 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 be working on one. 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. There are important nationality and residency restrictions: 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
The internship programme is now closed for applications.
To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter to DCDC-ARC@mod.gov.uk by 12:00, 01 March 2024.
Please make sure to attach a PDF of each document to your email in the following filename format:
Surname, First Name – CV
Surname, First Name – Cover Letter
Please note:
After a paper sift, shortlisted candidates will be informed on 18 March 2024 and interviewed virtually between 20–26 March 2024. Interview slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure these deadlines are met, candidates are encouraged to add DCDC-ARC@mod.gov.uk as an email contact. Successful candidates will be informed by 28 March 2024.
To submit your application, or if you have any questions regarding the programme, please contact us at DCDC-ARC@mod.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 March 2024 + show all updates
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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.