Internships

START is not accepting applications for internships at this time. We will announce summer 2025 opportunities in March 2025.

About START's Internship Program

START offers paid internships year round on a variety of research projects and teams. During the course of their internship, participants are exposed to the most up-to-date theories, methods and information related to the study of terrorism. They are versed in the critical questions tackled by homeland security practitioners, policy makers and researchers, and are mentored in a professional environment geared toward student success. The program is designed to prepare the next generation of homeland security scholars and practitioners through real-world research experience. START’s internship program is open to undergraduate and graduate students (as well as some recent graduates) in any related discipline from any institution. Each internship lasts for one term. Participants work at least 10 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters and 20 hours/week during the summer. Our internships can be undertaken for academic credit, and this is highly encouraged. Interns participate in a program of enrichment and career development opportunities. All interns are required to work onsite with their research project staff. Because interns work directly with our researchers and staff on current research projects, the internship positions vary depending on our research portfolio. START’s Internship Program is designed to prepare the next generation of homeland security scholars and practitioners through real-world research experience. In order to ensure the field of study remains relevant and responsive to real world needs, we are also very committed to increasing the diversity of scholars engaged in counterterrorism and terrorism studies. We are further committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and belonging within our program through a dedicated effort to hire a broad spectrum of students, especially students from underrepresented groups. In line with our commitment, we have redoubled our outreach and recruitment efforts and our program now includes a stipend for all participants. Our intent is to attract and train the broadest, most diverse group of emerging homeland security scholars and practitioners which, in turn, will increase the impact and generalizability of our work. Please review our Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to our most popular questions, and check out the University of Maryland's Career Center resources for resume and cover letter tips. For any additional questions, please contact internships-start@umd.edu.

Is it your first time putting together a resume and cover letter? 

There are resources that can help! Your application represents you - it's really important that you put forth your best effort. We understand that some of our interested applicants may not have extensive professional experience, and that is perfectly fine. In order to ensure you're putting forth a strong application, we highly recommend that you take a look through the resources outlined below. 

How do I apply? 

1. Begin with your resume. Take a look at the University of Maryland's (UMD) Career Center resources for a Resume How-To Guide & Resume Samples.
   • On this page you'll find videos providing an introduction to resumes, how to format your resume, and how to improve your resume's content. Below the three videos, you'll also find "Quick Resume Tips," containing really excellent information on samples of work experience, good action verbs to use in explaining your experiences, and a resume checklist. Additionally, on this page you'll have access to information on applicant tracking systems and advice the UMD Career Center provides for how to incorporate certain words into your resume. Lastly, at the bottom of the page you'll see links to different sample resumes by education level and career paths & industry. 
   • After consulting these resources, spend some time reflecting on your current and past experiences (academic and professional (if applicable)), and work them into the templates and examples outlined in the link above! Make sure to also review the project description page for START's Fall Internships (hyperlinked in the section above) so that you can address the qualifications outlined in the description in your resume. 
   • Askamanager.com also shares some insights on how to highlight outcomes on your resume.
2. Next, focus on your cover letter. In your cover letter we want to know:
   • Why are you interested in interning at START? 
   • How did you become interested in terrorism studies?
   • What can you tell us about your research and data experience?
   • In order to determine how to best address these questions concisely, take a look again at UMD's Career Center resources on drafting a cover letter! 
     • On the page linked above you'll find information and instructions for how to personalize and structure your cover letter, a sample structure of a cover letter, and, at the bottom, links to sample cover letters for internships and full-time positions.
   • Askamanager.com also provides some template and structure advice on cover letters.
3. Once you've got your resume and cover letter ready to go, download your unofficial transcript from your home institution and combine all three documents in one pdf file. Complete START's application and follow the instructions within the application for how to submit your materials. 

All of the UMD Career Center resources linked above can also be found on UMD's Career Center Resume & Cover Letters page. On this page you'll find resources explaining a resume, curriculum vitae, and federal resume, links to resume samples and best practices, and cover letter resources.