INTERNSHIP - International Military Staff, Operations and Planning Division

INFO-SESSION ON THE VACANCY AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
NATO is organising an info-session webinar on the recruitment process for this programme which will take place on 11/06/2025 at 4pm CET (Brussels time).

 This will be the opportunity for applicants and professionals to gain more insight into 
the steps of the recruitment process and to have the opportunity to ask questions to
Talent Acquisition Service. Some interns and/or former interns will also share their experience of the programme with the audience.

Please register using the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HdnqpN5hSDaM-t7JB8lAuQ

Are you eager to learn more about the NATO International Military Staff (IMS) and, in particular about its Operations and Planning (O&P) Division? Would you like to learn how Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation (ETEE) is conducted in NATO?  Are you willing to work in a military and dynamic work environment with various stakeholders such other IMS Divisions and National Delegations? Do you have a strong work ethic and problem solving skills? Are you gifted at creating initial draft documents? Are you keen to work at the heart of policy creation related to ETEE? If so, the O&P Training & Exercises Branch (TEB) internship position is for you!

NATO is currently looking for interns in IMS O&P TEB. The IMS O&P Division acts as the focal point for military issues related to: ongoing and unfolding military operations; contingency planning, crisis response planning and advanced planning; operations planning; Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation (ETEE); Air Defence (AD), Airspace Management, Air Traffic Management (ATM), Air Policing (AP), Ballistic Missile Defence (TBMD/BMD), and NATO Airborne Early Warning (NAEW); Electronic Warfare (EW) and Information Operations (IO) and Crisis Management (CM). Within O&P Division TEB has specific primary responsibility on all the activities associated with ETEE and coordinates ETEE across all other functional areas.

TEB Sections:

1.       Education and Individual Training. This section is responsible for the following:

a.       TEB provides expertise at the NATO HQ and liaison with the Strategic Commands in order to facilitate NATO ETEE Global Programming that ensures that the political desire for military capabilities are captured in ETEE planning.

b.       Conception, development and implementation of IMS –EU Military Staff (EUMS) training cooperation; with special focus on scenario-based informal discussions.

c.       NATO Defense College (NDC): Support policy development and liaison to ensure close coordination between Military Committee (MC) and NDC, IMS O&P provides the focal point, within the IMS for NDC issues.

d.       Training Disciplines: In order to better support the Global Programming Approach (GPA), described in the ETEE Policy, TEB supports the Strategic Commands (SC) in achieving MC approval of the annual Bi-SC List of Training Disciplines.

e.       Functional Training: TEB provides expertise in supporting the MC for training in Counter IED. What is more, regarding Counter IED, TEB provides the NATO C-IED Steering Group with a Permanent Representative.

f.        Modelling and Simulation: TEB is responsible to monitor and staff all the actions pertaining to Modelling and Simulation in Support of the Military Training Action Plan, which is enhancing both NATO and National training in direct support of Follow-on Forces. 

2.       Collective Training and Exercises. This section is responsible for the following:

a.       Updating all policy documents on NATO ETEE.

b.       Coordination of the Military Training and Exercise Programme development process with the SCs and coordination between the SCs and all exercise planning and execution. The main area of focus is SACEUR’s Major Joint Exercise Programme.

c.       Implementation of Political Guidance into military policy and planning process for NATO Exercises.

d.       Coordination of the levels of cooperation and integration between NATO exercises and National and Partners’ Exercises.

e.       The NATO High Level Exercise Programme conducted at the NATO HQ.

f.        Staffing and coordination of High Profile Exercises.

g.       All issues associated with training of NATO forces beyond what is required of the Nations.

h.       Coordination of efforts to enable Follow on Force training for Allies.

How the daily work will look like?

Interns will gain a comprehensive understanding of NATO’s ETEE activities. In doing so, interns will also learn the inner workings of the NATO HQ policies, procedures, staffing and battle rhythm. They will also gain full awareness of the NATO Defense College course and learn about NATOs SCs and command structure. Interns will have an opportunity to enhance their research, writing, problem solving and communication skills.

Interns may have the opportunity to participate in different NATO Ex&Trg MC Working Groups, in which Nations will discuss all the NATO ETEE related documents in order to achieve an agreement. Interns will received the basic training provided by IMS on the main IM tools, such as TT+ and MCIS.

The intern will participate in several projects, for example:

-          Assist in monitoring progress in development of all the documents related to NATO ETEE issues.

-          Draft meeting minutes as well as IMS and MC memorandums.

-          Assist in the coordination of Ex&Trg WGs and facilitate the conduct of the MCWGs.

-          Those selected for the Education and Individual Training section will assist in the organizations of the NDC course visits to NATO HQ and will also assist the NDC Action Officer in the development of all the NDC documents which need to be submitted for MC and/or NAC approval.

What do we offer?

• A 6-month traineeship at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels, starting in March / September 2026. 
• A full-time traineeship (38 hours a week).
• A monthly grant of €1,286.09 and a travel reimbursement upon joining and leaving the organisation.
• Teleworking subject to business requirements.
• A rich programme of activities, attending regular events and participating in meetings with several stakeholders.
• NATO HQ Staff Centre which promotes employee well-being and foster a healthy work environment (click here for more info, special membership price for NATO interns)

Selection Criteria

Please note that you can apply for up to three (3) different vacancies!

Apply until 22 June 2025 at 23.59, Brussels time.

Essential:

The candidate must:

1.       be a national of a NATO member state,

2.       be at least 21 years old,

3.       have at least two years of university level studies OR equivalent education OR be currently a student OR a recent graduate (degree obtained no longer than 12 months ago),

4.       have proficiency in one of the two official NATO languages (English/French).

Desirable:

The following criteria will be considered an advantage:

1.       have a Bachelor's degree or in the final stage of a Master’s degree relevant to the requested area of expertise,

2.       elementary knowledge of the second official NATO language (English/French),

3.       be an advance user of IT tools including Microsoft Office, SharePoint;

4.       previous experience with other international organizations, national administration, research or industry.

Competencies required:

The candidate must demonstrate the following competencies:

·       Achievement: Works to meet standards.

·       Analytical thinking: Breaks down problems and see basic relationships.

·       Clarity and accuracy: Shows general concern for order and clarity, and checks own work.

·       Customer service orientation: Responds appropriately, maintains clear communication.

·       Empathy: Listens actively.

·       Flexibility: Acts with flexibility.

·       Initiative: Reacts to short-term opportunities or problems.

·       Organizational awareness: Understands the Organization’s structure.

·       Teamwork: Cooperates, shares information and knowledge freely, offering support and cooperation.

Our Values:

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations, and strongly encourages women and candidates living with disability to apply.

NATO is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible working environment, where all candidates living with disabilities can fully participate in the recruitment and selection process. If you require reasonable accommodation, please inform us during your selection process. Candidates will be required to provide documented medical evidence to support their request for accommodation.  

Building Integrity is a key element of NATO’s core tasks. As an employer, NATO values commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability in accordance with international norms and practices established for the defence and related security sector. Selected candidates are expected to be role models of integrity, and to promote good governance through ongoing efforts in their work.

Special Notice:

In order for the Internship Office to assess your eligibility for the Internship Programme, please attach the following documents:

1.       Copy of university qualifications you have completed and/or

2.       Proof of ongoing studies with the dates clearly mentioned if you are still studying.

We prefer that these documents are in one of the NATO official language (English or French). If you don’t have these documents in English or French, please attach a self translation.

Please ensure that all information is complete and accurate before submitting your application.

Please note that the application cannot be updated after the relevant deadline. 

The pool of candidates will be available to all NATO IS / IMS Divisions, Offices and NATO Bodies in case there is a need for a similar profile.

Due to the broad interest in NATO and the large number of potential candidates, telephone or e-mail enquiries cannot be dealt with.

Read more about the Internship Programme, including terms and conditions, and what we offer at our website.

Kindly note that NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.