Project Assistant, Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

Atlantic Council Of The U S•Washington, DC

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Atlantic Council seeks a talented, dynamic, and entrepreneurial individual for a fast-paced position as a project assistant with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The project assistant will be primarily responsible for tracking, supporting, and executing project tasks as part of the Initiative’s defense and security work to provide analysis and actionable recommendations for US and allied military and government audiences. The project assistant will support research, roundtables, briefings, panels, workshops, travel, tabletop exercises, and other project activities as needed. A successful candidate will communicate effectively and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. They will possess: Excellent administrative and organizational skills; Exceptional research and writing ability; Superior attention to detail; Positive attitude and adaptability; Knowledge of protocol for dealing with military and defense officials; Knowledge of defense and deterrence issues, including in the Indo-Pacific region; and Awareness and understanding of culture and protocol for those in the Indo-Pacific region. This position is based in our Washington, DC, headquarters, requiring a minimum of 4 days per week in office. This position is for an initial 6-month period. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and education, with offers from $26.45 to $27.40 per hour. Applications submitted by August 28, 2026, will be prioritized for consideration.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Proven organizational, logistical, project/event management, and administrative skills
Familiarity with defense issues and deterrence theory through study or experience
Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, think quickly under time pressure, and multi-task to fulfill simultaneous competing demands as part of a team
Willingness and ability to work irregular hours and evenings to accommodate ally and partner timezones and to travel if needed
Track record of attention to detail
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including intercultural communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse project participants and stakeholders from a range of US organizations and across the Indo-Pacific
Versatile writing skills that can be applied to a range of lengths and formats
Excellent research skills, to include familiarity with key sources of information on defense and deterrence issues, as well as on weapons of mass destruction and other military threats from the People’s Republic of China and/or North Korea

Nice To Haves

Experience preparing or participating in tabletop exercises, wargames, simulations, seminars, and workshops
Experience in or working directly with US military and/or Department of War
Mandarin skills

Responsibilities

Conduct day-to-day support of projects and programming, such as scheduling, responding to requests for information, coordination with staff, drafting monthly progress reports, and any other substantive or administrative tasks related to project management as needed
Coordinate, schedule, implement, and manage logistics for both public and private events with minimal supervision, including shaping structure and agendas, drafting invitations, correspondence with key participants, and participant tracking
Manage travel by project personnel and event invitees for projects, to include scheduling, reserving accommodations and transportation, and handling expense documentation
Implement communications and promotion strategy around core events, including via e-mail, social media, and multimedia
Support on research and source citation, drafting, editing, proofreading, and graphical work to support project activities, to include drafting portions of project reports, summaries, and briefings