The Security and Defence Forum (SDF) is a programme of the Department of National Defence. Every year this programme awards up to four year-long internship grants to help recent MA graduates with a background in security and defence complement their studies with relevant work experience.

The CDA Institute is very interested in hosting SDF interns, starting in the late summer/fall of every year.

The CDA Institute, based in Ottawa, is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of Canada’s security situation and the vital role played by the Canadian Forces in our society. The CDA Institute conducts the very successful Annual Graduate Student Symposium, defence seminars, hosts the prestigious Annual Vimy Dinner, and publishes studies and its quarterly journal ON TRACK.

Intern responsibilities will include:

• Planning, organizing, and administrating the Graduate Student Symposium, seminars, symposia, and other conferences including the Annual Vimy Dinner.
• Conducting research into Canadian alliance, security, defence, and foreign policy issues.
• Analyzing current events, advising and making recommendations to superiors, researching and producing (including assessing and editing) a variety of publicly available information sources including news releases/reports, publications, speeches, and public relations materials.
• Writing research papers and short articles for inclusion in defence-related publications, including in the CDA Institute’s quarterly journal ON TRACK.
• Facilitating and conducting liaison with other institutions involved in security and defence issues, the media, and universities making up the Security and Defence Forum.
• Maintaining positive public relations with government officials, defence/security analysts, academics, and business executives.
• Interacting with government officials, Members of Parliament, and Senators.

How to apply

The Department of National Defence usually takes applications for SDF internship awards in January of each year. Applicants must provide in their application packages letters of support from institutions where they would like to undertake their internship. The CDA Institute neither controls the Department’s application process nor does it have any influence on final recipients of internship awards. Please click here for more information regarding the SDF internship award application process.

If you wish to receive a letter of support from the CDA Institute, please contact us early in the process (around October/November) to arrange for an informal interview. This can be done either by phone (613-236-9903) or by email (projectofficer@cda-cdai.ca).