Data Model Modernisation Intern

Primary Location

Netherlands-The Hague

NATO Body

NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA)

Schedule

Full-time

Salary (Pay Basis)

1,477.30 EUR per month

Grade

INTERN

About NATO and NCIA

For over 75 years, NATO's mission has been to preserve peace and security for nearly a billion citizens. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) serves as NATO’s technology and cyber hub, comprising 3400 civilian and military staff across 30 locations. We are a crucial partner in NATO's Digital Transformation, collaborating with industry to deliver technical solutions, expertise, and facilitate decision-making and multi-domain operations. Our experts provide secure communications infrastructure and IT services, connecting Allied forces and strengthening NATO’s defense. Our diverse staff is our greatest asset, and we are committed to hiring, training, and retaining top talent to ensure seamless connectivity among Allied nations.

About The Program

The NCIA internship is a 6-month program hosted at one of our key hubs in The Netherlands, Belgium, or Portugal. Opportunities commence on either March 1st or September 1st, contingent on securing the necessary security clearance. Interns join a diverse international team, learning from experts through on-the-job training and independently managing purposeful projects.

About The Internship: Data Model Modernisation Intern

Internship duration: 6 months

Location: The Hague, Netherlands

The Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Centre provides, supports, and protects essential ISR capabilities and services across four domains: Intelligence Applications, Operational ISR Support, Electronic Warfare/Surveillance Services, and Geospatial/Meteorological/Oceanographic Information Services.

As a Data Model Modernisation Intern, you will support an initiative to improve the structure, clarity, and maintainability of an existing information model or ontology. Your duties will include:

• Analyzing the current model to identify semantic gaps, structural limitations, and system dependencies.
• Proposing improvements to enhance consistency, modularity, and reusability.
• Redesigning core entities, relationships, and attributes using modern data-centric and object-based design principles.
• Helping decouple the conceptual model from platform-specific constraints.
• Prototyping redesigned components and validating them against operational scenarios.

This role offers practical experience in ontology engineering, data architecture, and model-driven design, contributing to improved interoperability and reduced redundancy within NATO.

About You

The valuable knowledge and experience you bring to this role includes:

• Business modelling: Understanding the purpose and benefits of modeling. Using established techniques to model simple subject areas and assisting in complex activities under guidance.
• Data engineering: Assisting in developing and implementing data pipelines and data stores. Performing administrative tasks for data accessibility, retrievability, security, and protection.
• Data modelling and design: Establishing, modifying, or maintaining simple data structures and components. Using specific data modeling and design techniques under guidance.

Behavioural Competencies

• Deciding & Initiating Action: Taking responsibility, initiative, and making quick, clear decisions.
• Creating & Innovating: Producing new ideas, approaches, and innovative solutions.
• Relating & Networking: Easily establishing good relationships, building effective networks, and using humor appropriately.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for our internship program, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are a national of a NATO member country.
• You are currently studying towards a university-level degree or have recently graduated in the past 12 months.
• A thorough knowledge of one of the two NATO languages (English or French), both written and spoken, is essential, with some knowledge of the other being desirable. Most work at NCIA is conducted in English.

Please attach the following documents to your application:

• Copy of your university degree and/or Proof of ongoing studies with clear dates.

Application Process

The application process for an internship at NCIA involves:

• Applying via the NCIA Careers site by 23:59 CET Sunday 8th March 2026.
• Selected candidates will progress to a first-stage evaluation consisting of logic, numeracy, and behavioral gamified exercises, plus on-demand video questions.
• Virtual interviews will take place in March and April.
• Conditional offers will be presented to successful candidates by early May.

Compensation

You will be compensated at a fixed taxable rate of 1,477.30 EUR per month, based on 38 hours of work per week. Reasonable travel expenses to start and return from your home location will be covered upon completion of the internship.

Future Opportunities

The NCIA Internship Programme includes a performance management process, offering high-performing interns the opportunity to continue their experience in a paid post at G8 equivalent at the duty location for 6 to 24 months after successful completion. This is subject to funding aligned with business priorities and objectives and is not guaranteed.

Key skills/competency

• Data Modelling
• Ontology Engineering
• Data Architecture
• Semantic Analysis
• Model-Driven Design
• Data Consistency
• Modularity
• Reusability
• Prototyping
• Validation