Joseph has held several posts relating to security and nuclear policy. These posts include the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (nuclear policy), Director of Theater Nuclear Forces Policy, U.S. Department of Defense (International Security Policy), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy, and Ambassador to the U.S.-Russian Consultative Commission on Nuclear Testing under George H. W. Bush.[6][better source needed]
Special assistant to the President and Senior Director of Proliferation strategy, counterproliferation and homeland defense, NSC, Washington (2001–2005)
founder, director, Center for Counterproliferation Research, National Defense University, Washington (1992–2001)
professor of national security studies, National Defense University, Washington (1992–2001)
ambassador, U.S.-Russian consultative commission on nuclear testing, US Department of Defense, Washington
dep. asst. sec. nuclear forces & arms control policy, US Department of Defense, Washington (1989–1991)
prin. dep. asst. sec. for internat. security policy, US Department of Defense, Washington (1987–1989)
acting prin. dep. asst. sec. for internat. security policy, US Department of Defense, Washington, 1987
Director of theater nuclear forces policy, US Mission, NATO, Brussels, (1985–1987)
chief nuclear policy/plans section, US Department of Defense, Washington (1982–1984)
assistant for nuclear policy, Office Under Secretary, US Department of Defense, Washington (1980–1981)
assistant for general purpose forces, US Department of Defense, Washington, 1979
assistant for negotiations, Office Asst. Sec. for Internat. Security Affairs, US Department of Defense, Washington, 1978
"NBC Military Planning: Lessons Learned from Analysis and Wargaming," in Countering the Proliferation and Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, McGraw-Hill, 1999, edited by Peter L. Hays, Vincent J. Jodoin, Alan R. Van Tassel. USAF Academy, CO : USAF Institute for National Security Studies, c1998. ISBN0-07-012293-8 (pbk.)
"U.S. Nuclear Policy in the 21st Century: A Fresh Look at National Strategy and Requirement," National Defense University Press, 1998
"The Case for Nuclear Deterrence Today," Orbis, Winter 1998 (with John Reichart)
^"The Department of Defense and Strategic Studies in Washington D.C." Archived from the original on 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2009-04-06. Dr. Joseph, Professor, served most recently as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. From 2001 until 2004, Dr. Joseph served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Proliferation Strategy, Counterproliferation, and Homeland Defense at the National Security Council. From 1992 until 2001, Dr. Joseph was Professor of National Security Studies and Director/Founder of the Center for Counterproliferation Research at the National Defense University. Prior to that, he was U.S. Commissioner to the Standing Consultative Commission and Ambassador to the U.S.-Russian Consultative Commission on Nuclear Testing, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy. He is the author of Countering WMD: The Libyan Experience (National Institute Press, 2009). Dr. Joseph received his M.A. from the University of Chicago, and his Ph.D from Columbia University.
^"Profile – Robert Joseph". Right Web (monitors the U.S. right wing). Public Eye (U.S. left wing group to check up on its opponents). Retrieved 2009-04-08.