2027 Internship, Engineer / Researcher

About the Role

This is a hands-on engineering internship opportunity focused on cyber operations within the Cyber Warfare Systems Group (QCR). Interns will work alongside experienced professionals, contributing to real-world problems and gaining experience in offensive security operations and non-kinetic mission defeat.

Key Responsibilities

• Explore new technical approaches and rapidly turn promising ideas into prototypes.
• Experiment with emerging technologies, including AI-enabled approaches, and critically evaluate their capabilities and limitations.
• Develop models, software, scripts, automation, data-analysis methods, or other technical solutions to challenging cyber mission problems.
• Investigate systems, networks, and technologies to understand their functionality, vulnerabilities, and potential for mission support.
• Contribute to the design, development, testing, and fielding of capabilities supporting cyber operations missions.
• Collaborate with government, contractor, and APL teammates as technical ideas move toward operational use.
• Contribute your own ideas and perspectives to team projects.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, or another engineering or technical field. Students in other disciplines with demonstrated strong technical skills are also encouraged.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Demonstrated exploration of technical problems through coursework, research, clubs, competitions, personal projects, internships, open-source contributions, or other hands-on experiences. Relevant areas include vulnerability research, information theory, information security, cybersecurity, cryptography, networking, penetration testing, systems engineering, modeling and simulation, and software development.
• Enjoy creating, experimenting, building, and seeing ideas through to working solutions.
• Ability to critically evaluate technical approaches, including AI-enabled technologies, and curiosity about their capabilities and limitations.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical information, concepts, and ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to acquire an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and ultimately acquire a Top Secret with SCI level clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Qualifications (Above Minimum)

• Experience building things outside the classroom, such as software, hardware, homelabs, Capture The Flag (CTF) solutions, automation, data projects, or AI experiments.
• Experience with open-source intelligence (OSINT), publicly available information (PAI), commercially available information (CAI), intelligence analysis, targeting, geopolitical analysis, or other mission-focused analytical methods.
• Proficiency in a defense-critical foreign language.
• Experience with AI/ML, large language models, or AI agents, and an understanding of their opportunities, limitations, and risks in mission-critical applications.
• Demonstrated initiative, leadership, teamwork, or ownership through technical projects, research, student organizations, competitions, employment, military/ROTC experience, or other activities.

About Us

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is dedicated to solving critical defense, security, space, and science challenges. We offer a vibrant culture that encourages authenticity, growth, and connections with inspiring teammates. APL celebrates diverse perspectives and encourages creativity and bold ideas.

Benefits

• Robust education assistance program
• Unparalleled retirement contributions
• Healthy work/life balance
• Comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, and training and development.