2027 Internship - Analyst/Researcher

Description

Do you want to apply your analytical, research, data, or language skills to real-world problems and gain experience with cyber operations?

Are you excited by ambiguous problems and interested in turning research and analysis into impactful mission insight?

Are you intellectually curious, constantly seeking to understand global events, emerging threats, adversary behavior, and the relationships between them?

Are you passionate about cybersecurity, intelligence, and national security?

If these questions resonate with you, you may be a great fit for an internship with the Cyber Warfare Systems Group (QCR)! QCR team members apply their skills to offensive security operations and non-kinetic mission defeat. We help the U.S. military address complex cyber operations challenges and execute cyber missions at scale in support of joint operations. Our best solutions often emerge at the intersection of technology, intelligence, data, human behavior, and mission understanding. We bring together people with multidisciplinary analytical and mission backgrounds because the hardest cyber operations problems rarely fit neatly within a single discipline. Our research areas include analysis and targeting, cyber-layer modeling, cybersecurity, and human-systems modeling.

As a member of our team...

You will gain a hands-on analytical internship experience. Interns work alongside and learn from analysts, researchers, engineers, and cyber practitioners while contributing to real problems supporting cyber operations. Depending on your interests, background, and experience, you may:

• Investigate complex questions using open-source information, publicly or commercially available information, data, intelligence, foreign-language sources, and other research methods.
• Apply analytical methods such as intelligence analysis, targeting, graph theory, network analysis, data science, structured analytic techniques, or human-systems analysis.
• Develop assessments, analytical methods, data products, visualizations, or decision-support approaches that turn complex information into useful mission insight.
• Use and critically evaluate AI-enabled analytical tools and emerging methods, understanding both their potential and limitations.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary APL teams and government and contractor partners as analysis informs capability development and mission execution.
• Have opportunities to contribute your own ideas and perspective. Our interns are active members of the team, eager to learn quickly, and make a meaningful team impact.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for consideration if you:

• Are pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Intelligence Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Foreign Language, Psychology, Data Science, Statistics, Economics, History, or a related analytical discipline.
• Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Enjoy investigating ambiguous questions, identifying patterns and connections, evaluating evidence, and turning findings into useful insights.
• Can critically evaluate analytical methods and tools, including AI-enabled approaches, and distinguish evidence-supported conclusions from unsupported assumptions.
• Can effectively communicate information, concepts, findings, and ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Are able to acquire an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately acquire a Top Secret with SCI level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information.
• Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...

• Have hands-on cybersecurity, vulnerability research, information security, networking, programming, or other technical experience that helps you connect analytical findings to cyber systems and operations.
• Have academic, research, extracurricular, personal project, internship, or other experience in one or more areas such as intelligence analysis, targeting, open-source intelligence (OSINT), PAI/CAI analysis, geopolitical analysis, foreign-language analysis, data analysis, graph theory, network analysis, cyber threat intelligence, human behavior, or related fields.
• Have proficiency in a defense-critical foreign language or experience applying language and cultural knowledge to analytical problems.
• Have experimented with AI/ML, large language models, or AI agents for research, analysis, or automation and are interested in understanding their opportunities, limitations, and risks.
• Have demonstrated initiative, leadership, teamwork, or a willingness to take ownership of challenging problems.
• Understand defense and intelligence missions, organizations, or processes through coursework, research, military/ROTC experience, internships, or other activities.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at <https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers>.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accessibility@jhuapl.edu (mailto:Accessibility@jhuapl.edu).

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate $22.60 Hourly Maximum Rate $47.95 Hourly