Cybersecurity R&D Engineer Intern

The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 24,796 - 30,307; Part time

Job summary

The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University is seeking an undergraduate intern to join the Cyberspace Operations Research Department. The role focuses on researching adversarial tactics to assess system vulnerabilities and support security hardening for sponsors.

Responsibilities include developing automation scripts, designing experiments, and reporting data from tests. The internship is paid with on-site options in Reston, VA or State College, PA, with hybrid arrangements possible

Qualifications

• Familiarity with basic system vulnerability and exploitation concepts.
• Basic knowledge of engineering concepts and the scientific method.
• Basic proficiency in Linux-based environments.
• Proficiency in programming and scripting languages (C, Python, bash, PowerShell).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Experience collaborating in multidisciplinary, team-oriented cultures.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to new tools, techniques, and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Research state-of-the-art techniques for vulnerability detection, system exploitation, and technical mitigations.
• Develop scripts and applications to automate processes.
• Design experiments and set up test environments.
• Conduct experiments and execute demonstrations.
• Test representative systems under simulated real-world conditions.
• Collect, analyze, and report experimental data.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to solve engineering challenges.
• Develop and optimize prototypes for critical applications.
• Research and document emerging technologies.
• Participate in technical presentations and discussions.

Skills

Vulnerability concepts

Linux environments

C programming

Python programming

Shell scripting (bash, PowerShell)

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Undergraduate student

Tools

Linux

Job description

The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University is seeking an undergraduate intern to join the Cyberspace Operations Research Department. The role focuses on researching adversarial tactics to assess system vulnerabilities and support security hardening for sponsors.

Responsibilities include developing automation scripts, designing experiments, and reporting data from tests. The internship is paid with on-site options in Reston, VA or State College, PA, with hybrid arrangements possible