IAE Data Science Internship - Fall 2026

University of South Florida; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 363,686 - 702,576; Full time

Job summary

The University of South Florida Institute of Applied Engineering (in collaboration with Accenture Federal Services) seeks a Data Science Intern in Tampa, FL. This in-person internship requires U.S.

citizenship and DoD program eligibility and offers work across AI/ML projects, data pipelines, and cloud integrations. Use of LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation, and data engineering will be central, with hours varying seasonally and a pay rate of $17.62 per hour.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a security clearance.
• Active enrollment in an undergraduate degree program in CS, DS, SE, CE, AI, Math, Statistics, or related field.
• Senior standing preferred with minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Ability to report in-person 2–3 days per week in Tampa, FL.
• Familiarity with machine learning concepts and data science workflows; exposure to LLMs or NLP concepts.
• Must be able to obtain DoD program eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Support design, development, and testing of AI-enabled applications utilizing large language models (LLMs).
• Assist in building and maintaining retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines.
• Develop data engineering workflows to collect, clean, transform, and organize structured and unstructured datasets.
• Support integration of AI and machine learning capabilities into cloud-based environments.
• Collaborate with software engineers and data scientists to evaluate model performance.
• Assist with prompt engineering, model evaluation, and experimentation activities.
• Document technical findings, system architectures, and development processes.
• Contribute to project briefings, demonstrations, and technical presentations.

Skills

US Citizenship

Security clearance eligibility

ML concepts

LLMs / Generative AI

In-person reporting

Undergraduate degree pursuit

Senior standing

GPA 3.0

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/DS/SE/CE/AI/Math/Stats or related field

Senior standing

Minimum GPA of 3.0

Job description

Job Description

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and eligible to obtain a security clearance. Applicants who do not meet this requirement cannot be considered for this position. Applicants must remain actively enrolled in an undergraduate degree program for the duration of the internship. Individuals who have already graduated prior to the internship start date are not eligible for this position.

Organization Summary

The University of South Florida (USF) Institute of Applied Engineering (IAE) provides agile, best‑value engineering solutions to enhance performance and effectiveness of its sponsors, including the Department of Defense, other federal, state, and local agencies, and industry partners. The Data Science Intern will work under the direction of Accenture Federal Services (AFS) technical leadership to support specialized programs. This internship offers an opportunity to work on meaningful data science and program management initiatives supporting broader Department of Defense (DoD) efforts. The intern will contribute to research, analysis, and development of tools that enhance operational decision‑making and resource allocation. The internship program is administered by USF Institute of Applied Engineering. Upon hire, you will be considered both a USF IAE temporary employee and an AFS student intern. Because this internship is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and may involve access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), U.S. citizenship is required for eligibility.

Time Commitment

• Hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.


• Fall & Spring Semester: 15–20 hours per week.


• Summer Semester: 20–29 hours per week.


• Internship is primarily in‑person (Tampa, FL) with limited remote work opportunities.

Opportunities

• Work directly alongside AFS engineers and data scientists.


• Gain hands‑on experience with emerging AI and machine learning technologies.


• Build a professional portfolio of data science and software development projects.


• High potential for internship extensions and full‑time employment opportunities following graduation.

Pay Rate

$17.62 per hour

Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, and testing of AI‑enabled applications utilizing large language models (LLMs).


• Assist in building and maintaining retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG) pipelines.


• Develop data engineering workflows to collect, clean, transform, and organize structured and unstructured datasets.


• Support integration of AI and machine learning capabilities into cloud‑based environments.


• Collaborate with software engineers and data scientists to evaluate model performance.


• Assist with prompt engineering, model evaluation, and experimentation activities.


• Document technical findings, system architectures, and development processes.


• Contribute to project briefings, demonstrations, and technical presentations.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.


• Must be eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance due to Department of Defense program requirements.


• Must be actively pursuing a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related technical discipline.


• Senior standing strongly preferred.


• Minimum GPA of 3.0.


• Ability to report in‑person 2–3 days per week (Tampa, FL).


• Familiarity with machine learning concepts and data science workflows.


• Exposure to large language models (LLMs), generative AI tools, or NLP concepts.

Please Note:

Authorization to work in the United States (including F‑1 OPT/CPT, H‑1B, or other employment authorization) does not satisfy this requirement. Applicants must be U.S. citizens to be eligible for this internship. Applicants who do not meet these eligibility requirements cannot be considered for this internship.

About Us

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF’s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first‑class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

The University of South Florida is a top‑ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota‑Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all‑time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodations in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.