Intern, R&D Graduate Year Round - Systems Analysis, Remote

Sandia National Laboratories; California; Remote; USD 30,000 - 50,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work option

Flexible schedules (9/80 or 4/10)

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is offering a year-round graduate-level internship focused on systems analysis research and development. You will collaborate with experienced staff to advance projects on complex systems, stakeholder dynamics, and strategic conflict phenomena. The role supports remote work from any U.S.

state or DC with potential travel. The internship emphasizes hands-on analytic work, development of methodological tools, and contribution to publications.

Qualifications

• Earned bachelor's degree
• Currently attending and enrolled full time in an accredited science, engineering, or math graduate program
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0
• Ability to work up to 30 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer
• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship
• Note: If you have not yet started your graduate program, please apply to an undergraduate intern position.

Responsibilities

• Undertake systematic investigation, analysis, or experimentation to discover or revise knowledge of system phenomena and discover new approaches to optimizing system performance
• Lead and contribute to technical publications and deliver presentations.
• Work with multi-disciplinary teams to gain knowledge of systems and their behaviors
• Design experiments to answer strategic questions, including variance and process modeling

Skills

System analysis

Stakeholder dynamics

Analytic thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Currently enrolled in graduate program

Tools

Experimental design

Qualitative research

Job description

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We are seeking a year-round, graduate level intern to help with our systems analysis research and development. As part of our analytic staff, you will collaborate with experienced technical staff to advance projects that deepen understanding of complex systems, stakeholder dynamics, and strategic conflict phenomena. This internship offers the opportunity to contribute meaningful analytic work while developing hands‑on expertise with methodological tools used across the national security community.

On any given day, you may contribute to activities in one or more of the following:

Undertake systematic investigation, analysis, or experimentation to discover or revise knowledge of system phenomena and discover new approaches to optimizing system performance

Work with multi-disciplinary teams to incorporate necessary subject matter expertise and domain knowledge for gaining an intimate knowledge of systems (human and/or machine) and their behaviors

Build and evaluate frameworks that characterize multi-domain competition and conflict

Design experiments to answer strategic questions, including variance and process modeling

Lead and contribute to technical publications and deliver presentations.

The selected applicant can be a remote worker located in any U.S. State or District of Columbia. Regular or periodic travel to your assigned work location may be required.

Salary Range:

At Sandia, we value the important work done by our interns and its contribution to National Security. Because of this, our interns earn competitive pay rates. Our pay structure is based on earned credit hours, classification, and degree level. Your pay rate will be determined during the hire process and included in your offer package. You can view the Intern Pay Rate chart here (https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/51/2024/12/Student-Rate-Sheet-2025.docx) .

Qualifications We Require:

You bring the confidence and skills to be eligible for the job by meeting these minimum requirements:

Earned bachelor's degree

Currently attending and enrolled full time in an accredited science, engineering, or math graduate program

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0

Ability to work up to 30 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer

Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship

Note: If you have not yet started your graduate program, please apply to an undergraduate intern position.

Qualifications We Desire:

Political Science, International Relations, or STEM discipline

Strong technical skills, especially demonstrated expertise/skill in conflict analysis

Experience in at least one of the following methodologies: experimental design, qualitative research, analytic gaming

Strong background in strategic conflict research

Applicants must be comfortable working in a collaborative environment as part of a team of engineers and researchers

Excellent oral and written presentation skills

The ideal candidate will have an interest in or experience with conducting self-driven research

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

About Our Team:

Department 8716, Systems Analysis III, is part of Group 8710 (Systems Analysis & Reliability) in the Computation & Analysis for National Security Center (8700). The group delivers independent, objective analysis that provides leaders with reliable, unbiased insights on engineering and strategy options. We are a multi‑department team supporting customers across multiple mission areas, including nuclear deterrence, science and energy, and global security, as well as providing internal support to Sandia. By applying advanced tools and methodologies, we combine technical expertise, cross-domain knowledge, and multiple analytic disciplines to help leaders make informed, risk‑aware decisions.

About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting‑edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

Extraordinary co‑workers

Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten‑hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part‑time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World‑changing technologies. Life‑changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance:

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre‑employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

• Close proximity to first‑tier universities, Silicon Valley companies, and other top research laboratories and facilities
• Access to California’s finest public and private schools
• At Sandia, recruiters manually review resumes on each job posting instead of using a resume screening software program
• By following the best practices outlined, this ensures that recruiters can accurately determine your qualifications for the position