National and Defense Intelligence Intern

MITRE; Bedford (MA); On-site; USD 47,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE is seeking technically accomplished interns to support the Intelligence Mission Enablement Department. Interns will work on projects for government sponsors, contribute to research, and develop analytical models to address challenges in national security and intelligence domains.

Successful candidates will be upperclassmen or graduate students enrolled full-time and must hold or be eligible for a Secret or higher clearance.

Qualifications

• Student interns must be enrolled full-time in an accredited degree-seeking program.
• Must be a U.S. citizen eligible for security clearance (Secret/Top Secret).
• Active security clearance required or obtainable within a year.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to modernization strategies for intelligence tools and analysis.
• Support sponsor projects through technical research, presentations, and deliverables.
• Develop analytical models to address sponsor challenges.
• Collaborate with teams to deliver concrete outputs for progress.

Skills

Security clearance

US citizenship

Analytical thinking

Technical communication

Education

Pursuing bachelor's or master's degree

Tools

Python

C++

R

Java

Job description

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

The Intelligence Mission Enablement Department supports numerous sponsor’s within the intelligence community. Our department enhances the Nation’s capabilities in Warfighter Support, Counterintelligence and Insider Threats, Scientific and Technical Intelligence, Counterterrorism, Intelligence Fusion, Adversary Intelligence, Mission Engineering, and Data-Driven Strategy and Policy.

We are seeking a team of technically accomplished and mission focused interns to bring fresh insights to our work program. We are looking for outstanding upperclassmen and graduate students interested in pursuing careers advancing the U.S. Intelligence Community’s capabilities and contributions to our nation’s security. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to direct projects for our sponsors, as well as novel research and thought leadership.

Job Responsibilities

• Contribute to approaches and strategies to modernize intelligence tools, techniques, and analysis
• Support one or more projects for our government sponsors, contributing to the development and delivery of impactful MITRE work through technical research, presentations, and written deliverables
• Assist in the development of a variety of analytical models to address sponsor challenges
• Work with teams to produce concrete, short-term, tangible outputs that make progress towards larger, impactful outcomes

Basic Qualifications

• Sustained excellence in academic performance
• Must be a student enrolled full-time in an accredited degree-seeking program in political science, foreign affairs, public policy, intelligence strategy, intelligence analysis, psychology, sociology, social science, finance, business administration, data science, computer science, systems engineering, electrical engineering, physics or related field
• Must continue to be enrolled full-time the semester following the internship.
• Demonstrated interest in relevant topics: national security policy, the organizations of the intelligence community and their roles, the intelligence cycle, open-source (OSINT) research, counterintelligence and security, Department of Defense operations, etc.
• Excellent critical thinking, analytical, written, and oral communication skills
• An inquisitive, self-motivated and flexible approach to problem-solving
• Must have an active Secret U.S Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated interest in serving the public

Preferred qualifications vary based on the specific work program a successful candidate would support, but may include any of the following:

• Significant academic background or prior work experience in a relevant field
• Demonstrated technical skills as applied to intelligence requirements with a strong knowledge of the intelligence community and intelligence processes
• Working knowledge or proficiency in a foreign language, and deep socio-political or cultural knowledge of key countries or regions
• Familiarity with or experience in complex financial planning, programming, budgeting and execution, especially at the federal level
• Experience in web or app development, web services, web standards, containerized services and orchestration tools, and familiarity working in cloud-based environments
• Technical proficiency in key cybersecurity approaches and technologies, as well as an understanding of cybersecurity policy principles
• Experience in reverse engineering, hacking, penetration testing, and associated technologies
• Demonstrated ability to manipulate large datasets and perform calculations with modern programming languages like Python, C++, R, or Java, as well as the use of multi-dimensional data visualization tools
• Interest in the human elements of information security, cybersecurity, and insider threat risk management and deterrence
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.

Clearance

In addition to passing MITRE’s employment background check, you may be submitted for a U.S. Government Security clearance. This is determined by the Department of Defense’s adjudicative guidelines for receiving a clearance, to include U.S. citizenship. Other jobs may require vetting for various levels of agency public trust, fitness, suitability, controlled access, and special programs access determination consistent with the work program to which you are assigned.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

Secret

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI/Polygraph

Salary compensation range and midpoint

$46,500 - $58,000 - $69,500 Annual

Work Location Type

Onsite

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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