NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Graduate Mathematics Program - Entry

National Security Agency; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing accommodations

Travel entitlements (round trip)

Paid federal holidays

Annual leave & sick leave

Job summary

NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Graduate Mathematics Program - Entry - Maryland at Fort Meade is a 12-week paid internship designed for graduate students. Participants work with NSA mathematicians on mission-critical problems and document their work in technical papers.

Open to students across multiple graduate disciplines with strong math/CS background, including Python, C, or C++. Applicants must be U.S.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be enrolled in a graduate level degree-seeking program at time of application.
• Specific education requirements vary by program.
• Preferred GPA 3.0+.
• Must be eligible for TS/SCI clearance after background checks.
• Available for interviews Oct 2026–Apr 2027 in-person or via remote means.
• Independent project in math, statistics, data science, or CS desirable.
• Programming experience in Python, C, or C++ desirable.
• 1 letter of recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your work.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the NSA Graduate Mathematics Program at Fort Meade, MD.
• Work with mathematicians on mission-critical problems and document work in technical papers.
• Apply math, statistics, data analysis, cryptology, and communications technology to NSA projects.

Skills

Python

C/C++

Mathematics

Statistics

Data Science

Education

Graduate-level degree in Mathematics/Statistics/Data Science

Job description

NSA has received approval from the Department of War to hire for specific critical positions during the hiring freeze, per DoW memorandum 'Immediate Civilian Hiring Freeze for Alignment with National Defense Priorities' dated 28 February.

Job Description

NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Graduate Mathematics Program - Entry - Maryland

Fort George G. Meade Complex, MD
Pay Plan: GG , Grade: 04/1 to 09/10
Open: 2026-08-15, Close: 2026-09-05

Job Posting: 1261493

Responsibilities

The NSA Summer Internship Program at our Fort Meade, MD location offers students exciting, impactful professional work opportunities (with pay and limited benefits!) to grow their knowledge of the Intelligence Community and federal government while advancing NSA's two primary missions: 1) Collecting, analyzing, and producing foreign signals intelligence; and 2) Providing cybersecurity solutions and guidance to protect critical national infrastructure. Graduate Mathematics Program:The GMP provides an opportunity for exceptional mathematics and statistics graduate students to work directly with NSA Mathematicians on mission‑critical problems and experience the excitement of the NSA mathematics community. GMP participants work on problems involving math, statistics, data analysis, cryptology, and communications technology and document their work in technical papers which are internally published at NSA. Applicants should have demonstrated superior mathematical aptitude and problem‑solving skills. Evidence of successful work on an independent project in pure or applied mathematics, statistics, data science, or computer science is desirable. Applicants may be at any stage in their graduate careers or intending to work in any area of mathematics or statistics. Computer programming experience, especially Python, C, or C++, is desirable.

Job Summary

Join students from across the country and lend your knowledge to national security in one of NSA's over 30 summer internship programs. These 12 week paid programs run from mid-May to mid-August and are open to undergraduate freshman up to Ph.D. students depending on internship requirements. These internships are open to a wide variety of majors and give students the opportunity to work directly with mission‑critical problems and experience the excitement of working in NSA spaces.

Qualifications

To be accepted into the NSA Summer Internship - Graduate Mathematics Program, candidates:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be enrolled in an graduate level degree-seeking program at time of application
• Specific education requirements vary by program
• Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Must be eligible to be granted a TS/SCI security clearance after successfully completing a background investigation, a Full-scope Polygraph and a Psychological Evaluation
• Must be available and in the U.S. for operational and technical interviews and other applicable processing, both in-person and via telephone/internet, between the months of October 2026 and April 2027
• Evidence of an independent project in pure or applied mathematics, statistics, data science, or computer science is desirable
• Computer programming experience, especially Python, C, or C++, is desirable
• 1 Letter of Recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your technical work
• Preferred majors: Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Related majors with a strong background in math or computer science

***PLEASE NOTE: Other majors may be considered, however the majors listed above are highly recommended.***

***PLEASE NOTE: You may be required to complete an Unproctored Internet Testing (UIT) requirement measuring cognitive ability, motivation, and English proficiency.***

Students are paid a competitive salary commensurate with their education level.

• All internships are 10 - 12 weeks during the summer.
• Receive annual leave, sick leave and paid federal holidays.
• Students who attend school in excess of 75 miles from Fort Meade, MD are eligible for housing accommodations and travel entitlements of a round trip airfare ticket to and from school or mileage reimbursement up to the cost of a government‑issued airline ticket.
• Daily transportation to and from work is NOT provided. Students participating in the program are highly encouraged to bring a vehicle. Carpooling with other students MAY be available, but is NOT guaranteed.
• Participation in agency-wide extracurricular programs.

U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

DCIPS Disclaimer

The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.