R&D Engineer Intern

Penn State University; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 22,041 - 30,307; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) invites an undergraduate student to join the Cyberspace Operations Research Department as a paid internship. You will research adversarial TTPs to support security hardening and conduct vulnerability assessments for sponsors.

Work up to 20 hours per week during fall and spring, and up to 40 hours per week in summer. Location is on-site in State College, PA, or Reston, VA with hybrid options based on project needs.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with basic system vulnerability concepts and exploitation basics.
• Proficiency in Linux-based environments and scripting languages.
• Experience with C and Python programming and scripting (bash/PowerShell).
• Strong written and verbal communication and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Research vulnerability detection and basic exploitation techniques.
• Develop scripts and apps to automate processes.
• Design experiments and set up test environments.
• Collect and report experimental data from demonstrations.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on engineering challenges.

Skills

Vulnerability concepts

Linux familiarity

Programming (C, Python)

Scripting (bash, PowerShell)

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Willingness to learn

Job description

Job Description

We are searching for a motivated undergraduate student to join the Cyberspace Operations Research Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. This internship focuses on researching and developing adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to conduct system vulnerability assessments and support security hardening for various sponsors.

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.

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.

Position Details

Work up to 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters and up to 40 hours per week over the summer.

This is a paid internship. Location is fully on‑site in State College, PA, or Reston, VA, with hybrid options available based on project‑dependent ability.

Relocation and housing are not provided.

Background Checks & Clearances

Employment will require successful completion of background checks in accordance with University policies. Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance and comply with ARL’s security requirements.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.