Software Engineering & AI Intern

Leidos Inc; Odenton (MD); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking software engineering & AI interns for Summer 2027. The role blends remote work with mandatory on-site milestones at Scott AFB, IL or Ft. Meade, MD.

You will design AI-enabled pipelines, build real-time data workflows with Kafka and Elastic, and gain hands-on AWS, Databricks, Watson AIOps, and cybersecurity automation experience. You will collaborate with an Agile team on scalable projects, develop automated tests, and contribute to mission-critical DISN-related work under GSM-O

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain interim Secret DoD clearance before start.
• Enrolled in a relevant technology degree (CS/SE/Data Science).
• Experience with Git and Bitbucket for version control.
• Experience developing on UNIX command line platforms.
• Strong teamwork and proactive communication in a virtual/remote setup.
• Location flexibility for periodic on-site work at Scott AFB, IL or Ft. Meade, MD.

Responsibilities

• Create Kibana dashboards and visualizations to support users and staff.
• Develop Kafka integrations between Elasticsearch/Logstash and Databricks.
• Apply AI/ML and automation capabilities to systems.
• Help deploy and maintain Kafka/Elastic clusters and environments.
• Develop automated tests with Selenium, JMeter, JUnit, etc.
• Build CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, Artifactory, Kubernetes, Docker, Ansible, Bitbucket.
• Work in an Agile team, participate in daily scrums, and collaborate across distributed teams.
• Troubleshoot installations, infrastructure, and system issues.
• Identify, report, and mitigate technical risks proactively.

Skills

Git

Bitbucket

UNIX shell

Jenkins

Kubernetes

Docker

Ansible

Selenium

JMeter

JUnit

Team collaboration

Education

Pursuing Computer Science / Software Engineering / Data Science degree

Tools

Git

Bitbucket

UNIX

Jenkins

Kubernetes

Docker

Ansible

Job description

Leidos, a leading defense, intelligence, and technology company, is seeking motivated and aspiring software engineering students for ourSummer 2027 Internship Program (Starts May 2027). As aSoftware Engineering & AI Intern, you will join ourDigital Sectoron the Global Solutions Management - Operations II (GSM-O II) contract. This contract includes the Operations, Sustainment, Maintenance, Repair, and Defense of the Defense Information System Network (DISN) in support of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). This role is primarily remote, with mandatory, periodic on-site requirements at either Scott AFB, IL or Ft. Meade, MD.

We are looking for highly motivated, driven, and capable candidates to join our GSM-O Global Automation and Intelligent Network Solutions (GAINS) Team! This summer, you will do more than observe-you will help build intelligent systems that operate at mission-critical scale. You will work with high-volume data, engineer real-time pipelines using technologies such as Kafka and Elastic, and apply predictive machine learning and generative AI to detect emerging problems and advance towardclosed-loop, self-healing networks. You will gain hands-on experience with AWS, Databricks, Watson AIOps and cybersecurity automation, building the technical experience and portfolio-ready accomplishments that can accelerate your career.

What You'll Do (Potential Projects & Learning Opportunities):

• Create Kibana visualizations and dashboards to provide information to users and support staff.
• Develop Kafka system integrations between Elasticsearch/Logstash and other systems, such as Databricks.
• Develop and apply AI/ML and automation capabilities.
• Assist with the deployment, configuration, testing, troubleshooting, maintenance, updates/upgrades of Kafka and Elastic clusters and environments.
• Develop automated tests using Ansible, Selenium, JMeter, Junit and/or other applicable tools.
• Develop automated CI/CD build/deployment pipelines using Jenkins, Artifactory, Kubernetes, Docker,Ansible, and Bitbucket.
• Work with an Agile team, attend daily scrums, and demonstrate working software while collaborating with a geographically distributed (remote) team.
• Troubleshoot and resolve installation, infrastructure, and system issues.
• Proactively and independently identify, report, monitor, and mitigate technical risks.
• Frequently communicate and collaborate with other team members to ensure successful completion of project objectives.

What You'll Bring (Required):

• Citizenship & Clearance:Must be a U.S. citizen.Ability to obtain an interim Secret DoD Security clearance prior to your start date is required(selected candidates will be sponsored for the required clearance).
• Education:Currently pursuing a degree in a relevant discipline such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Data Science.
• Version Control:Experience with distributed version control software such as Git and Bitbucket.
• Platform Knowledge:Experience developing software on a UNIX command line platform.
• Teamwork:Strong communication skills that enable proactive and effective collaboration with a virtual team.
• Location:This position is primarily remote, butregular, on-site support at Scott AFB, IL or Ft. Meade, MD is mandatory for periodic project milestones.Candidates must have reliable transportation and the capability to report on-site to their designated facility within a reasonable timeframe when requested by management.

What We Want (Desired):

• Certifications:Obtaining aCompTIA Security+certification (or equivalent DoD 8570 IAT II certification) before the start date isstrongly encouraged.
• Hands-On Experience:Full software lifecycle experience (design, development, test, deployment), especially in a containerized environment (Kubernetes/Docker).
• Familiarity with:
  • Web development using UI frameworks like React.
  • Designing and building DevOps pipelines with tools like Bitbucket, Jenkins, and Ansible.
  • Developing software in a cloud environment (AWS is a plus).
  • Atlassian tools, including JIRA and Confluence.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and concepts (large language models, predictive analytics) to support the development of self-healing and auto-ticketing capabilities.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting: August 26, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range: Pay Range $48,100.00 - $86,950.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers.

• Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement.

More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

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