Intern, R&D Undergraduate Year Round - Counter-Autonomy & Intrusion Detection, Hybrid

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a R&D focused intern for a year-round position in our Counter-Autonomy and Intrusion Detection department. You will assist with a broad range of national security challenges associated with physical security of nuclear materials and critical infrastructure. Daily activities will involve working with staff members and technologists on multiple projects typically centered around 3 main bodies of work: autonomy and unmanned systems, algorithm development and code generation, and R&D for novel physical intrusion detection methods. The successful candidate must be willing to learn a variety of topics from multiple domains, such as physical security, computer science, computer engineering, sensors and sensor theory, machine learning, optical science, robotics/mechatronics, and signal processing.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Assist in designing, developing, and conducting tests and experiments in both field and laboratory settings.

• Assist efforts to automate the collection, processing, and analysis of data.

• Assist in the development of neural networks and data pipelines for machine learning applications.

• Assist with evaluations of optical systems and components against performance requirements.

• Write scripts or code to assist in data analytics and algorithm development.

• Develop new skills and capabilities to meet the diverse and growing needs of our projects.

• Contribute to reports and papers on technical topics that are publishable.

• Integrate hardware and software in support of tests or data collection.

• Support design and implementation of novel autonomy algorithms.

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:

• Currently attending and enrolled full time in an accredited undergraduate program

• Pursuing a science, engineering, or math major

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0

• Ability to work up to 25 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 earned a HS diploma or equivalent, please apply to a high school intern position.

Qualifications We Desire:

• Self-motivated, hard-working, detail-oriented, and thorough

• Ability to work well in a team environment

• Desire to work on and publish research papers

• In-depth understanding of Linux operating system and command line

• Prior or current possession of DOE or DoD security clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Secret level clearance

• Experience with Python or other scripting and scientific computing languages (R, ROS, C++, Java, C#)

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills

• Good oral and written communication skills

• Experience with machine learning and deep neural network development

• General knowledge and good understanding of Office and Latex software environments

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

About Our Team:

The Mission of dept 6554 is to counter evolving autonomous threats and improve the performance of physical security systems. We conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation of components and technologies to advance the science of physical security. This enables customers to mitigate threats to nuclear materials and other high value targets by improving the ability to sense, assess, track, and respond to physical intrusions.

Our work addresses current physical security operational challenges and evolving threats such as unmanned systems, including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). We specialize in the testing and evaluation of Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems, which counter the danger posed by UAS, and we are the C-UAS test agent for DOE, NNSA, and DHS. We leverage innovations from industry, LDRD, novel signature collection and processing techniques, and partnerships across the laboratory to address real-world problems.

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:

• 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 L-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 the 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.

Job ID: 694993

Job Family: 91

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: P