Internship - System Modeling, Evaluation, and Planning Group; KFA)

Description

Are you interested in learning more about system modeling, evaluation, and planning?

Are you interested in applying your engineering, physics, or mathematics background to strategic deterrence and defense?

Do you like contributing to complex efforts that require team-based approaches?

If you are pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in engineering, physics, or mathematics (applied or pure), we are looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!

The System Modeling, Evaluation, and Planning Group is seeking interns in the aforementioned fields to aid in the design and implementation of state-of-the-art methodologies to gather and manipulate data for system analysis, identification, and planning. You will be joining a hardworking team of engineers, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists who are passionate about their role supporting our nation's strategic weapons. We strive to foster an environment of innovation and learning to develop the critical technologies and experts of the future.

As a System Modeling, Evaluation and Planning Group (KFA) Intern you may:

• Develop and validate mathematical and computational models of defense systems.
• Perform data driven analyses to assess performance and risk.
• Learn about inertial navigation and apply your knowledge to assess flight system accuracy.
• Develop estimation tools for evaluating flight test dynamics and navigation of ballistic and hypersonic missile systems.
• Employ and develop physics-based models for statistical estimation and forecasting of weapon system accuracy.
• Aid in the engineering and architecture development of future conventional and nuclear weapons.
• Develop C++ algorithms to optimize trajectories based on mission objectives and constraints for hypersonic systems.
• Function as part of a multi-disciplinary team to analyze the nuclear survivability of strategic weapon systems and structures, including environmental analysis and radiation hardened electronics assessments.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Are pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical field.
• Are inquisitive and are willing to learn new skills and expand your capabilities.
• Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance and can ultimately obtain Top Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll exceed our minimum requirements if you...

• Have a strong quantitative foundation - You excel at math, physics, or engineering fundamentals and are comfortable manipulating equations, data sets, and statistical tools. Familiarity with linear algebra, differential equations, probability, or control theory is beneficial.
• Have had coursework/are experienced in - parameter estimation, flight dynamics, guidance, navigation, or control, radiation environments, the principles of radiation interactions with matter, optimization and numerical methods, high energy particle physics, thermal mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, nuclear weapon effects, or plasma physics.
• Have programming & simulation experience - You can code in at least one scientific language (Python, MATLAB, Julia, C++, etc.), have experience with version control systems such as gitlab or github, and have built or used simulation models, numerical solvers, or data analysis pipelines.
• Are a team
  player with strong communication - You thrive in collaborative environments, actively listen, and contribute constructively in multidisciplinary meetings. You can distill technical findings into clear written reports, visualizations, and oral presentations for both domain experts and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Possess passion for defense and national security - You are genuinely interested in how scientific and engineering tools support strategic deterrence, policy, and defense planning. You stay informed about emerging technologies, threat landscapes, and relevant policy discussions.
• Hold an active Secret or higher-level clearance.

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies,…