2026 Defensive Cyber Operations Undergrad Intern

The Aerospace Corporation•El Segundo, CA

2d•$25 - $26•Onsite

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. The Aerospace Corporation is hiring Defensive Cyber Operations Undergrad Interns for the Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) section in the Cyber Defense Solutions Department within the Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD). This position will be full-time, 100% onsite at our office in El Segundo, CA. Job Summary ISCD staff members couple the latest in information system technologies, such as elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks, with expertise in cyber security, software architecture, software engineering, data science, Artificial Intelligence, process improvement, and software development to deliver responsive, resilient, high-performance software intensive systems to our Intelligence Community, DoD, and civilian customers. Cyber Engineering Interns will join our growing team of cybersecurity engineers who design, implement, and deploy cyber solutions to defend our nation’s most valuable assets in space. We support a variety of customers including the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and other civil customers (e.g. NASA) in order to resolve unique challenges in protecting their ground networks and satellite systems from sophisticated adversaries. Training and mentorship will be provided.

Requirements

Strong written and oral communication skills
Must work well in a team environment.
Possess organizational, time management and project management skills.
Demonstrate flexibility and ability to adapt to changing organizational need.
Interpersonal skills to coordinate efforts and work with other internal and external organizations.
Currently enrolled full time at an accredited college/university degree program pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related program
Availability to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks outside of university term and ability to return to a degree program full- time after completion of the internship.
Minimum GPA 3.0
Specific interest and demonstrated cybersecurity research experience related to side-channel analysis of embedded systems
Coursework and/or academic experience coding in Python, C, or another relevant programming language.
Familiarity working in Unix/Linux environments.
This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government.
U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Security+ or any other security certifications
Experience with SIEM or SOAR tools.
Experience with container tools such as Docker or Kubernetes
Active security clearance
GPA 3.5 or higher

Responsibilities

Research and develop on-board defensive capabilities to protect Space Vehicles
Build innovative prototype tools and techniques to improve the cybersecurity posture of mission systems using current technologies such as containerization, cloud infrastructure, and automation.
Apply security orchestration and cyber deception tools and technologies to measure effectiveness and impact on mission systems.
Proactively interact with customers by communicating project status, technical findings, and give technical demonstrations.
Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned as needed.

Benefits

Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
Flexible spending accounts
Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
Relocation assistance
Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
Education assistance programs
An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect