2027 Defensive Cyber Operations Undergrad Intern

The Aerospace Corporation•El Segundo, CA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is hiring a Defensive Cyber Operations Undergrad Intern for its Cyberspace Combat Department in the Information Systems and Cyber Division. The position is full-time and 100% onsite at the company’s office in El Segundo, California. Interns join cybersecurity engineers who design, implement, and deploy cyber solutions to defend space-related assets. The team supports customers including Space Force’s Space Systems Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, NASA, and other civil customers, addressing challenges in protecting ground networks and satellite systems from sophisticated adversaries. Training and mentorship will be provided. Duties and responsibilities may change or be added as needed. The Information Systems and Cyber Division combines modern information-system technologies—including elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks—with expertise in cybersecurity, software architecture and engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, process improvement, and software development. Its work delivers responsive, resilient, high-performance software-intensive systems to Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, and civilian customers.

Requirements

Be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university degree program pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related program.
Be available to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks outside the university term and be able to return to a degree program full-time after the internship.
Have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Have an interest in reverse engineering and vulnerability research.
Have experience building small- to mid-size projects with Python, C, or Rust.
Have experience with containerization tools such as Docker or Kubernetes.
Be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
Provide transcripts.

Nice To Haves

Security+ or another security certification.
Hands-on experience with Ghidra or IDA Pro.
Experience working with ground- or space-related technology.
Active participation in Capture-The-Flag events.
An active security clearance.
GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Responsibilities

Research and develop on-board defensive capabilities to protect space vehicles.
Build prototype tools and techniques to improve the cybersecurity posture of mission systems, using technologies such as containerization, cloud, and AI.
Conduct vulnerability research and reverse engineering on space-related software.
Communicate project status and technical findings to customers and provide technical demonstrations.

Benefits

Comprehensive health care and wellness plans.
Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation.
Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options.
401(k) plan with company-paid benefits of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service, plus matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested upon hire.
Flexible spending accounts.
Variable pay program for exceptional contributions.
Relocation assistance.
Professional growth and development programs.
Education assistance programs.
Inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect.