Formal Methods Research - Intern

Riverside Research Institute•Lexington, MA

2d•$25 - $35

About The Position

Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest, providing technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to challenging technical problems. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. citizenship. The Secure and Resilient Systems group seeks a Formal Methods Research Intern to support the specification and verification of systems-level software. The intern will work with experienced computer scientists and cybersecurity professionals on research initiatives focused on establishing meaningful cyber and systems security properties. The internship provides hands-on experience with formal methods and secure systems development. The position may be based in Lexington, Massachusetts, or Beavercreek, Ohio, and is for summer 2027. Typical compensation is $25.00–$35.00 per hour, depending on experience, location, and other factors.

Requirements

Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in Computer Science, Computer Security, Formal Methods, Automated Reasoning, or a related major.
Ability to work collaboratively on speculative research projects.
Experience with functional and imperative programming.
Exposure to programming-language concepts, definitions, and implementations, such as type systems, operational semantics, interpreters, and compilers.
Exposure to Linux or Unix-like systems.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to obtain a clearance in the future if needed.
U.S. citizenship is required for Riverside Research opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Rocq, Lean, or a similar proof assistant.
Exposure to the Rust programming language.
Exposure to proof techniques such as progress and preservation, logical relations, separation logic, refinement, translation validation, and symbolic execution.
Foundational knowledge of cybersecurity principles, including non-interference and robust property preservation.
Experience with version control or other software collaboration tools.
Superior written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

Develop technical fluency in formal methods for cyber and system security.
Build specifications and proofs using proof assistants such as Rocq and Lean.
Build tools and capabilities using programming languages such as Rust and OCaml.
Document and communicate design decisions, technical challenges, and progress to technical management.
Collaborate on formal methods research, including identifying machine-checkable properties, developing and applying tools to check properties, verifying tools, and reviewing papers and proposals.