Intern – Network Cryptography & Quantum Readiness

Noblis•Reston, VA

18d•$23 - $38

About The Position

Noblis is looking for a sharp, forward-thinking Cybersecurity Intern to help us map our current cryptographic landscape and build the blueprint for a Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) future. This isn't just "checking boxes"—you'll be helping us ensure long-term data integrity against the next generation of threats. Your primary goal will be to help us understand how to create thorough and effective PQC migration plans. You will work directly with our security engineering team to: Audit the Present: Assist in conducting a comprehensive cryptographic inventory of our test network. This includes identifying where we use RSA, ECC, and various TLS versions across internal and external applications. Map the Data Flow: Help identify "harvest now, decrypt later" risks by locating high-value data encrypted with algorithms vulnerable to quantum attacks. PQC Research: Stay updated on the latest NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography standards (like ML-KEM and ML-DSA) and evaluate how they fit into our existing tech stack. Migration Planning: Assist in drafting our PQC Migration Roadmap, prioritizing systems for upgrades based on risk, data longevity, and vendor support. Documentation: Maintain a "Crypto-Agility" database that tracks our progress and helps us pivot as new standards are ratified. Our virtual network testbed is an AWS environment that mimics an enterprise network and allows us to evaluate different cryptographic algorithms and inventorying solutions. You should be able to work with minimal supervision to help us in this process. At the same time, you should feel empowered to give us input on how to improve our tool and processes to achieve our overall goals.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program (junior or senior preferred) majoring in cybersecurity, computer science, mathematics, or a related field
GPA 3.3 or higher
Proficiency with Python
Familiarity with AWS, Terraform, Ansible, and Linux
Familiarity with network discovery tools (like Nmap, Wireshark, or specialized vulnerability scanners)

Nice To Haves

Ability to work independently to achieve specified goals
Ability to explain technical concepts to non-expert
Strong organizational and communication skills

Responsibilities

Assist in conducting a comprehensive cryptographic inventory of our test network. This includes identifying where we use RSA, ECC, and various TLS versions across internal and external applications.
Help identify "harvest now, decrypt later" risks by locating high-value data encrypted with algorithms vulnerable to quantum attacks.
Stay updated on the latest NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography standards (like ML-KEM and ML-DSA) and evaluate how they fit into our existing tech stack.
Assist in drafting our PQC Migration Roadmap, prioritizing systems for upgrades based on risk, data longevity, and vendor support.
Maintain a "Crypto-Agility" database that tracks our progress and helps us pivot as new standards are ratified.