National Security Solutions (NSS) Internship - High Speed Data Collector

KBR, Inc. • Ann Arbor, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Project Overview The purpose of this project is to integrate a high-speed RF System-on-Chip (RFSoC) card into a computer system, develop software to stream high-speed data into RAM/storage, and to document the process. Testing will be performed through the injection of synthetic data. Learning Outcomes & Impact The intern will work on-site with technical mentor(s) and staff to develop software that can configure, read, and record data from the RFSoC card. As part of the development process, the intern will develop an understanding of the approaches and limitations of moving extremely large volumes of time-critical RF data from a data collection card to storage across a PCIe computer data bus. The intern will learn safe handling techniques for RF components and how to use an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) and other RF test equipment to test the proper operation of the RFSoC. The intern will present the findings and results of this project to Advanced Technology technical staff. The successful outcome of this project will provide KBR with a significantly improved modern high-bandwidth data collection capability. This system will provide a building block for more complex future data collection systems.

Requirements

• Rising juniors/seniors currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering.
• Coursework and experience with C++ and Linux.
• Experience with the Git, CMake, gcc compiler, and Linux command-line tools.
• Familiarity with digital signal processing concepts.

Nice To Haves

• Currently pursuing a Master's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering.
• Coursework and experience with FPGA, DSP, and/or PCIe bus transfers.
• Experience with the Vivado development environment.
• Familiarity with RF test equipment (arbitrary waveform generators, spectrum analyzers, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Install and configure the RFSoC board, following anti-static procedures.
• Develop C++ software to configure RFSoC board and stream its data to RAM or storage.
• Perform testing of the data collection software with synthetic RF data.
• Generate appropriate documentation.
• Compile findings and results into a briefing for Advanced Technology staff.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern