R&D Engineer Intern

Penn State University • University Park, IL

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The All-Domain Analytics and Signatures Office (A2SO) is seeking multiple student interns for a 10-week, full-time internship focused on exploring and experimenting with emerging artificial intelligence capabilities in A2SO research domains. Interns will work with A2SO teams to understand available tools, assess AI opportunities and limitations, and design an innovative project that advances the use of AI in research and operational workflows. The internship may have a follow-on opportunity in the fall semester.

The position is fully on-site at University Park, Pennsylvania. The internship is intended for curious and innovative students interested in applying AI in research. Students in engineering, data science, computer science, information sciences, or related fields are encouraged to apply. The start date is May 2027.

The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) researches and develops solutions to scientific, engineering, and technology challenges in support of the Navy, the Intelligence Community, and other federal government customers. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and eligible to obtain a government security clearance. Employment also requires completion of background checks, participation in ARL's drug testing program, and compliance with electronic and physical monitoring requirements for federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure environment that includes Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information; personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted in some areas.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance.
• Must complete required background checks and participate in the ARL drug testing program.
• Must comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors.

Nice To Haves

• Experience or exposure in operational AI implementation.
• Experience or exposure in data analytics using AI systems or approaches.
• Experience or exposure in applied data science in research or technical environments.
• Experience or exposure in AI-enabled technology development or optimization.
• Experience or exposure in agentic AI integration or related experimentation.
• Students from engineering, data science, computer science, information sciences, or related fields are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Learn about and evaluate AI-related tools and resources available within A2SO.
• Collaborate with project teams to help them understand how to access and effectively use available AI tools.
• Assess and clearly communicate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks of using AI in A2SO research areas.
• Develop and execute an independent research project experimenting with AI integration into current or future A2SO efforts.
• Present findings, recommendations, and prototype results to A2SO leadership and project teams at the end of the internship.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed