Group 04-46 | SRP Intern | Homeland Protection Systems | Summer 2026 (Lexington, MA, US)

MIT Lincoln Laboratory • Lexington, MA

68d

About The Position

The Homeland Protection Systems group works with U.S. government agencies and military partners to develop, assess, and rapidly transition advanced systems in support of the Homeland's strategic interests. The group has deployed novel technology solutions to address security challenges in the national airspace, in urban centers, and at critical infrastructure sites. We specialize in algorithm and hardware prototyping, systems integration, systems analysis, and field testing, especially as related to air security operations. Our research efforts also include climate change, air, land, and maritime border security, and disaster response. Our group is seeking motivated graduate students and experienced undergraduates to assist with projects addressing homeland security challenges with machine learning. Summer student assignments may include research on state-of-the-art algorithms in computer vision, reinforcement learning, and/or representation learning applied to challenging, real-world datasets. The candidate will work in a team-oriented development environment. The summer internship program is open to candidates with varying educational levels, including those in the process of earning a Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in a Computer Science, Statistics, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field. The Summer Research Program offers students the chance to apply their academic knowledge to real-world national security challenges while working alongside leading scientists and engineers. As an SRP intern, you'll engage in hands-on research, receive dedicated mentorship, and take part in professional development opportunities including workshops, tech talks, and networking events-all while building connections within a vibrant community of peers. Internships are typically 10-12 weeks, with flexible start and end dates, typically May through early August. Housing support is available for eligible non-local interns, including access to discounted university housing in Boston and a one-time taxable relocation payment. Complimentary daily shuttle transportation is provided from Boston-based housing to and from the Lab.

Requirements

• Proficient in Python
• Experience with one or more machine learning and data science libraries such as PyTorch (possibly PyTorch Lightning) and Scikit-learn
• Experience with software engineering concepts, including version control (e.g., Git), and unit testing

Nice To Haves

• Proficient with data analysis libraries (e.g., Pandas, Polars) or languages (e.g., Matlab, Julia)
• Experience with applying ML algorithms to real-world datasets
• Experience with Linux systems

Responsibilities

• Assist with projects addressing homeland security challenges with machine learning.
• Research on state-of-the-art algorithms in computer vision, reinforcement learning, and/or representation learning applied to challenging, real-world datasets.
• Work in a team-oriented development environment.
• Engage in hands-on research.
• Receive dedicated mentorship.
• Take part in professional development opportunities including workshops, tech talks, and networking events.
• Build connections within a vibrant community of peers.

Benefits

• Housing support is available for eligible non-local interns, including access to discounted university housing in Boston and a one-time taxable relocation payment.
• Complimentary daily shuttle transportation is provided from Boston-based housing to and from the Lab.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees