NSIP PhD Intern - Emerging Threats & Technologies Division Summer

Overview

Protecting U.S. residents and visitors is among our nation's highest priorities. As adversaries gain access to sophisticated technologies and materials, the threats grow more dynamic and complex-from cyber and nuclear to chemical and biological weapons of mass effect and other forms of terrorism. The PNNL national security mission employs our researchers, tools, and technologies to play a key role in advancing the ability to identify and secure nuclear materials, detect weapons of mass effect, manage nonproliferation treaties, secure our nation's borders, and protect critical infrastructures. PNNL's scientific discovery and capabilities-rooted in innovative theory, methods, algorithms, and tools-are enabling stronger, more resilient technologies and systems to safeguard national security. Coupled with decades of radiological and nuclear materials expertise, advanced computing and threat analysis capabilities, and a broad fundamental science base, we are identifying and countering emerging threats that have significant impact at home and around the globe.

To learn more:

/pnnl.gov/national-security-internship

/pnnl.gov/emerging-threats-and-technologies

NOTE: Several documents are strictly required to submit with the application to be eligible for this position. Please read the entire job posting for detailed instructions.

Responsibilities

PNNL is seeking graduate students for assignments within the National Security Internship Program (NSIP). The Emerging Threats & Technologies Division is looking for individuals who have a passion for solving critical national challenges using advanced techniques. The intern will be given an opportunity to be presented with complex problems in national security, energy, and science; apply cutting-edge research to make our nation safer and stronger.

Positions are available in Richland, WA, Seattle, WA and Washington, DC, based on business need. Positions may also be performed remotely or on campus at PNNL based on business need.

Participants will be starting in cohort sessions and must be available to start in May or June 2025 [Summer cohort].

Your internship can be in one of several technical groups: Cyber Analysis and Analytics, Cyber Resilience Foundations, Cyber Risk Reduction, Global Research Analysis, Threat Prevention and Resilience, Strategic Threat Analysis, Mission Alignment, or Innovative Security Solutions.

Cyber Analysis and Analytics

Creates reliable, repeatable, and robust methods for obtaining and maintaining cyber situational awareness. The team combines expertise in integrated hardware configuration and deployment for data collection, secure analytic architectures and information management, scalable data analytics for operational alerting and triage, and network vulnerability and threat analysis to create actionable insights for decision makers in critical infrastructure protection and national security. We leverage state-of-the-art infrastructure resources, like cloud technology, to rapidly solve sponsor challenges.

• Disciplines: Data Analysis, Cyber Security Analysis, Software Development, Secure Information Management

Cyber Resilience Foundations

The Cyber Resilience Foundations group works with government and private sector stakeholders to quickly adapt to new technology spaces, understand how their introduction into specialized domains affects system security postures, and create solutions to improve their resilience to new technologies.

• Disciplines: Cyber Security Research, Cyber Security Engineering, IT/OT, Software Development, Network Architecture

Cyber Risk Reduction

The Cyber Risk Reduction group performs applied research leveraging PNNL capabilities in hardware, software, and firmware security to benefit sectors critical to national security by figuring out how to deconstruct, evaluate, and improve complex systems and develop tools, practices, and skills to meet these challenges.

• Disciplines: Cybersecurity Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Network Administration

Global Research Analysis

The Global Research Analysis group leverages national laboratory expertise in mission threats, science and technology, and cultural context to identify emerging and monitor existing technologies and provide decision makers the context and understanding critical to national security.

• Disciplines: Nuclear Engineering, Physics, Cyber Security

Threat Prevention and Resilience

The Threat Prevention and Resilience group engages with international leaders, organizations, and practitioners to identify emerging threats, understand evolving operating conditions, adapt to changing technology, implement national security strategy, and educate our allies to the developing environment. These activities ensure the effectiveness and resilience of our network and capabilities to anticipate, detect, and mitigate national security threats.

• Disciplines: International Law and Policies

Strategic Threat Analysis

The Strategic Threat Analysis Group engages with entities around the world to identify emerging threats and develop threat mitigation strategies. Such strategies integrate data, scientific and technical information into products used by decision makers in policy and intelligence settings. Our experts in law and policy analysis, data analysis, and various national security subject areas, including nonproliferation, counterproliferation, arms control, and strategic trade controls, leverage their understanding of current challenges and emerging trends in their respective domains to propose solutions that fill gaps in policy or legal frameworks, mitigate technology risks, and strengthen existing solutions.

• Disciplines: law and policy analysis, data analysis, nonproliferation, counterproliferation, finance/trade analysis

Mission Alignment

Bringing together senior technical and strategic advisors as a division-level advisory body to help tune and execute strategy through dedicated leadership. Working across the division's capability areas to capture emerging programmatic opportunities, coach and mentor staff on strategy and business development, support the development and execution of division strategy, and develop strategic new sponsor relationships.

Innovative Security Solutions

Ensuring global nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, mitigating the risks of nuclear and radiological terrorism, and safeguarding critical infrastructure from physical and cyber-physical attacks are paramount objectives for U.S. national security. Therefore, the Innovative Security Solutions Group in ET&T provides leadership and vital support for securing key assets through conventional countermeasures, while simultaneously driving innovation in cyber-physical threat mitigation advancements to thwart nuclear and radiological terrorism, as well as to fortify the protection of critical infrastructure.

• Disciplines: physical protection methodology and implementation, hardware vulnerability assessment