Undergraduate (Summer) Intern - Cybersecurity Research

$34,000 - $54,400/Yr

National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Golden, CO

Full-time - Intern

Golden, CO

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Undergraduate (Summer) Intern in Cybersecurity Research at NREL provides students with hands-on research experience in the field of cybersecurity as it relates to energy systems. This internship aims to bridge educational gaps and create career pathways for students while contributing to impactful cybersecurity research that supports the energy transformation. Interns will engage in various research activities within the Cybersecurity Research Center, focusing on securing advanced energy systems against cyber threats.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to cyber research in advanced energy systems across various technologies.
• Conduct cyber risk analysis and threat characterization of evolving energy systems.
• Engage in advanced modeling and simulation using NREL's cyber range.
• Test and evaluate cybersecurity technologies for modern and distributed energy systems.
• Perform threat emulation and red teaming activities.
• Analyze grid and renewable energy system devices, including hardware and software reverse engineering.
• Conduct supply chain analysis and cyber training exercises.
• Research advanced wireless technologies for distributed energy.
• Utilize AI/ML research to enhance cyber resilience of energy systems.
• Engage in formal methods research to enhance security verification and assurance for energy systems.
• Analyze data, visualize results, and report findings.
• Perform literature reviews and background research.
• Publish research results in reputable conferences or journals.

Requirements

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree program, or graduated in the past 12 months from an accredited institution.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 required.
• Candidate should be in a technical degree program such as information security, network engineering, computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity risk management, or electrical engineering.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in computer programming and code development.
• Exposure to research technologies used for energy system cybersecurity such as containerization and virtualization.
• Knowledge of computer networking and SCADA protocols.
• Experience in cybersecurity competitions or certifications.
• Prior work experience in electric power, IT/OT security, or software development.
• Knowledge of grid control system software and equipment.
• Ability to obtain and hold a security clearance.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match.
• Sick leave as required by law.
• Potential eligibility for performance-, merit-, and achievement-based awards.