Graduate (Summer) Intern – Cyber Mission Assurance

Posting TitleGraduate (Summer) Intern – Cyber Mission Assurance

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NLRNLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The National Laboratory of the Rockies’ (NLR) cybersecurity research is strengthening our grid against tomorrow's threats. This position supports the Cyber Mission Assurance team within the Cybersecurity Research Center. The intern(s) selected for this role will support research efforts within the Cybersecurity Research Center’s research portfolio, contributing to research on topics including, but not limited to:

• Characterization of the potential for U.S. electric grid disruption from natural hazards and human threats
• Assessment of the cybersecurity of distributed energy systems
• Strengthening the resilience of the U.S. electric grid

Job responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and validate cybersecurity research tools, simulation frameworks, and automation scripts to support quantitative analysis of cyber-physical dynamics
• Apply and extend threat modeling methodologies (e.g., MITRE ATT&CK, ATT&CK for ICS) to inform experimental design and system-level defense evaluation
• Conduct adversarial analysis and vulnerability assessments of IT, OT, and hybrid systems
• Assist with cybersecurity testing using hardware equipment or in virtualized environments
• Simulation and emulation of experiments related to cybersecurity and resilience using NREL Cyber Range, identifying insights for defense design improvements
• Conduct vulnerability analysis
• Perform data analysis, virtualization, visualization, and reporting
• Conduct literature reviews and background research
• Publish research results in reputable conferences or journals

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Basic QualificationsMinimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.
Please Note:
• Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
• If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date."

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Government Access Controlled Systems – U.S. Citizenship

Eligibility requirements: This position will require access to sensitive information, Government facilities, and/or Government information systems restricted to individuals with U.S. citizenship. Only applicants who are U.S. Citizens at the time of application will be considered.

The successful candidate will be enrolled in or recently graduated from a master’s program, or actively enrolled in a Ph.D. program in cybersecurity, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or related fields.

Other required qualifications include:

• Demonstrated experience with Linux, command line, and networking

• Demonstrated experience in coding languages such as Python, Go, and Rust

• Demonstrated knowledge or experience in cybersecurity

• Ability to work independently and collaborate with researchers in a team environment

• Strong communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying AI/ML techniques to data analysis problems

• Demonstrated knowledge or experience in power systems

• Knowledge or experience with operational technology

• Previous experience with technical writing, literature review, or contributions to publishing scientific papers for conferences or journals

• Demonstrated knowledge of cybersecurity standards, policy, and regulation

• Demonstrated knowledge of cybersecurity risk quantification

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: Graduate / Annual Salary Range: $51,200 - $81,900

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging RequirementNLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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