Intern - Cyber Analysis & Wargaming R&D Grad Summer
What Your Job Will Be Like
We are seeking an Intern - Cyber Analysis & Wargaming R&D Grad Summer.
As a cyber analysis and wargaming intern working in Sandia’s Systems Research & Analysis Department, you have a strong interest in cybersecurity, cyberwarfare and wargaming. You will work with a multidisciplinary team of researchers that takes a broad systems perspective to informing strategies, priorities, and requirements for technology solutions.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Plan and perform independent research on cyber warfare scenarios and cyber wargames
- Analyze past wargames, understand current cyberwarfare capabilities, develop and test new gameplay mechanics
- Analyze data sets, historical cyber-attack case studies, and inform the development of wargames
- Draft scenarios on cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure
- Develop wargames and wargame mechanics to better understand cyber conflict escalation and cyber deterrence
- Conduct studies to provide decision insight to customers in ill-defined or complex multi-domain problem areas
- Work with customers to understand needs and propose solutions
- Develop visualizations of data and concepts to communicate results
- Communicate results/analyses to a variety of stakeholders
- Effectively communicate options, insights, and trade-offs to customers in a concise way that enables action
- Present results as appropriate, at open conferences or internal meetings
An additional goal is to create a pipeline of highly qualified interns potentially interested in a career with Sandia upon graduation. The ideal candidate will have a strong desire for a summer internship that may potentially lead to a full time position.
Posting Duration
This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
Qualifications We Require
You bring the confidence and skills to be eligible for the job by meeting these minimum requirements:
- Earned bachelor's degree
- Currently attending and enrolled full time (or scheduled to graduate in the spring) in an accredited science, engineering, or math graduate program
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0
- Ability to work up to 40 hours per week during the summer
- U.S. citizenship
Note: If you have not yet started your graduate program, please apply to an undergraduate intern position.
Qualifications We Desire
- Interest or Experience in the following:
- Wargames and wargaming, especially in regards to cyber warfare
- Experience with rigid adjudication, strategic/operational level games for experimentation and analysis is a plus
- Cybersecurity, cyber warfare and cyber deterrence
- Policy analysis
- Conducting analyses and reporting insights, recommendations, and other findings
- Clearly communicating complex cyber topics to people with limited cyber expertise
- Writing journal and conference articles and presenting at conferences/meetings
- Willingness to engage with academic and technical literature from a variety of disciplines, including political science, psychology, game studies, and computer science
- Experience in conducting literature reviews and/or technical document reviews
- Willingness to participate in debate and discussion about key project questions or issues
- Evidence of professional service and leadership to the community, such as service on program committees, workshop organization, and/or editorial or review work
- A proven ability to frame and tackle complex and/or ill-defined multidisciplinary problems
- Ability to apply critical thinking using a diversity of technical skills and expertise
- Interest in a career at Sandia National Laboratories
About Our Team
The Systems Research & Analysis Team is part of a four department System Analysis and Engineering Group in the Sandia/California Homeland Security & Defense Systems Center. We provide national leaders with reliable, unbiased and comprehensive information on viable engineering and strategy options, and on the effectiveness, risks, benefits, and potential unintended consequences of those options. We are a multidisciplinary group with a strong science and engineering emphasis, skilled at applying a broad systems perspective to national and global security challenges. Work in our team is focused on a broad range of topics in national security including nuclear weapons, homeland security, and transportation energy. Homeland security work includes analyses, simulations, and prototype technology deployments which address defense against biological, nuclear, chemical, and radiological terrorism; and emerging cybersecurity threats. Nuclear weapons work includes stockpile studies, surety systems analysis, cost estimation, and future stockpile planning. Projects range from months to years in duration, with teams forming in dynamic collaborations across the Group and with organizations throughout the laboratory to draw upon world-class technical expertise.
About Sandia
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible schedules, generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.
Security Clearance
This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.
Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.
EEO
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.