Student Opportunities in Applied Research (SOAR) Intern

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Student Opportunities in Applied Research (SOAR) summer internship program enhances the awareness, readiness, fellowship, mentorship, and sponsorship of enterprising students for successful and significant careers in national security, defense, and aerospace organizations, including ARL. The SOAR internship program seeks to create opportunities for and enhance the participation of all students including under-represented students in STEM-related career fields and students who were not previously affiliated with Penn State University and the Applied Research Laboratory.

The 10-week (May to Aug) internship program is paid and includes housing, a meal plan, and travel reimbursement to and from the internship location. The pay rates are dependent on the position and total number of credits completed. Interns work up to 40 hours per week over the summer.

You may apply for any one of the three locations:

• Research and Development Office Internship (Reston, VA)

• Research and Development Office Internship (University Park, PA)

• Enterprise Operations Internship (University Park, PA)

To apply to SOAR:

• Complete the job application link in Workday

• An applicant intake survey form will be emailed within 1-2 weeks upon submission of the job application in Workday. Complete this survey.

• Review and communication of the status of your application will follow 2-3 weeks.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply.

Read below for more information on the options for each location and the benefits of SOAR.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE INTERNSHIPS AT RESTON, VA

Undergraduate students in engineering majors below are encouraged to apply:

• Computer Science

• Computer Engineering

• Data Science/Analysis

• Electrical Engineering

• Information Science and Technology

• Software Engineering

Software engineering and/or data science students will help research and develop quality software and algorithmic solutions to our sponsor's complex problems and work within an agile environment to develop and deliver quality software and/or analytics solutions. Software engineer duties will include the development, test, and transition of Java and JavaScript based software systems including aspects of server, client, and web service components. Candidates should have experience in technologies such as Java, Python, JavaScript, React - Redux, HTML5, CSS, relational (PostgreSQL), and non-relational (NoSQL) databases and have a solid understanding of data structures and object-oriented design (OOD) concepts.

Data scientist duties will include researching and developing feasible algorithmic solutions to given large sets of multivariate data. Specifically, you will be engaged in machine learning-based analytic research and the development of large multivariate data sets. Candidates should have experience in large data and machine learning languages/technologies such as Python, TensorFlow, Keras, SPARQ, Hadoop, NiFi, or equivalents.

Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Computer Engineering majors interested in Cyber, Data, and Image Science should love the idea of working on the "pointy end of the spear" of cyber problems. The duties will specifically support this organization's mission sets related to reverse engineering, cyber analytics, and cyber technology evaluation to work on projects that support our Government Sponsors.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE INTERNSHIPS AT UNIVERSITY PARK, PA

SOAR internships within our Research and Development Engineering Offices are available to undergraduate students and recent 2025 graduates from all majors, and the following majors are highly encouraged to apply:

• Acoustics

• Computer Science (Cyber Security, Software Development)

• Data Science (Data Mining, Data Analysis, Machine Learning)

• Engineering (Aerospace, Applied, Chemical, Civil/Environmental, Computer, Electrical, Energy, General, Materials, Mechanical, Nautical/Naval, Software, Systems)

• Mathematics (Actuarial Science, Risk Analysis, Statistics, )

• Materials Science

• Oceanography

• Optics

• Physics

Students selected for the program will serve as active, hands-on, contributing members of the research staff at ARL. Research projects include topics in Additive Manufacturing, Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles, Big Data Analysis, and more. In certain cases, research topics can be decided by the intern.

ENTERPRISE OPERATIONS INTERNSHIPS AT UNIVERSITY PARK, PA

Strong communication and organizational skills are key to working within this team environment for the positions below. In many cases, projects can be decided by the intern.

These positions may include internships in the following areas:

• Business Services: Accounting analysis and reconciliations, procurement, contract closeout analysis, and business process assessment and improvements.

• Engineering Services: Supply chain management, facilities, safety and security, logistics, and process operations.

• Human Resources Services: Recruiting, performance management, employee relations, and awards and recognition.

• Security Services: Identity, improve, and implement processes to better safeguard and account for controlled material to ensure compliance with government regulations.

• Information Technology Services: Computing support, networking, systems administration, helpdesk support, and/or cybersecurity.

• Corporate Communications: Support, coordinate, and perform assigned tasks related to the design and implementation of a marketing strategy.

Undergraduate students and recent 2025 graduates from all majors are encouraged to apply, and the following majors are highly encouraged for the Enterprise positions:

• Accounting

• Business Administration

• Communications

• Computer Information Systems Management

• Drafting & Design

• Finance & Financial Management (Economics)

• Graphic Design

• Human Resources/Services

• Industrial Engineering

• Information Security

• Management Science (Operations, Project, Security, Supply Chain)

• Marketing

• Network Engineering (Networking & Telecommunications)

• Workforce Development

Candidates selected may be subject to a government security investigation. Employment with the Applied Research Laboratory will require the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen.

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply.

ARL at Penn State is an integral part of one of the leading research universities in the nation and serves as a University center of excellence in defense science, systems, and technologies with a focus on naval missions and related areas.

ARL is committed to accessibility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; we believe this is central to our success as a Department of Defense designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). We are at our best when we draw on the talents of all parts of society, and our greatest accomplishments are achieved when diverse perspectives are part of our workforce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu.

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