2027 Cyber Scientist Internship
Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country’s most challenging technical problems. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.
About the role
Riverside Research is seeking interns for 2027 (starting May or June 2027) to support R&D of cutting-edge security technologies to protect systems, networks, and data from advanced threats. Our goal is to get ahead and stay ahead of attackers in cost-effective ways. As a premier cyber research organization, we are committed to advancing the state of the art through sustained open-source releases of our tooling (see some examples here).
Our cyber research group includes four focus areas:
- Security Engineering: Matures and transitions cyber technology (secure parsers, model-based system security engineering, vulnerability triage) into the hands of the warfighter.
- Formal Methods: Develops new techniques for formal verification and applies formal techniques to analyze the security of complex systems (cryptography, artificial intelligence, large software systems, hardware and embedded systems).
- System Security: Develops new security technologies at the foundations of computing (operating systems, hypervisors, compilers, programming languages).
- Offensive Security: Assesses the security of systems, developing novel ways to reuse, modify, and exploit technology (vulnerability research, reverse engineering, networking protocols).
We’d love to hear which of these areas interest you most. We anticipate starting interviews for our internship program late fall of 2026.
Responsibilities
- Work with technology leads (including principal investigators and management) to develop and prototype new ideas from start to finish
- Assist in preparing presentations and reports on the work we are doing for our customers
- Come up with new ways to improve the technology we are developing
- Share lessons learned with the broader group internally and externally
- Collaborate across focus areas to build cutting-edge technologies
Requirements
- Enrolled in a degree-seeking program (Bachelors, Masters, or Doctoral) in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or cybersecurity
- A deep technical understanding of cybersecurity problems and solutions, especially with a focus in one or more of our group’s focus areas
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages (we do a lot of Python, C, and Rust) and proficiency in Linux development environments
- Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively
- Ability to obtain Top Secret security clearance
Qualifications
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience working in research environments with independent, self-guided projects
- Prior experience giving technical presentations
- Prior technical experience outside of traditional coursework
Pay
$25.00/hr - $35.00/hr. This represents the typical compensation range for this position based on experience, location, and other factors.