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NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Directors Summer Program - Entry - Maryland

National Security Agency · Fort Meade, MD · 2 wk ago
TrainingFull-time
  • 12 week paid program running from mid-May to mid-August
  • Open to undergraduate freshmen through Ph.D. students depending on internship requirements
  • Open to a wide variety of majors
  • Opportunity to work directly with mission-critical problems in NSA spaces

About the Directors Summer Program (DSP)

The DSP provides a summer opportunity to outstanding undergraduate mathematics majors. Students who have demonstrated superior mathematical aptitude collaborate with each other and NSA mathematicians on problems critical to the intelligence gathering and cybersecurity missions of the Agency.

DSP participants work on problems in mathematics, cryptology, and communications science that involve applications of abstract algebra, geometry, number theory, probability, statistics, combinatorics, graph theory, algorithms, computer science, and analysis. Each student chooses one problem as the focus of their research and documents the work in technical papers which are internally published at NSA.

Admission to this program is highly competitive. One full year of abstract algebra or analysis is strongly recommended. Some experience in computer programming, especially in C, Python, and in mathematical software packages is desirable.

Qualifications

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (undergraduate) at time of application
  • Strongly recommended to have a full year of abstract algebra and analysis
  • Experience in computer programming, especially in C, Python, and in mathematical software packages is desirable but not required
  • Specific education requirements vary by program
  • Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Must be eligible to be granted a TS/SCI security clearance after successfully completing a background investigation, a Full-scope Polygraph and a Psychological Evaluation
  • Must be available and in the U.S. for operational and technical interviews and other applicable processing, both in-person and via telephone/internet, between October 2026 and April 2027

Preferred Majors

  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Related majors with a strong background in math or computer science

Other majors may be considered, however the majors listed above are highly recommended.

1 Letter of Recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your technical work is required.

You may be required to complete an Unproctored Internet Testing (UIT) requirement measuring cognitive ability, motivation, and English proficiency.

Pay and Benefits

  • Students are paid a competitive salary commensurate with their education level
  • All internships are 10–12 weeks during the summer
  • Receive annual leave, sick leave and paid federal holidays
  • Students who attend school in excess of 75 miles from Fort Meade, MD are eligible for housing accommodations and travel entitlements of a round trip airfare ticket to and from school or mileage reimbursement up to the cost of a government-issued airline ticket
  • Daily transportation to and from work is NOT provided. Students are highly encouraged to bring a vehicle. Carpooling with other students MAY be available, but is NOT guaranteed
  • Participation in agency-wide extracurricular programs

Application Requirements

To be considered, you must submit a COMPLETE application package by 5 September at 11:59pm EST. Your application package MUST include:

  • Official transcript (unofficial will be accepted if legible) – file name = LAST_FIRST_TRANSCRIPT
  • PDF copy of your current resume – file name = LAST_FIRST_RESUME

Optional: Cover Letter listing your interest in NSA's Summer Internships – file name = LAST_FIRST_COVER

Your application is not considered complete until the 2 items listed above have been emailed to SummerInterns@uwe.nsa.gov in addition to your online application. Any incomplete package will NOT be considered.

If you apply to multiple internship programs, you only need to submit the required documents to SummerInterns@uwe.nsa.gov one time.

Applications are accepted 15 August – 5 September 11:59pm EST; however, selections are made on a rolling basis and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for review and security clearance processing.

Apply soonest, as job postings can close earlier than stated end dates due to changes in requirements.

After completing the online application and clicking 'Submit', you will receive a confirmation email. Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from noreply@intelligencecareers.gov, @uwe.nsa.gov, @nsa.gov, and @pearson.com.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about NSA Summer Internships, please contact us at SummerInterns@uwe.nsa.gov or call 410-854-4726.

Narrative Questions (optional, 200 words or less each): You will have the opportunity to respond to four questions about your commitment to the Constitution, improving government efficiency, advancing Executive Orders and policy priorities, and strong work ethic. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use AI such as ChatGPT or Copilot. (Please attach in application.)

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