NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Research Experience Student Program - Entry - Maryland
About the Program
The NSA Summer Internship Programs at Fort Meade, MD offer students exciting, impactful professional work opportunities (with pay and limited benefits) to grow their knowledge of the Intelligence Community and federal government while advancing NSA's two primary missions: collecting, analyzing, and producing foreign signals intelligence; and providing cybersecurity solutions and guidance to protect critical national infrastructure. These summer internship opportunities are open to students who are pursuing education in a variety of degree programs.
Research Experience Student Program (RESP)
RESP is a 12-week summer program designed to give students the opportunity to work directly with NSA researchers on real-world, mission-critical problems. Students are immersed in a state-of-the-art laboratory environment, gaining hands-on research experience in areas such as cybersecurity, signals intelligence, cyber operations, and data science.
Why Choose RESP?
- Real-World Impact: Work on projects that matter, contributing to the NSA's mission.
- Expert Collaboration: Collaborate with recognized intelligence experts who are tackling the emerging technological challenges of NSA.
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: Access to cutting-edge technology and resources.
- Career Growth: Successful students may have the opportunity to continue the experience through successive summers, gaining further exposure to a variety of projects and organizations.
Who Should Apply?
College students majoring in STEM fields, including but not limited to:
- Cybersecurity
- Computer Network Operations (CNO)
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Engineering
- Physics
- Information Technology
Program Overview
Join students from across the country and lend your knowledge to national security in one of NSA's over 30 summer internship programs. These 12-week paid programs run from mid-May to mid-August and are open to undergraduate freshman up to Ph.D. students depending on internship requirements. These internships are open to a wide variety of majors and give students the opportunity to work directly with mission-critical problems and experience the excitement of working in NSA spaces.
Qualifications
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (undergraduate, graduate, doctorate) at time of application
- 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 the months of October 2026 and April 2027
- May be required to complete an Unproctored Internet Testing (UIT) requirement measuring cognitive ability, motivation, and English proficiency
Pay, Benefits, & Schedule
- 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 participating in the program 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 apply, click the "Apply" button located at the top right of the posting. After completing the application and clicking "Submit," you will receive a confirmation email. Ensure your spam filters accept emails from noreply@intelligencecareers.gov.
To be considered, you must submit a COMPLETE application package by 5 September 11:59pm EST. Your application package MUST include:
- Official transcript (unofficial 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
IMPORTANT: 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; 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.
Contact: SummerInterns@uwe.nsa.gov or 410-854-4726
Apply soonest, as job postings can close earlier than stated end dates due to changes in requirements. Only those applicants who meet the required qualifications will be contacted to continue the employment process. Please populate the resume tool to showcase any relevant work experience and education and answer any applicable screening questions. Information collected will be used to determine eligibility, and failure to provide accurate information may result in disqualification.
Due to time sensitive communications, ensure your spam filters accept email from noreply@intelligencecareers.gov. For job vacancies that include testing requirements, also include: @uwe.nsa.gov, @nsa.gov, and @pearson.com.
Narrative Questions
The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity to highlight your dedication to public service. Responses are not required and will not be scored, but you are encouraged to thoughtfully address each question with 200 words or less. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
- How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
- In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
- How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
- How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.