Group 38--Summer Research Program Intern (Interceptor and Sensor Technology)

The Interceptor and Sensor Technology Group supports the development of advanced sensor and interceptor technologies and for use in future surveillance, missile defense and air defense systems. The Group is currently supporting programs in the development of air and space-based visible and infrared sensors and state of the art hypersonic vehicle modeling frameworks that include advanced control, guidance, and interceptor technologies for missile defense. The group is also developing and evaluating seeker and missile system technology to counter hypersonic, cruise, and ballistic missile threats. These programs cover a range of activities including prototyping of advanced electro-optical sensors and algorithms, laboratory testing and phenomenology, mission simulations and modeling, field and flight tests, and data analysis and exploitation.

The Interceptor and Sensors Technology Group seeks summer interns to work with our dynamic and innovative teams on creative and exciting space, airborne, hypersonic, rocket, control, and optical technology projects. The candidate will join a multidisciplinary team developing capabilities to support advanced sensor, hypersonic, or space vehicle design and analysis projects. Project opportunities will vary among advanced algorithm development, phenomenology modeling and exploitation, modeling of sensor performance, guidance algorithms, real-time algorithm and signal processing, and experimentation with optical systems.

Project Examples: 

• Analysis
  • Analyze performance and feasibility of a new rocket booster or hypersonic vehicle
  • Analyze flight times/trajectory design of a new rocket booster or hypersonic vehicle
  • Perform space sensor concept orbit analysis or earth imaging sensor analysis 
• Hardware/Field Testing
  • Work with mentor or team on novel hardware concept that could be carried on a sounding balloon or cubesat
  • Work with one of our sensor systems in our laboratory spaces to characterize capability 
• Algorithm Development
  • Work with simulated and/or real data and applying image recognition AI or other novel algorithms to various potential missions
  • Work with simulated and/or real vehicle orbital or hypersonic trajectory data developing novel flight, or guidance and control algorithms 

Candidate should be pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD. in Computer Science/Engineering, Software Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aero/Astro Engineering or similar. Programming ability in Matlab, C++ or similar is desirable 

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.

Requisition ID: 40451