Systems Engineering Internship

About the role

We are seeking a motivated Systems Engineering Intern currently pursuing a master's degree in Human Factors, Systems Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field. This position will support the development and evaluation of AI-enabled software products designed to solve complex problems for military and commercial users.

Working alongside experienced Systems Engineers, software developers, researchers, and product managers, the intern will assist with identifying user needs, developing and managing system requirements, and conducting software testing and evaluation. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in human-centered systems engineering, requirements elicitation, and translating user needs into functional software capabilities.

This internship provides hands-on experience throughout the software development lifecycle, with opportunities to contribute to real-world products and interact with multidisciplinary technical teams. Please note our anticipated start date is in November/December 2026.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Requirements Elicitation and Analysis: Assist with gathering, documenting, and refining functional and non-functional requirements through stakeholder interviews, user feedback, task analyses, and reviews of existing documentation.
• Human Factors and User Research: Support user needs assessments and evaluations to understand operational workflows, user challenges, and system usability.
• Requirements Documentation: Develop and maintain requirements documentation, use cases, acceptance criteria, and user stories to support software development activities.
• Software Testing and Validation: Assist in developing test plans, test cases, and evaluation criteria to verify that software capabilities meet documented requirements and user needs.
• Quality Assurance: Conduct functional testing, document defects, track issues, and support verification of implemented fixes.
• User Evaluation: Assist with planning, conducting, and documenting user testing sessions, including collecting feedback, analyzing findings, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Development Support: Collaborate with Systems Engineers, product managers, and software developers to clarify requirements, review implemented functionality, and support iterative development.
• Technical Documentation: Assist in preparing and maintaining system documentation, test reports, and other technical materials.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Currently enrolled or recently graduated with a master's degree program in Human Factors, Systems Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Academic or practical experience with requirements engineering, including requirements elicitation, analysis, or documentation.
• Familiarity with human factors principles, user-centered research methods, or task analysis.
• Understanding of software testing, verification and validation, or quality assurance principles.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex problems into clear, actionable requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and work independently with appropriate guidance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance, if required by assigned projects.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience conducting interviews, observations, usability evaluations, or other user research activities.
• Experience developing test cases, test procedures, or acceptance criteria for software systems.
• Familiarity with Agile software development methodologies and tools such as GitLab or Jira.
• Experience developing user stories, use cases, workflow analyses, or requirements traceability matrices.
• Familiarity with statistical analysis, qualitative data analysis, or evaluation methodologies.
• Interest in artificial intelligence, decision-support systems, adaptive training technologies, or human-AI interaction.
• Previous academic research, internship, or project experience involving software systems, human factors, or defense-related technologies.

Physical Requirements

• This position typically requires working in a lab or office setting with some exposure to manufacturing and testing environments. The role may involve handling hardware components and using specialized equipment.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Clearance Requirements

Some positions will require access to U.S. National Security information. Positions that require this access will be required to receive and maintain a U.S. government personnel security clearance (PCL). In order to qualify for this position, the candidate must be a US Citizen and either currently possess this National Security eligibility or be able to complete the investigation application process with a favorable determination and maintain that eligibility throughout their employment. To learn more about the security clearance process please access this link.

Pay Scales & Benefits

The listed pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this position for the location for which it has been posted and is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Other compensation considerations may include, but are not limited to, job responsibilities, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, or other applicable factors.

Benefits include

• Paid Time Off
• Paid Company Holidays
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Optional HSA and FSA
• Base and Voluntary Life Insurance
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401k Matching
• Employee Assistance Program