The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) at the University of Maryland, College Park, is seeking outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the Research for Intelligence & Security Challenges (RISC) Initiative internship program. This exciting 10-week paid program pairs students with faculty mentors from INSURE consortium member institutions and the Department of Defense (DOD) and Intelligence Community (IC) and offers the opportunity to be sponsored for a security clearance and to be considered for future employment with the U.S. government.
Competitively-selected RISC interns (RISCers) work in teams with mentorship from university faculty and government practitioners, tackling real security and intelligence problems hands-on. Project topics will be posed by government operators, and supported with realistic data sets and other materials. Over the 10-week period, students will conduct research and participate in lectures and regular team development meetings in a shared virtual work environment. The summer program concludes with several days of in-person activities in College Park, MD to discuss project outcomes with peers and visiting experts from DOD/IC and to gain greater context on how the work fits into government sponsors’ mission space.
The program is structured to facilitate interactions within teams, between teams, and with government sponsor representatives. Interns attend weekly seminars and regular team development meetings in a shared virtual work environment (though select projects may require on-site work). Interns then participate in final week briefings and activities in person (with travel support).
Given mutual interest between the sponsor and interns and available funding, RISC projects often continue into the academic year, sustaining connectivity between interns and sponsors through ARLIS.
Internship dates: May 30 – August 4, 2023.
Applications will be accepted until Monday, February 6th, 2023
Notifications to accepted students will be sent out by Friday, March 10, 2023.
