NSA 2027 Future Computing Summer Internship (FCSI) - APPLICATION DEADLINE OCT 31, 2026, at 11:59PM EST

The Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) Advanced Computing Systems (ACS) team in the NSA Research Directorate is joining its counterparts in the Capabilities and Operations Directorates to provide a select number of undergraduate students with an exciting 10-week summer internship at LPS, located in the Research Park building complex adjacent to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The Future Computing Summer Internship (FCSI) program was established in 2022 to expose participants to High-Performance Computing (HPC), a field critical to national security, discovery, and technological innovation. FCSI is intended for undergraduate students who will complete their junior year by Spring 2027 and are pursuing degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Artificial Intelligence. These students possess strong mathematical and computer programming foundations and technical skills relevant to HPC. 

What will I be doing?

As a selected participant, you will collaborate with a team led by NSA researchers in HPC to solve future computing problems relevant to the NSA Mission. Under the mentorship of technical researchers, you will gain skills in a variety of areas relevant to HPC. 

Why should I apply?

The projects involve hands-on technical research activities spanning disciplines and include, but are not limited to:

• HPC file transfer and parallel programming, among others.
• Benchmarking
• Computational physics
• Artificial Intelligence

At the end of the internship, you will have the opportunity to present the results of your research to an audience that includes multiple accomplished researchers in each project area, NSA seniors, and members of internal NSA engineering/computer science/math communities. **Application Deadline: 10/31/2026 11:59:00 PM Eastern Time Zone**

Where will I be located?

Catonsville, Maryland

What is the anticipated start date?

The National Security Agency (NSA) is making selections for the program, which is scheduled to begin Monday, June 7, 2027, and conclude Friday, August 13, 2027. Applicants eligible for lodging will be able to check into the lodging facility on Sunday, 6 June 2027 and will check out of the lodging facility on Saturday, 14 August 2027.

What is the appointment length?

This appointment is a ten-week, full-time summer research appointment.

What are the provisions?

• $1,000.00 per week stipend.  Stipend payments are issued monthly and will be deposited on the last business day of each month.
• Travel and housing will be provided to eligible participants whose permanent residence is located more than 50 miles from the facility.
• Other financial support provisions will be determined based on individual participant situational needs.

About ORISE

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DoD. Participants do not enter an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DoD, or any other office or agency. Instead, you will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.  Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.  For more information, visit the ORISE Research Participation Program at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate will be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. institution at the time of applying. This internship opportunity is intended for undergraduates graduating in December of 2027 or Spring of 2028 who have completed significant upper-level coursework/experience in math, computer science, computer engineering, or related STEM fields. **Application Deadline: 10/31/2026 11:59:00 PM Eastern Time Zone**

Application Requirements

• Zintellect Profile
• Educational and Employment History
• Essay Questions (goals, experiences, and skills relevant to the opportunity)
• Resume (PDF)
• Transcripts/Academic Records - please upload a copy of a transcript for your current or most recent degree program that meets the disciplinary qualifications of the opportunity. 
• One letter of recommendation from a mentor highlighting your qualifications and how you will be successful during an internship focused on HPC. We encourage you to contact your recommender(s) as soon as you start the application process to ensure they are able to complete the recommendation form and to let them know to expect a message from Zintellect. Recommenders will be asked to rate your scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and describe how they know you. You can always log back in to your Zintellect account and check the status of your application. **Recommendations must be submitted by your recommender(s) no later than the application closing date. Applications without the required recommendations by the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for selection.**

If you have questions, send an email to STEM-WORKFORCE@orise.orau.gov. Please list the reference code of this opportunity [NSA-2026-0001] in the subject line of the email. Please understand that ORISE does not review applications or select applicants; selections are made by the sponsoring agency identified on this opportunity. All application materials should be submitted via the “Apply” button at the bottom of this opportunity listing.  Please do not send application materials to the email address above.

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