2026 ASIC/FPGA Security Engineering Grad Intern
About The Position
The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. The Aerospace Corporation is hiring a Graduate ASIC/FPGA Security Engineering Intern for the Embedded & Specialized Computing Department (ESCD) in the Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) . This position will be full-time, 100% onsite at our office in El Segundo, CA. Job Summary Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) staff couple the latest in information system technologies, such as elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks, with expertise in cyber security, software architecture, software engineering, data science, Artificial Intelligence, process improvement, and software development to deliver responsive, resilient, high-performance software intensive systems to our Intelligence Community, DoD, and civilian customers. ESCD focuses on critical space systems R&D and rapid prototyping in the areas of Rapid Prototyping (HW & SW), Resilient/Novel/Accelerated Compute Solutions, and Hardware Security. The group supports a variety of customers including the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and other civil partners (e.g., NASA) to resolve unique challenges in implementation and research. The qualified candidate will become part of the Hardware Security and Specialty Engineering section of the Embedded & Specialized Computing Department.
Requirements
- Currently enrolled at an accredited college/university degree program pursuing a graduate degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or related program.
- Availability to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks outside of university term and ability to return to a degree program full- time after completion of the internship.
- Minimum GPA 3.0
- Academic and/or prior internship experience with FPGA design, including familiarity with HDLs (VHDL, Verilog, and SystemVerilog) and major vendor tools (AMD Xilinx, Microchip, and Intel Altera).
- Academic and/or prior internship experience with embedded system design (e.g., Xilinx Zynq/Microblaze, ARM, Altera NIOS)
- Experience in coding and scripting with languages such as C, C++, Python, Perl, or Shell
- Hands-on experience with Linux environments
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
- Exhibit a high level of innovation, creativeness, and initiative.
- This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government.
- U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
Nice To Haves
- GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Exposure to and understanding of hardware security attacks in the following areas: Hardware Trojans, Side Channel Analysis, Fault Injection, and Reverse Engineering
- Experience with Root of Trust, Secure Boot, or Hardware Cryptographic Accelerators
- Possession of relevant industry certifications such as CompTIA Security+
- Experience related to artificial intelligence or quantum computing applications
- Active Security Clearance
Responsibilities
- Provide hardware security support to government and contracted personnel in the areas of security controls, configuration management, configurable logic device management, and microelectronic security assessments.
- Directly contribute to hardware security research, development, and applications while helping to secure National Security Space Systems.
- Define threat paths and develop guidance on FPGA/ASIC/embedded systems vulnerability mitigations.
- Demonstrate the ability to diagnose, troubleshoot, and debug both hardware and firmware issues effectively.
- Assist in the development and improvement of microelectronics assurance policy, requirements and documentation.
- Collaborate with other Aerospace departments and external organizations to develop new technical demonstrations and capabilities.
- Learn and grow through new work opportunities, trainings, and mentorship from experienced staff
Benefits
- Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
- Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
- Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
- 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
- Flexible spending accounts
- Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
- Relocation assistance
- Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
- Education assistance programs
- An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
