2026 Internship - Data Analyst - Solar & Space Physics

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

5d•$23 - $48

About The Position

Do you want to analyze data from exciting NASA space missions to enable groundbreaking scientific discoveries throughout the solar system and beyond? Are you passionate about analyzing space physics data to better understand the extreme planetary magnetosphere of Jupiter? Do you want to work in a team setting with and learn from world experts in the science of solar and space physics? If you’re pursuing a degree in Physics, Astronomy, or Aerospace Engineering and want to gain experience in space science we’d love to have you join our team! We are looking for an intern to participate in analyzing particle and fields observations from NASA’s Juno mission with the goal of further understanding key magnetospheric processes at Jupiter. The manifestations of Jovian auroral emissions provide valuable insight into its vast magnetosphere which is relatively unexplored even with past and current dedicated missions. Of particular interest are the emissions thought to be associated with magnetotail reconnection (i.e., dawn storms) and inner magnetosphere dynamics (i.e., auroral injections). Their auroral phenomenology matches, qualitatively, the expectations of magnetospheric flows and drifts; however, there has been a general lack of comprehensive measurements to fully pin down the causal connections between magnetospheric dynamics and their auroral counterparts. The Solar & Space Physics Group has a broad and active research program that spans data analysis, theory, and modeling of planetary magnetospheres, heliospheric science, and solar physics, as well as applications to space weather and national security. The group also has significant leadership and development programs supporting space flight instrumentation and mission formulation and operations. Current mission participation includes IMAP, Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter, Europa Clipper, New Horizons, EZIE, Juno, BepiColombo, and more. In addition, the group leads NASA’s multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary Center for Geospace Storms (CGS). As a space physics data analyst, you will work with senior researchers to aggregate and analyze data from NASA space missions with the objective of understanding plasma processes.

Requirements

Are pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree Physics, Astronomy, Aerospace Engineering or a closely related field.
Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Have a passion for applying the scientific method to understand outstanding questions in space science.
Have excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, and have demonstrated success while working within a team environment
Have success in applying analytical programming skills or the demonstrated ability to learn.
To access APL’s facilities and networks, U.S. Citizenship is required.