Summer 2026
Summer Internship
Multiple Teams
Posted on 8/18/2026
National Reconnaissance Office
201-500 employees
Space-based intelligence systems for national security
Compensation Overview
$28.31 - $38.48/hr
No H1B Sponsorship
Chantilly, VA, USA
In Person
Must be located near Chantilly, Virginia for the 10-week summer program. Other placements may be available at Buckley Air Force Base, Fort Belvoir, or White Sands Missile Range for technical positions.
US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required
Bachelor's
 Aerospace Engineering (2) |
|---|
| , |
Get referred to National Reconnaissance Office
See people who can refer or advise you
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Be suitable for federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
- Be able to obtain and hold a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, including a polygraph.
- Pass a pre-employment drug test and satisfy the NRO's drug-involvement requirements.
- Be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Undergraduates must have completed at least 24 credit hours at the time of application.
- Provide an unofficial transcript when applying and an official transcript upon acceptance.
- Be available for an interview and other applicable processing.
- Be geographically located near Chantilly, Virginia and available for the 10-week summer program from June through August.
- Submit a resume and transcript demonstrating relevant education or experience, occupational skills, collaboration, and presentation or communication experience.
- Submit a current transcript PDF containing the applicant's name, college or university name, overall GPA, and number of course credits.
- Submit a resume no longer than two pages.
- Be enrolled full-time in a program for the Fall 2026 semester of the internship year.
- Complete an intern project aligned with mission needs under direct supervision.
- Participate in professional development and training experiences, including speaker series, security question-and-answer sessions, and NRO mission overviews.
- Prepare and evaluate engineering-project plans and designs; research trends and patterns; conduct technical analysis; evaluate new technology; and provide engineering expertise for program planning.
- Support management of issues and risks involving cost, schedule, and technical performance.
- Support development and modification of methods, criteria, procedures, and instructions for engineering, architecture, or scientific problems.
- Provide recommendations on engineering, architecture, or scientific problems, programs, and functions.
- Support planning, development, and implementation of projects and segments of NRO programs.
- Support development and modification of analytic models and methods for cost, performance, and effectiveness studies and variance analyses.
- Gather historical cost, performance, and effectiveness data and establish relationships between system characteristics and design criteria.
- Conduct operations-research analyses of problems, analyze alternatives, and present trend-analysis data to identify potential problem areas.
- Synthesize science and technology capabilities to create concepts and prototypes with guidance.
- Develop draft test and evaluation plans with supervisory assistance and participate in test and evaluation campaigns.
- Support contract management, including contract information, solicitation, negotiation, cost analysis, administration, termination, and closeout.
- Plan and establish procurement strategies and approaches for acquisition projects.
- Support development of procurement objectives, competition and price-range analysis, and construction of contract vehicles.
- Prepare statements of work, acquisition plans, source-selection plans, and solicitation documents.
- Perform contract-administration functions throughout the contract life cycle.
- Monitor contractor performance against contract terms.
- Support negotiations and issue contract modifications driven by technological advances or operational requirements.
- Support budget formulation, budget execution, fiscal-law and policy compliance, financial-systems analysis, acquisitions support, financial forecasting, spend planning, and oversight reporting.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Organization and planning skills.
- Ability to demonstrate project coordination and implementation through past work or school experience.
- Deductive reasoning skills and ability to analyze and synthesize information for problem-solving.
The National Reconnaissance Office leads the United States’ space-based intelligence efforts by designing, building, launching, and operating reconnaissance satellites and the systems that deliver intelligence to policymakers, the military, and partners. Satellites collect imagery and signals data from space, which is processed and shared through secure networks so analysts can monitor threats, assess conflicts, track movements, and support decisions. As a U.S. government agency, it uses authorized space-based collection through military and intelligence channels, focusing on long-term programs, reliability, and trusted delivery to national security customers rather than commercial use. Its goal is to provide timely, accurate overhead intelligence to protect the United States and allies, support operations, and inform policy, humanitarian efforts, and disaster response.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Chantilly, Virginia
Founded
N/A
Get referred to National Reconnaissance Office
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- August 2026 awards to HawkEye 360, Umbra, Capella, and ICEYE show budget momentum.
- Roger Mason became NRO director on August 17, 2026, signaling fresh acquisition priorities.
- NROL-95 launched July 30, 2026, proving continued execution of a high-tempo launch cadence.
What critics are saying
- NRO’s proliferation depends on SpaceX, Blue Origin, and ULA launch reliability through 2028.
- Chinese and Russian counterspace attacks can blind or jam satellites during conflict.
- A failed classified acquisition rollout would stall commercial augmentation and weaken NRO’s relevance.
What makes National Reconnaissance Office unique
- NRO fuses classified satellites with commercial RF, radar, and optical augmentation contracts.
- Its proliferated architecture reduces single-point failure through hundreds of small satellites.
- NRO controls the nation’s highest-priority space intelligence requirements, not generic government imagery.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Company News
HawkEye 360 awarded NRO commercial RF Capability Augmentation contract. Aug 18, 2026, 08:30 ET HERNDON, Va., Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - HawkEye 360, Inc. (NYSE: HAWK), the global leader in space-based RF data and analytics, today announced it has been awarded a contract under the National Reconnaissance Office's Commercial Radio Frequency Capability Augmentation (CRFCA) program. Under the contract, HawkEye 360 will provide commercial radio frequency (RF) data in support of U.S. national security missions, moving the company to a more operational, production contract. This award marks an important transition for HawkEye 360. Following the successful completion of all three phases of the NRO's Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) study contracts, the company has become the first commercial provider to move from test-and-evaluation efforts into an operational augmentation contract through the CRFCA program. The progression reflects sustained collaboration with the NRO and the maturation of commercial RF sensing as a reliable source of mission-ready data. The contract further expands the company's support to the NRO's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission and underscores shared efforts to assess and integrate commercial remote sensing capabilities for government users. HawkEye 360's space-based RF collection provides insights to help inform awareness and understanding across a range of operating environments. "Our RF capabilities are built to support the mission needs of government customers who require reliable, timely information," said John Serafini, Chief Executive Officer of HawkEye 360. "We appreciate the continued partnership with the NRO and remain committed to delivering trusted commercial RF data for national security missions." Through the CRFCA program, HawkEye 360 will provide RF data that assists government users with operational awareness and mission planning. The contract reinforces the role of commercial RF sensing as an important source of timely, persistent information for defense, intelligence, and security missions. "HawkEye 360 is focused on delivering high-quality RF data that help meet the operational requirements of our government partners," said Todd Probert, Chief Operating Officer of HawkEye 360. "Our progression into an operational augmentation role underscores the maturity and reliability of our RF capabilities, and we are committed to supporting the NRO through the CRFCA program as a dependable contribution to mission success." About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360 is equipping defense, intelligence, and national security leaders with mission-critical signal intelligence to enable faster, better decision-making. By detecting, geolocating, and characterizing radio-frequency emissions worldwide, HawkEye 360 delivers trusted domain awareness and early-warning indicators to the U.S. Government and allied partners. Our space-based collection, proprietary signal processing, and AI-powered analytics transform knowledge of the RF spectrum into a strategic advantage. Proven by operational mission success, HawkEye 360 is redefining how signals intelligence strengthens national and global security. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. The words "will," "expects," "plans," "could," "would," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "may," "continue," "estimate," or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions and risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control that could affect its financial results. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's final prospectus related to its initial public offering, dated May 6, 2026, and other filings that the Company makes from time to time with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all risks, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements the Company may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in any forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company is under no obligation to update these forward-looking statements subsequent to the date of this press release, or to update the reasons if actual results differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. SOURCE HawkEye 360 Inc.
ICEYE US awarded contract under NRO's Radar Commercial Augmentation (RCA) program. Aug 05, 2026, 13:00 ET Award expands U.S. Intelligence Community access to commercial radar imagery and advances the role of commercial remote sensing in national security missions IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - ICEYE US, a U.S. leader in commercial remote sensing and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technology, today announced it has been awarded a contract under the National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) Radar Commercial Augmentation (RCA) program. Awarded by the NRO's Commercial Systems Program Office, the contract positions ICEYE US to deliver commercial SAR imagery tasking along with archive imagery, imagery-derived products, and development efforts for the U.S. Intelligence Community, Department of War, and authorized government users. RCA is the NRO's dedicated vehicle for procuring commercial radar imagery on behalf of the U.S. Government, and selection under the program reflects growing readiness to leverage commercial remote sensing alongside national systems - a step in maturing commercial radar for the U.S. Government that builds on ICEYE US's prior multi-year study contract with the NRO. Because ICEYE US SAR data is unclassified, collections can be shared across the defense, intelligence, civil, and allied and coalition partner community under existing sharing agreements, maximizing collaboration when it is needed most. "Commercial remote sensing is increasingly part of how the Intelligence Community augments some of its hardest collection challenges, and earning a place on the RCA program reflects the trust the NRO places in our technology and our team. We're focused on delivering the reliability and responsiveness this mission requires, and on continuing to advance what commercial radar can contribute to national security," said Ann Stevens, Chief Executive Officer of ICEYE US. ICEYE US satellites pair rapid tasking-to-delivery timelines - order acceptance to imagery in hours - with the flexibility to capture areas as large as 120,000 km^2 or at resolutions as fine as 25 cm from the same satellite. About ICEYE US ICEYE US is an industry-leading American remote sensing company based in southern California. ICEYE US engineers, qualifies and operates radar imaging satellites, delivering real-time monitoring of global economic activity, empowering U.S. government, allied, and commercial partners to make more accurate, timely decisions for the betterment of society. ICEYE US delivers persistent monitoring capabilities in support of national security, disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and a broad range of government and commercial missions. For more information, visit iceye.us. SOURCE ICEYE US
Umbra, an American space technology company, has secured a sole-source contract from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for radar commercial augmentation services. The contract follows four years of partnership during which Umbra provided over 100,000 images to support US operations worldwide. Under the firm-fixed-price agreement, Umbra will deliver high-resolution synthetic aperture radar imagery with rapid revisit and low latency to government users. The contract includes a one-year base period with two one-year options. Umbra operates from facilities in Santa Barbara and recently expanded with a 20,000-square-foot site in Reston, Virginia, and a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in California. The company's SAR constellation provides all-weather imaging capabilities to support US national security missions.
NRO's SIGINT chief architect Ryan Lewis to keynote 2026 Intel Summit. * Ryan Lewis leads NRO's next-generation space-based SIGINT systems * He is expected to discuss NRO's industry partnerships and opportunities to support agency missions * Join intelligence leaders at the 2026 Intel Summit on Sept. 24 The Potomac Officers Club, the nation's leading GovCon events and networking organization, is excited to announce that Ryan Lewis, chief architect for the Systems Acquisition and Operations Directorate at the National Reconnaissance Office, will keynote the 2026 Intel Summit on Sept. 24 at Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park in Virginia. The SIGINT and acquisition expert joins the roster of high-profile intelligence leaders who will share insights on changing intelligence paradigms and discuss how to navigate a rapidly evolving threat landscape driven by advances in technology and mounting international tensions. The keynote lineup includes: * Maj. Gen. Brian Sidari, deputy chief of space operations for intelligence at the Space Force * Carrie Thompson, chief of intelligence at the Drug Enforcement Administration * More to be announced in the coming weeks! The 2026 Intel Summit serves as a vital forum for the intelligence community and industry to assess threats to national security and identify the modern capabilities needed to counter sophisticated, nation-state-backed, artificial intelligence-powered operations. Tickets are now available here! Who is Ryan Lewis? Lewis was commissioned as a Navy officer in 2001 and spent more than eight years as a naval surface warfare officer and engineering duty officer. He was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom and to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. For his final active duty tour, he was assigned as a project officer and systems engineer within the NRO's Directorate of Advanced Systems and Technology. After transitioning to civilian service, Lewis continued holding leadership roles at the NRO. He served as vehicle engineering manager and deputy program manager for the Communication Acquisition and Operations Directorate's Space Systems Group and as an insider threat program manager at the Office of Security and Counter-Intelligence. Within the SIGINT directorate, he held positions in the Low Earth Orbit Systems Program Office and the Office of the Chief Engineer. He also built a career in the Navy Reserve, rising to the rank of commander and completing three tours supporting the NRO and one tour supporting the National Security Agency and the U.S. Tenth Fleet. As a servicemember, Lewis received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and multiple unit citations. Throughout his career at the NRO, he has received the NRO Director's Circle Award, NRO Senior Civilian of the Year and COMM Directorate Senior Civilian of the Year. Lewis holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. What are Ryan Lewis' responsibilities as chief architect at SIGINT? As chief architect, Lewis leads the definition, evaluation and integration of next-generation space-based signals intelligence systems to meet national security and military requirements at NRO. He also collaborates with SIGINT users, operators and industry partners to define and deliver systems to address various challenges. His directorate, SIGINT, is responsible for buying and managing the satellites that collect and process foreign communications and weapons testing telemetry. SIGINT supports other agencies by delivering raw data for further analysis and exploitation. What will Ryan Lewis discuss during his keynote? Lewis' keynote holds particular significance as space-based SIGINT becomes a defining capability for strengthening defense and national security. As chief architect of the SIGINT Directorate, he has visibility into NRO investment priorities, what new systems the agency needs and where industry partners can contribute. NRO is in the process of building the "largest government constellation in history" with hundreds of satellites capable of providing the military and intelligence communities with persistent, accurate and timely data from space. The agency plans to conduct about half a dozen launches for 2026, Spaceflight Now reported. Its most recent launch, designated NROL-95, lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 30. He might also talk about: * How NRO works with industry to deliver SIGINT systems across the full acquisition life cycle * How SIGINT data supports both national-level decision-making and operational military needs * Leveraging commercial space technologies to support agency missions * Opportunities for industry partners in NRO's SIGINT efforts * Inter-agency collaboration to support federal missions For GovCon firms tracking opportunities within NRO, insight from someone directly involved in developing the directorate's capability and modernization roadmap could inform how they approach technology development, teaming and proposal strategy for future acquisitions. What to expect at the 2026 Intel Summit. The 2026 Intel Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the intelligence community grapples with the rising threats from adversaries like China and Russia and AI's dual nature as both a tool for national defense and a weapon used to undermine U.S. interests. Panels will dive deep into topics critical to the IC, including: * Identifying supply chain exposure and risk and early indicators of compromise * Overcoming data challenges of deploying agents across finance, contracts, capture and cyber * Leveraging open source intelligence for counterespionage and to protect U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets * Deploying trustworthy agentic AI to accelerate decision-making at the tactical edge * Building modern cyber defense architectures to adapt to faster, autonomous threat actors * Evaluating the impact of adopting AI for intelligence operations and the challenges of expanding AI use in the IC Each discussion will feature prominent government leaders, including Erik Blasch, program officer at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and Dr. Adele Merritt, former chief information officer at the National Institutes of Health. Panelists from government and industry will be added closer to the event. Sign up today!
NRO nominee: "we have to look differently at our requirements" Frank Wolfe Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has said that it has launched more than 200 proliferated low Earth orbit satellites in the last two years to supplement the costly high-end systems the agency has, and Roger Mason, the nominee to become the next NRO director, suggested to Congress on Tuesday that the portion of NRO's commercial buy could increase. "We have to look differently at our requirements," Mason said in response to a question from Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) at Mason's... Not a subscriber or registered user yet? Please contact us at [email protected] or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.