Graduate Level 1 or above: Pursuing a Master's Degree or PhD in any major. STEM and Engineering/Science courses are a plus. (First Year, Second Year or Doctoral Candidate).

Under direction, incumbents must have course work in the discipline requested on the task order Statement of Work.

This Statement of Work encompasses the need for services a student can provide in technical and/or analytical support in the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) area towards systems integration of new and existing technologies to include autonomous vehicle and other ISR equipment research and development. The specific task requires use of both standardized and innovate laboratory-based research, development, and testing procedures to evaluate the effectiveness and plausibility of incorporating various ISR systems and concepts being evaluated and developed at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pac). In addition to hands-on project work, the student will assist in ISR Department engineering analyses and assessments at the staff level, while working with Lead Systems Engineers from other NIWC Pac departments. These tasks will be conducted entirely at NIWC Pacific in San Diego, CA.

This work will support the ISR Department Lead Systems Engineer and potentially any of the projects within the ISR Department that may or may not require a special clearance. There are currently over 160 projects in the department that are involved with areas including autonomous vehicles, port security, and airborne platforms. The department is developing and researching technologies that operate from seabed to space, illuminating the information darkness that can impede or limit our warfighting forces and decisions. While assigned to the Systems Engineering group at the department level, the student will support and assist with R&D and T&E efforts in any of the active department projects. In addition to direct project support, there are opportunities to participate in Department level and Center level activities that assist and improve engineering procedures and processes that are promulgated to all projects. In order to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of engineering tasks in our current fiscally limited environments, sound systems engineering processes should be made available, as well as understood, by project engineers and leads. The challenge is not only in attempting to have solid engineering procedures across the department, but also introducing new engineering processes, such as Model Based Systems Engineering. Understanding the areas of potential engineering improvement in all the projects is a big challenge, since projects are at different stages in their lifecycles, and there are varying levels of complexity and tasks in every project – having a single, mandated engineering process may not be practical in assisting all projects as a whole. Additionally, there can be engineering advantages gained if projects can be aware of the technologies and products every project is dealing with. Sharing of lessons learned can greatly increase efficiencies across the department. In today’s fast paced environment, Systems Engineering is critical in maintaining our competitive advantage over our adversaries. These tasks will be conducted primarily Topside and Bayside, but may also include the other campuses at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego, CA. The student shall be involved in the preparation, performance and data analysis of R&D and T&E activities in various ISR Department projects, and with general ISR Department Lead Systems Engineer staff support.

• Conducting standardized and experimental engineering support with subsurface and surface Autonomous Vehicles in a controlled lab environment, and potentially in a controlled saltwater environment in the bay.
• Performing data analysis using Microsoft Excel and appropriate statistical software.
• Composing and completing technical reports, system analyses, and assessments.
• Assisting with the development of processes and procedures utilized by ISR systems in the collection and dissemination of data.
• Participating in Lead Systems Engineer meetings to assist coordination of engineering related events and presentations for the ISR Department and NIWC Pacific.
• Conducting relevant literature searches pertaining to the acceptance and execution of Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices.
• Submit Monthly Status Reports in accordance with the base contract.

• Area of Study: Any major. STEM and Engineering/Science courses are a plus. (First Year, Second Year or Doctoral Candidate).
• Course Work (preferred, but not mandatory):
  • College level math, or
  • Computer Science or Computer Engineering, or
  • Chemistry/Biology

• Expertise with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and common statistical software.
• Interest and/or experience in engineering practices as well as software and hardware development.
• Desire person with strong work ethic, detail oriented, and good communication skills.
• Student available to work 10-20 hours per week during semester, and 15-40 hours per week during breaks preferred.

• This position may require the employee to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET security clearance.
• Due to the regulations established by the Department of Defense, only US Citizens may qualify.
• This is a student position and is limited to working 20 hours per week.
• The contractor shall be required to perform on onsite at NIWC Pacific and Microsoft Teams meetings as needed.
• This position will remain open until filled.
• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.