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David Careers

2027 Internship – Electrical & Computer Engineer - Miniature Device Technologies

Posted today

johns hopkins applied physics laboratoryLaurel (MD)
Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerResearch and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences

SENIORITY

Intern

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About the role

Miniature Device Technologies Group Position Do you want to apply your college experiences to solve hard problems with real-world applications? Are you passionate about working with collaborative and dedicated teams to move ideas to prototypes and solving technical challenges with real impact? If so, we are looking for someone like you to join the Miniature Device Technologies group at APL! The Miniature Device Technologies Group develops highly customized tools and techniques required to carry out missions around the globe. We leverage our capabilities in mixed-signal application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit board (PCB), embedded software, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and signal processing design to create ultra-small, low-power solutions that exceed comparable commercial alternatives. This capability set provides the end user with a distinct advantage when conducting low-profile radio frequency (RF) communications, electronic countermeasures, and field-forward sensing. The boutique nature of these solutions, which reside between pure research and production, allow us to continually pursue new designs while still seeing our work used operationally. As a member of our group, you will: Assist in the development of miniature wireless systems through contributions to the design, implementation and test of low power ASICs, embedded software applications, and board-level integration Support evaluation of prototype devices and systems through laboratory testing. Develop and execute test plans to verify system performance. Identify and resolve challenging issues through active debugging. Participate in field evaluation of applications. Rapidly modify relevant subsystem according to test results and in response to evolving technical and operational requirements Document work in formal technical reports and informal memoranda. Present work to sponsors and the technical community
Qualifications:
  • You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you: Are pursuing Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Math, or a similar major
  • Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
  • Possess strong communication skills
  • Ability to work both independently and within multi?organizational teams
  • Have hands?on experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers)
  • Can read and reference datasheets to identify appropriate parts and implement or confirm operation
  • Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: Designing or executing automated test procedures for hardware (board-level functional tests, ASIC validation, system integration tests)
  • Hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) concepts (controlling embedded targets from host scripts, simulating sensor/actuator interfaces, using automated setups to validate system behavior)
  • Digital signal processing (familiarity with MATLAB or Python modeling, communication systems, detection and estimation theory)PCBs (component selection, schematic, layout, board level integration, test)RF systems (antennas, impedance matching, characterization, test)
  • Coding in real-time embedded systems (C/C++)Digital logic design using hardware description languages (Verilog, VHDL)
  • Analog/Digital ASIC (verification, layout, mixed-signal simulation, backend, design)
Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship. You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have experience with: Developing hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) test benches that integrate simulation models with real hardware. Using automated test frameworks or infrastructure (e.g., pytest, NI TestStand, CI-based hardware regression, or custom Python/LabView/MATLAB code) to validate ASICs, PCBs, or embedded systems. Designing or using custom test fixtures, load boards, or probe cards for device characterization and production test. Printed circuit board schematic & layout tools such as Altium, Eagle, KiCAD, or MentorHighly integrated low size, weight, and power (SWaP) devicesFPGA-based implementation of signal processing algorithms, especially in resource-constrained embedded systems Software-defined radio architectures and commercial transceiver chip interfaces Characterizing RF circuits using lab equipment like spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and/or network analyzers Multiple of the following protocols: RS-232, SPI, CAN, I2C, UART, Ethernet, USBCommon IOT communication frameworks LoRa, Bluetooth Classic or Low Energy, 802.11 family Memory safe languages like Rust on embedded platforms Embedded Linux using toolchains like Yocto, Buildroot, or PetaLinuxASIC design software from Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens Any circuit or electromagnetic design software such as SPICE, ADS, Microwave Office, and HFSS

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