DF/RF Engineering Intern (DRT)

Req Id: 484

Location:

GERMANTOWN, MD, US, 20876

Date: Sep 9, 2026

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) Headquartered in Clarksburg, MD, is a U.S. company that has been serving domestic and international defense Air, Land and Sea domains for 60+ years. With over 1,000 employees, TDSI and its four subsidiaries (Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Digital Receiver Technology, Tampa Microwave, and Trusted Cyber Technologies), supports U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces and multi-national partners with a variety of communication, visualization, signal intelligence/electronic warfare, and sensor/sonar capabilities. TDSI’s key technologies include tactical handheld radios, expeditionary satellite terminals, helmet-mounted displays, optics and target recognition capability, advanced radars, undersea sensing and missile systems. Lives depend on what we do!

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. has an opening for an intern within the Direction Finding and Antenna Engineering department for 8 weeks during the summer of 2027. This position will be responsible for some entry level assignments that will provide exposure to the electrical job family with emphasis on Direction Finding (DF) of radio transmissions and direction finding antenna design. This position is located in the Germantown, MD office and reports to the System Engineering Manager of the Digital Receiver Technology (DRT) Engineering department but will be mentored by a DF / Antenna design engineer.

Responsibilities

• Working directly with a mentor in the DF / Antenna design field, perform technical assignments with a basic degree of complexity.
• Provide technical support to engineers and scientific staff in design and development DF projects, in conjunction with Software Defined Radios, to find solutions to real world problems.
• Under close supervision, participate in DF Hardware designs in assigned area.
• Utilize standard software packages common in the Electrical Hardware Design discipline to complete basic tasks, including an introduction to RF / DF analysis tools like MATLAB and Python.
• Gather and analyze data or information in support of engineering research.
• Document and communicate results of technical data generated.
• Share technical information and promote open dialogue.
• Attend relevant seminars, facility tours, and interact with other students.
• Flexibility to take on related tasks as required.

Qualifications The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• U.S. Citizenship required. - Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
• Must be enrolled in an accredited university or college and have completed at least 2 semesters within Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering or Computer Science fields.
• Strong interest and performance in undergraduate Electromagnetics is desired, including the study of static and time-varying electric and magnetic fields. Completion of a basic analog electronics course is also desirable.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Fluent in English.
• Ability to comply with all Company guidelines, policies, procedures and embrace Company Core Values.

The hourly pay range for this role is $34.00 - $37.00 USD. The pay range provided is a good faith estimate representative of the experience level for the role described above.  TDSI considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

For specific questions about this job posting, candidates may contact talent acquisition at [email protected].

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is committed to non-discrimination as applicable under federal, state and local laws. We are an E-Verify Employer. If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales Defense & Security, Inc., please call Human Resources at 240-864-7000. Nearest Major Market: Washington DC