Inspiring Workforce

This summer, NSRI will host an intern cohort focused on addressing mission-related challenges experienced by USSTRATCOM and its partner the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and exploring technical challenges related to the nuclear deterrence mission.

Throughout ten weeks, interns will work as a combined team and focus on an area of significant interest that supports the ability of USSTRATCOM to deter two nuclear-capable near-peer adversaries. Specific work will involve developing structured databases of resources that are repeatedly leveraged against multiple contingency scenarios and then finding ways to most efficiently allocate resource use.

Interns will:

• Conduct academically rigorous research
• Review prior unclassified work
• Develop a research concept
• Identify program management tasks
• Construct databases, experimental designs, and/or other designated outcomes
• Databases will include but are not limited to graph databases
• Tools of interest for analysis will include but are not limited to Neo4j
• Receive feedback from NSRI and USSTRATCOM experts
• Conduct test planning and execution
• Report results of their completed research
• Compile research study results
• Archive any databases and analytical models developed in a collaboration platform
• Present findings in the form of briefings and technical papers to NSRI leaders and current/potential NSRI customers

Interns will focus on the use of various database architectures (i.e. graph databases) and analytic software, such as Neo4j, to explore issues related to leverage assets assigned to high-impact, low-probability events. This internship will provide several interns with opportunities to understand how critical but limited resources that are leveraged against multiple contingencies can impact the ability to execute other plans once some resources have been used.

Desired knowledge:

• Statistics
• Data analysis
• Data science
• Mathematics
• Other relevant fields or knowledge

Dates: June 1, 2023 – August 11, 2023
Location: NSRI HQ, Scott Technology Center, Omaha, Neb.
Hours: 40 hours per week
Pay: $18 per hour

The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) strategic deterrence internship gives students an opportunity to use their problem-solving skills to address real-world challenges experienced by NSRI’s Department of Defense (DOD) sponsor, U.S. Strategic Command. Through this experience, NSRI seeks to establish a long-term mentoring relationship with students and eventually assist them in obtaining key positions in the national security space to work priority challenges facing the United States.

This summer, NSRI will host an intern cohort focused on a possible invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Liberation Army. The effort will examine how a conflict might unfold, how the United States and allies might respond and how American forces and allied forces would address the use of nuclear weapons by China. The effort will focus on looking into the future and developing realistic scenarios and options for U.S. Strategic Command.

Interns will:

• Conduct academically rigorous research
• Review prior unclassified work
• Develop a research concept
• Develop plausible options
• Construct a realistic conflict scenario and possible American and allied responses
• Receive feedback from NSRI and USSTRATCOM experts
• Game the possible options
• Report results of completed research
• Compile research study results
• Present findings in the form of briefings and technical papers to NSRI leaders and current/potential NSRI customers

Interns will conduct social science research that is focused on China, Taiwan and regional allies. Developing an understanding of scenario design and futuring is also an important aspect of the internship. For those interns interested in careers within the intelligence community, military, academia, think tanks or social science research organizations, this is a great opportunity to tackle a real-world problem.

Desired knowledge:

• Political science
• Economics
• Data science
• Research methods
• Chinese or Asian studies
• Psychology

Dates:  June 1, 2022 - August 11, 2022 (10.5 weeks)
Location: NSRI HQ, Scott Technology Center, Omaha, Neb.
Hours: 40 hours per week
Pay: $18 per hour