R&D Engineering Intern

Technergetics is searching for a full-time (30 to 40 hours per week) research intern for a 3-month engagement to support a Phase I SBIR/STTR R&D effort focused on secure, low-power personnel tracking for edge environments where GPS, cellular, and Wi-Fi can't be relied on. This is hands-on R&D (Research and Development) — protocol design, mesh networking experimentation, and documenting findings that feed directly into a follow-on proposal. Strong performers may be considered for a permanent role at the conclusion of the internship, based on company needs.

The R&D Engineering Intern will work alongside our Principal Investigator and an academic Co-PI to research and prototype a tracking protocol inspired by military tactical data links, built on top of modern long-range/low-power IoT stacks (LoRa, Meshtastic, Thread). 

Daily Activities Include:

• →Researching mesh networking approaches for Denied, Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited-bandwidth (D-DIL) environments
• →Comparative analysis of LoRaWAN, Meshtastic, Thread, and military tactical data link design principles (TDMA scheduling, anti-jam, time sync)
• →Drafting a notional message format optimized for constrained RF links
• →Evaluating cluster formation strategies (entropy-based weighting, RSSI, residual energy trade-offs)
• →Lightweight crypto evaluation (PKI vs. symmetric key distribution for low-power MCUs)
• →Contributing to the final technical report and follow-on roadmap
• →Assist with tasking under this effort that may not be specifically listed here.

This position requires matriculation in an accredited college or university while pursuing a Master's Degree or a late-stage BS/BA (rising senior or final-year) in computer engineering, electrical engineering or a closely related field.

• Coursework or project experience in at least two of: wireless communications, embedded systems, networking protocols, or applied cryptography
• Comfortable with C/C++ and/or Python for embedded and simulation work
• Strong technical writing — you'll co-author sections of the final report
• Self-directed; able to plan and execute against weekly milestones in a remote setup 

The following qualifications are not required but nice to have:

• Hands-on experience with LoRa, LoRaWAN, Meshtastic, Thread, BLE, or Zigbee
• Prior bench prototyping experience with commercial parts such as Semtech SX126x/SX127x, ESP32, STM32, or Nordic SoCs
• Familiarity with mesh routing, TDMA, or SDR experimentation
• Exposure to ns-3, OMNeT++, or similar network simulators
• Interest in defense applications, edge AI, or tactical networking

Applicants selected will be subject to a background investigation which must be passed for continued employment.

This position is not expected to require travel.  

Technergetics is a US-based company headquartered in Utica, NY, with employees and clients located throughout the country.  The Utica/Rome area is a hub of cutting-edge cyber technology research, bolstered by the Griffiss Business & Technology Park’s tenants and facilities, including the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL).  At Technergetics, we work with a wide variety of technologies, including mobile and web apps, Quantum computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, AI-enabled edge devices, and many more.