Radiation Physics - AMA Summer Internship

Job Description:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is sending astronauts back to the Moon with the Artemis missions and is preparing for future exploration to deep space and Mars. As NASA embarks on missions beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) and the protection of the Earth's atmosphere and the geomagnetic field, astronauts are at greater risk because of the larger anticipated radiation exposures as compared to missions in LEO. The deep-space radiation environment is composed of a complex mixture of protons and heavier nuclei from the Sun (solar energetic particles - SEPs) and supernova explosions (galactic cosmic rays - GCRs). As particles in the space radiation environment collide with nuclei in spacecraft shielding materials and astronauts' bodies, nuclear interactions occur, which may result in fragmentation of nuclei leading to a cascade of particles that irradiates the crew. Nuclear cross section models describe these nuclear interactions, and NASA's deterministic radiation transport code, HZETRN, describes the propagation of the deep-space radiation environment, and any particles produced from nuclear collisions, through the shielding materials and into crew. Accurate nuclear cross sections are required to evaluate the health risks of radiation exposure to crew members.

AMA is seeking to add an energetic and dynamic physics student to our RSES technical support team who brings nuclear physics experience and knowledge to the Space Radiation Group, in the Durability, Damage Tolerance, Reliability Branch at NASA Langley Research Center. The internship role requires the ability to evaluate nuclear cross-section experimental data literature, code in Python, and develop optimized nuclear cross-section models.

The selected candidate will use the previously developed GSI (heavy-ion research center in Germany) - ESA (European space agency) - NASA nuclear cross-section database to extract isotope production cross-section data and systematically compare them with the nuclear isotope production models used in HZETRN. The selected candidate will also extract insights from those results to substantiate independent assessments. Ideally, the candidate will also evaluate the inclusion of nuclear reaction model optimizations into one of the nuclear isotope production models used in HZETRN.

As documentation of the research findings will in some cases take the form of technical publications, the candidate's writing skills must allow for capable editorial review and authorship. Other deliverables will require creating professional and refined slide packages for presentation to NASA audiences who lead the international field of health risk modelling due to space radiation exposure and, therefore, enables safe human space exploration.

An ideal candidate will have a strong background in nuclear physics, modelling, coding, and data mining. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and technical writing skills.

This internship is for Summer 2026, for a 10-week period, starting on Monday, June 1, 2026.

On-site work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA is requested of candidates that meet the facility requirement of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

Pay for this position is $23.10 - $33.50, depending on education and location.

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA) is proud of our customer relationships, our diverse and dynamic work environment, and our employees' career satisfaction. AMA is a small business with a wide reach; headquartered in Hampton, VA, AMA has operations in Greenbelt, MD; Huntsville, AL; Dallas and Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Mountain View, CA; and Edwards Air Force Base, CA. With over 60 years of experience, AMA specializes in aerospace engineering, science, analytics, information technology, and visualization solutions. AMA combines the best of engineering, science, and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technologies, visualization, and multimedia to build creative solutions. We offer competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package, including but not limited to paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave, salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability plans, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

AMA is committed to the professional growth of every employee, understanding that the successes of our employees drive our success. We provide a work environment that is engaging, collaborative, and supportive. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at www.ama-inc.com/careers and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

AMA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under federal, state, or local laws.