Software Application Developer Intern for GOES-R Series Satellites

About the Internship

Join our 12-week immersive program supporting the future of environmental monitoring and prediction through the NOAA GOES-R Series of geostationary weather satellites. As a Student Mission Application Developer, you’ll work alongside experts across the NOAA/NWS weather enterprise, contributing to the development, integration, and deployment of software that processes, distributes, visualizes, and monitors satellite imagery and environmental observations.

This role is designed for students who want to apply their programming skills to real-world weather, climate, ocean, and space-weather applications that protect lives and property and enable more accurate forecasting and situational awareness for the National Weather Service. The preferred duty location is NOAA/NWS Headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, with the possibility of remote participation for well-qualified candidates who can work independently.

Your Impact

• Support and enhance operational weather and satellite-processing systems that power NOAA mission software
• Contribute to visualization interfaces and environmental data tools used by NOAA scientists, NWS forecasters, and partners across the weather enterprise
• Participate in software testing and refinement for pre-operational and operational satellite products
• Collaborate with specialists supporting one of NOAA’s flagship missions for the Nation’s weather-ready infrastructure
• Gain hands-on experience at the intersection of software engineering, meteorology, Earth science, and satellite remote sensing

Many past interns have contributed directly to operational NOAA/NWS systems, with several moving into full-time roles after graduation.

Who Should Apply

We’re seeking curious and motivated rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate students with combined strengths in computer science/engineering AND meteorology, atmospheric science, physical sciences, or Earth/space science. Ideal candidates are eager to work in the NOAA/NWS operational environment—bridging software, data, systems engineering, and applied science in ways that directly support forecasting, environmental intelligence, and hazard monitoring. If you’re passionate about applying technology to enhance weather forecasting, climate monitoring, satellite analysis, and environmental decision support, we want to hear from you.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Enrollment in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program
• Strong foundation in mathematics and geometry, including basic integral calculus
• Two semesters of college physics
• Proficiency in Python, including object-oriented programming and scientific libraries (NumPy, SciPy)
• Functional experience with Linux environments (RedHat/CentOS), bash, and standard text editors (vi)
• Familiarity with Git version control workflows

Preferred Skills

• Experience or interest in the NOAA, NWS, or U.S. weather enterprise, including exposure to satellite, radar, numerical weather prediction, or environmental data workflows
• Familiarity with Agile or Scrum software development practices
• Basic knowledge of SQL or NoSQL databases
• Understanding of scientific software development and practices for maintaining robust, scalable code
• Exposure to cloud-based environments used for data processing or scientific computing
• Interest in remote sensing, satellite products, AWIPS, environmental intelligence tools, or forecasting workflows
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills
• Excellent communication skills, with an ability to translate technical concepts for scientists, engineers, and operational users
• Eagerness to explore new tools, technologies, and methodologies used across the weather enterprise

Optional Focus Areas

Depending on your academic background and project assignments, you may work on:

• Scientific visualization using JavaScript (e.g., D3.js)
• Satellite imagery processing, feature extraction, or algorithm prototyping
• Data science techniques for user analytics, monitoring, and system diagnostics
• Enhancing tools commonly used by NWS forecasters and NOAA scientists

What We Offer

• Mentorship: Personalized guidance from experienced engineers and scientists
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to NOAA systems with real-world national impact
• Professional Development: Build technical, analytical, and leadership skills
• Pathways to Full-Time Roles: Many of our interns go on to join KBR or our partner organizations in full-time positions
• Inclusive Culture: We believe that diverse teams build better solutions, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply