Company Overview
The NSA, created in 1952, is one of 15 agencies that now fall under the newly formed Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The organization focuses on signals intelligence (SIGINT) and information systems security (INFOSEC). SIGINT’s modern era began during World War II, when U.S. intelligence broke the code used for Japanese military communications, thus allowing the U.S. to defeat Japan in the Battle of Midway. SIGINT remains a key means of ensuring U.S. security. INFOSEC works primarily to ensure the security of classified and sensitive information in U.S. IT and communications systems.
Though the NSA/CSS doesn’t release employment or budget figures, its website states that if it were considered “a corporation in terms of dollars spent, floor space occupied, and personnel employed, it would rank in the top 10 percent of the Fortune 500 companies.”
As a top-secret intelligence organization, the NSA employs cryptologists, linguists, analysts, mathematicians, and other researchers. While exact figures aren’t disclosed, it’s one of the largest employers in the state of Maryland and is Baltimore Gas & Electric’s second-largest customer. It’s also the country’s largest employer of mathematicians. About half of its employees are civilians and half are military personnel. The NSA offers educational programs for everyone from elementary school students to postgraduates.
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Real People
Software Developer
Derek Ditch has pride in his country. After graduating high school, Ditch joined the Missouri National Guard where he trained for one year to be a soldier. While in the National Guard, Ditch also learned basic IT skills, motivating him to get an advanced degree in computer science—and knowledge that could eventually be used to save lives. Now as an intern at the NSA, he gets to do just that, as well as continue to serve his country as a soldier one weekend a month, and two weeks a year.
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Computer Scientist
Shayna Wells says working for the government is not like you see in the movies. Besides being able to participate in various clubs, like softball, Wells says her NSA co-workers are friendly and impressive people who share the common goal of protecting the nation—a job which happens to come with great benefits and job stability.
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Computer Science Research Intern in Machine Learning
Win has spent more than a few years in college and graduate school. Interested in computer science and artificial intelligence, he always figured he’d become a professor one day. But after deciding to look into jobs outside of academe, he stumbled upon an internship listing for the National Security Agency. The coolness factor of working on classified projects for the government was too much to ignore, and he decided to apply.
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Computer Science Intern in CSIP
In a number of ways, Charlie’s summer with the NSA was like any other computer science internship. He reported to managers, worked with data, and completed projects that were handed off to him. But in other ways, the experience was completely different: Charlie’s work was classified, for instance, which meant he couldn’t even tell his closest friends the details, and the problems he dealt with on a daily basis were some of the largest facing the nation.
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