Summer Intern, VLF Network Ionospheric Research (Boulder, US)

Vaisala is a global leader in measurement instruments and intelligence helping industries, nations, people, and the planet to thrive. From predicting hurricanes to optimizing renewable energy production, our technology is used where it matters the most – from data centers, windfarms and laboratories to airports, the Arctic and even the surface of Mars. For a second year running, Vaisala got recognized in TIME Magazine's World's Best Companies in Sustainable Growth 2026 study. Our team of close to 2,500 experts and 62 nationalities around the world is committed to taking every measure for the planet. Driven by our shared purpose, curiosity, and pioneering spirit, we stay ahead and make a difference. At Vaisala, you don't have to fit in to belong.

Why Join Us?

Vaisala operates one of the world's most extensive networks of lightning detection receivers, collecting radio data from storms across the globe around the clock. Those same signals carry information about the environment they travel through, and this internship puts you at the center of an effort to extract it. Working alongside scientists at Vaisala Xweather, you will process real lightning network data and develop algorithms to derive geophysical information from lightning-generated radio signals. The work is hands-on and oriented toward a concrete, demonstrable result by the end of the summer. This is a remote, full-time 40-hour-per-week summer internship. Tentative dates are June 1st through August 2026.

What's Your Role?

Your primary deliverable is a working prototype of a geophysical retrieval algorithm using Vaisala's proprietary global dataset. Along the way you will:

• Process and organize raw radio waveforms collected by distributed receivers across Vaisala's global network
• Apply machine learning to classify lightning signals, isolating the cleanest data for analysis
• Compare observed signal characteristics against forward models to extract geophysical parameters
• Develop and validate an inversion framework to produce spatially resolved estimates of the retrieved quantity
• Quantify uncertainty and resolution in your results and document what the prototype demonstrates

What Will You Bring?

Required: 

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in electrical engineering, atmospheric science, physics, geophysics, or a related field 

• Proficiency in Python, including NumPy and SciPy 

• Comfort working with real, imperfect datasets and iterating on analysis code 

Nice to Have: 

• Experience with machine learning libraries (scikit-learn, PyTorch, or similar) 

• Familiarity with signal processing, inverse problems, or remote sensing 

• Exposure to radio wave propagation or ionospheric physics 

What Will You Gain?

• Direct access to proprietary global datasets not available in academic settings 

• Mentorship from Vaisala scientists with deep expertise in lightning detection and atmospheric remote sensing 

• End-to-end experience taking a research concept to a working prototype 

• A concrete, demonstrable project to anchor your portfolio or graduate research 

• Exposure to cross-disciplinary collaboration across industry and academia 

ANTICIPATED SALARY RANGE: $30 - $40 an hour (dependent on education level). Please note that applications sent via email cannot be processed due to privacy reasons. The recruitment process consists of 2 or 3 meetings, including a discussion with the team members. 

Ready to take every measure for the planet? Apply at the latest on April 10th, 2026 via the application form.

Our Vaisala solutions contribute to societies and people’s lives in over 150 countries – and can even be found in space. With our technological innovations for measuring weather, environmental and industrial conditions, we have a key role in solving the grand social and environmental challenges of our time. We offer you a career with a clear purpose and a chance to create observations for a better world.  We take pride in being pioneers who strive to bring about positive changes in both the society and environment, and our work is not done yet. Take advantage of this opportunity and join our team to make a difference!

What we offer:

Our benefits package includes: health, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, company paid life, long and short term disability, 401(K) plan with company match, a variety of voluntary benefits programs, fitness reimbursement, Employee Assistance Programs, and tuition reimbursement. We also offer holiday pay and a generous paid time off plan.

To be considered for this position you must currently be eligible to work in the U.S. Vaisala participates in the E-Verify employment verification system. Candidates are subject to a complete background check prior to an offer being extended.  As a federal contractor, Vaisala reserves the right to enforce government mandated vaccination requirements for its employees.

EOE V/D

Vaisala is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons in all facets of employment.  All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected status.

Reasonable Accommodation Notice

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. As a government contractor, Vaisala complies with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (the Act), which is a law that prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities and requires employers take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain these individuals.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application for a recognized disability under applicable law, please contact Human Resources by phone at 303-499-1701 or by email at [email protected]. Please note that you can easily submit application by attaching your LinkedIn profile in the recruitment tool (LinkedIn Apply functionality).