Research Intern

Company OverviewMetrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas-including airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special mission aviation, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation.

Wherever we operate, we build vertically integrated full stacks of capability-designing, building, and operating turnkey solutions that let customers scale capacitywhile benefiting from continuous cycles of innovation. With operators and engineers under one roof, we close the gap between lab and field-what we call connecting design with effect.

Metrea's solutions are built for elegance: effective, efficient, and evolving. This approach enables our partners to do more with less and achieve outsized, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, Metrea has facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond.

Position SummaryMetrea is offering paid internship opportunities to undergraduate students in its DC office for the Summer 2026 semester.

Metrea is looking for driven, innovative students who are excited about the defense and aerospace domain. Metrea's market presence covers a wide range of emerging tech and defense capabilities; therefore, interns will be exposed to many facets of the national security environment. This position will work directly with Metrea staff in various departments to support the goals and mission of each unit and the Company as a whole. The internship will provide invaluable career mentorship opportunities as interns work alongside and support professionals and practitioners with decades of experience in government and in the national security environment. Interns will be given the opportunity to explore research topics that suit their interests and to show initiative with new project ideas. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who is hardworking, organized, enjoys balancing multiple projects, and can engage in day-to-day operations in a fast-paced and growing environment. Interns must be flexible, timely, and dedicated to pursuing the goals and mission of Metrea. Please note that this position is in person only, based in Metrea's Washington DC office. What You'll DoThe Research Intern will work within the Research team, conducting studies and analysis across a variety of topics aligned with Metrea's interests. The Research team delivers actionable insights to the Metrea enterprise by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing information for a range of internal and external customers.

Support the production and delivery of high-visibility analytical products and briefs, including memos, white papers, and investigations.

Design and deliver a Capstone project aligned with Metrea research priority areas and commercial interest.

Research and understand team procedures, frameworks, and techniques toPerform administrative duties to support analytical and command post exercise wargames, including player management and data collection.

Assist in researching technical, budgetary, and operational data for a variety of defense platforms and programs, including aerospace performance data, Congressional and Executive budgetary documents, and Concepts of Operations.

Learn and utilize a wide variety of databases and information platforms to answer high-priority requests for information under tight deadlines.

Support the development of Research team tools and data sets, including GIS, Python, and Fl-based software.

What You'll bring

Required:

Enrollment at a four-year institution pursuing a degree in government, foreign policy, international business, intelligence studies, aerospace engineering, or related fields.

Demonstrated interest in national security and defense.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn.

Acute attention to detail.

Availability for 30 hours a week, in-person.

Willingness and ability to maintain confidentiality in relation to company matters.

Demonstrated interest in national security and defense, particularly in prior coursework or internship experience.

Willingness to learn more about the defense industry and Metrea's mission areas worldwide.

Desirable:

Prior internship experience conducting open-source research tasks. Familiarity with research OPSEC principles. Demonstrates a proactive attitude to teamwork by taking initiative with new ideas and projectsStrong writing skills, experience writing memos and short-form briefs is preferred.

Familiarity with ArcGIS or similar GIS platforms, particularly using ArcGIS Experience Builder.

Familiarity with modeling and simulation principles, including wargames and software models (such as Command

PE, AFSIM

).Our FirmwareAt Metrea, our single core value, Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes-Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems.

Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift fluidly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.

Benefits NAWork Authorization/Security ClearanceMust have the legal right to work in the United States.

AAP/EEO StatementMetrea Executive Aviation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Position Type and Expected Hours of WorkThis is a part-time non-exempt position with typical working hours from Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Weekly hours are flexible, to be confirmed with the hiring manager. Hours may change in accordance with department and business needs.

Work LocationMetrea DC Office Work EnvironmentThis job operates in an office setting.

Travel None