MIT Beaver Works - CyberOps Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistants (TA) are needed for a 4-week long summer course at the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) on computer security.  This is the first year of this version of the course.

The summer course will be taught virtually from 7 July to 3 August alongside MIT Lincoln Laboratory staff.  The course is a wide-ranging survey of computing systems, the threats they face, and the way those threats are addressed.  Starting at vacuum tubes, students will get a whirlwind tour of everything that makes up a modern computer.  Building on that foundation, the course will touch on a variety of topics including human factors, cryptography, networking, software reverse-engineering, and side channels.  Where possible, hands-on examples and exercises will complement the work along the way.  The course will touch on how those technologies and issues apply to various nontraditional computing environments, such as industrial control systems and satellites.  A multi-step capstone project will make up the bulk of the final week.

Interested students should have passing familiarity with the Linux operating system and use of the command line (Terminal), broad interest in cybersecurity, and a willingness to poke and prod at a variety of topics.

TAs for this course will have the opportunity to help support the course’s curriculum and will aid in teaching the students throughout the summer session. This position provides candidates with excellent experience in project-based development and prototyping, teaching, and team management. The TAs will be heavily involved in guiding teams through the summer. The TAs will be primarily responsible for the project-based portions of the course, revising, selecting, and – as needed – building material for student activities.  TAs will then serve as the resident ‘expert’ within each student team.   TAs interested in gaining experience developing and presenting lecture materials are welcomed; the instructor will work with interested TAs to select a course-relevant topic and help with presentation design. The TAs will be expected to attend brief preparatory virtual meetings throughout June, leading up to the course.

For more information on BWSI program, visit: https://beaverworks.ll.mit.edu/CMS/bw/bwsi

Job Requirements

• Current undergraduate or graduate student in Cyber Security, Digital Forensics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or another technical field
• Good communication skills and ability to convey technical concepts concisely to audiences with limited background
• Interest in cyber security, course development, and educational instruction
• Willingness to quickly learn new technical concepts and apply them to new fields and subdomains of computation

Desired Skills and Experience

• Ability to write standardized documentation or instruction sets clearly and effectively
• Basic knowledge of Linux, virtualization, and common networking and reverse-engineering tools:
  • Wireshark, TCPdump
  • Ghidra
• Basic knowledge of common Internet protocols and networking
• Knowledge and interest in one or more subdomains of computation (e.g. IoT, SCADA, satellites, EVs and vehicle-to-grid, FPGA or ASIC design) is helpful, but not required
• Wargame and capture-the-flag experience helpful, but not required
  • CTFs
  • TryHackMe
  • HackTheBox
  • HackThisSite
• Ideally, experience with computer networks and exposure to network security concepts

If interested in applying fill out application at the following website: 

 https://mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/beaverworks_job_application_2025

A brief resume will be needed to complete the application.

For any questions please contact bwsi-admin@mit.edu.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against applicants due to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. You must be a U.S. Citizen or have authority to work in the U.S. in order to be considered for this position.