Skip to main content

PNNL

  • About
  • News & Media
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
      • Biology
        • Chemical Biology
        • Computational Biology
        • Ecosystem Science
        • Human Health
          • Cancer Biology
          • Exposure Science & Pathogen Biology
        • Integrative Omics
          • Advanced Metabolomics
          • Chemical Biology
          • Mass Spectrometry-Based Measurement Technologies
          • Spatial and Single-Cell Proteomics
          • Structural Biology
        • Microbiome Science
          • Biofuels & Bioproducts
          • Human Microbiome
          • Soil Microbiome
          • Synthetic Biology
        • Predictive Phenomics
      • Chemistry
        • Computational Chemistry
        • Chemical Separations
        • Chemical Physics
        • Catalysis
      • Earth & Coastal Sciences
        • Global Change
        • Atmospheric Science
          • Atmospheric Aerosols
          • Human-Earth System Interactions
          • Modeling Earth Systems
        • Coastal Science
        • Ecosystem Science
        • Subsurface Science
        • Terrestrial Aquatics
      • Materials Sciences
        • Materials in Extreme Environments
        • Precision Materials by Design
        • Science of Interfaces
        • Solid Phase Processing
          • Cold Spray
          • Friction Stir Welding & Processing
          • ShAPE
      • Nuclear & Particle Physics
        • Dark Matter
        • Flavor Physics
        • Fusion Energy Science
        • Neutrino Physics
      • Quantum Information Sciences
    • Energy Resiliency
      • Electric Grid Modernization
        • Emergency Response
        • Grid Analytics
          • AGM Program
          • Tools and Capabilities
        • Grid Architecture
        • Grid Cybersecurity
        • Grid Energy Storage
        • Grid Resilience and Decarbonization
          • Earth System Modeling
          • Energy System Modeling
        • Transmission
        • Distribution
      • Energy Efficiency
        • Appliance and Equipment Standards
        • Building Energy Codes
        • Building Technologies
          • Advanced Building Controls
          • Advanced Lighting
          • Building-Grid Integration
        • Building and Grid Modeling
        • Commercial Buildings
        • Federal Buildings
          • Federal Performance Optimization
          • Resilience and Security
        • Grid Resilience and Decarbonization
        • Residential Buildings
          • Building America Solution Center
          • Energy Efficient Technology Integration
          • Home Energy Score
        • Energy Efficient Technology Integration
      • Energy Storage
        • Electrochemical Energy Storage
        • Flexible Loads and Generation
        • Grid Integration, Controls, and Architecture
        • Regulation, Policy, and Valuation
        • Science Supporting Energy Storage
        • Chemical Energy Storage
      • Environmental Management
        • Waste Processing
        • Radiation Measurement
        • Environmental Remediation
      • Fossil Energy
        • Subsurface Energy Systems
        • Carbon Management
          • Carbon Capture
          • Carbon Storage
          • Carbon Utilization
        • Advanced Hydrocarbon Conversion
      • Nuclear Energy
        • Fuel Cycle Research
        • Advanced Reactors
        • Reactor Operations
        • Reactor Licensing
      • Renewable Energy
        • Solar Energy
        • Wind Energy
          • Wind Resource Characterization
          • Wildlife and Wind
          • Community Values and Ocean Co-Use
          • Wind Systems Integration
          • Wind Data Management
          • Distributed Wind
        • Marine Energy
          • Environmental Monitoring for Marine Energy
          • Marine Biofouling and Corrosion
          • Marine Energy Resource Characterization
          • Testing for Marine Energy
          • The Blue Economy
        • Hydropower
          • Environmental Performance of Hydropower
          • Hydropower Cybersecurity and Digitalization
          • Hydropower and the Electric Grid
          • Materials Science for Hydropower
          • Pumped Storage Hydropower
          • Water + Hydropower Planning
        • Grid Integration of Renewable Energy
        • Geothermal Energy
      • Transportation
        • Bioenergy Technologies
          • Algal Biofuels
          • Aviation Biofuels
          • Waste-to-Energy and Products
        • Hydrogen & Fuel Cells
        • Vehicle Technologies
          • Emission Control
          • Energy-Efficient Mobility Systems
          • Lightweight Materials
          • Vehicle Electrification
          • Vehicle Grid Integration
    • National Security
      • Chemical & Biothreat Signatures
        • Contraband Detection
        • Pathogen Science & Detection
        • Explosives Detection
        • Threat-Agnostic Biodefense
      • Cybersecurity
        • Discovery and Insight
        • Proactive Defense
        • Trusted Systems
      • Nuclear Material Science
      • Nuclear Nonproliferation
        • Radiological & Nuclear Detection
        • Nuclear Forensics
        • Ultra-Sensitive Nuclear Measurements
        • Nuclear Explosion Monitoring
        • Global Nuclear & Radiological Security
      • Stakeholder Engagement
        • Disaster Recovery
        • Global Collaborations
        • Legislative and Regulatory Analysis
        • Technical Training
      • Systems Integration & Deployment
        • Additive Manufacturing
        • Deployed Technologies
        • Rapid Prototyping
        • Systems Engineering
      • Threat Analysis
        • Advanced Wireless Security
          • 5G Security
          • RF Signal Detection & Exploitation
        • Grid Resilience and Decarbonization
        • Internet of Things
        • Maritime Security
        • Millimeter Wave
        • Mission Risk and Resilience
    • Data Science & Computing
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Graph and Data Analytics
      • Software Engineering
      • Computational Mathematics & Statistics
      • Future Computing Technologies
        • Adaptive Autonomous Systems
      • Visual Analytics
    • Publications & Reports
    • Featured Research
  • People
    • Inventors
    • Lab Leadership
    • Lab Fellows
    • Staff Accomplishments
  • Partner with PNNL
    • Education
      • Undergraduate Students
        • PNNL Gold Experience
        • WDTS Internships
          • Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
          • Community College Internship (CCI)
        • Energy and Environment Internship Program
        • National Security Internship Program (NSIP)
        • PNNL Safeguards Internship
        • Cyber Halo Innovation Research Program (CHIRP)
        • STEM Competitions
        • WDTS RENEW Pathway Summer School
      • Graduate Students
      • Post-graduate Students
      • University Faculty
      • University Partnerships
      • K-12 Educators and Students
      • STEM Education
        • STEM Workforce Development
        • STEM Outreach
        • Meet the Team
      • Internships
    • Community
      • Regional Impact
      • Philanthropy
      • Volunteering
    • Industry
      • Available Technologies
      • Industry
      • Industry Partnerships
      • Licensing & Technology Transfer
      • Entrepreneurial Leave
      • Visual Intellectual Property Search (VIPS)
  • Facilities & Centers
    • All Facilities
      • Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility
      • Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center
      • Energy Sciences Center
      • Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
      • Grid Storage Launchpad
      • Institute for Integrated Catalysis
      • Interdiction Technology and Integration Laboratory
      • PNNL Portland Research Center
      • PNNL Seattle Research Center
      • PNNL-Sequim (Marine and Coastal Research)
      • Radiochemical Processing Laboratory
      • Shallow Underground Laboratory

Breadcrumb

  1. Partner with PNNL
  2. Education
  3. Undergraduate Students
  4. Cyber Halo Innovation Research Program (CHIRP)

Cyber Halo Innovation
Research Program

Growing the space
cybersecurity workforce

The Cyber Halo Innovation Research Program, or CHIRP, is a collaboration between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command. The program provides college students a two-year pathway to a cybersecurity career focused on space-based technologies. 

(Image by Shannon Colson | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

The world is changing. Are you ready?

Cybercrime is a growing threat to space-based technologies, such as satellites and global positioning systems. To grow the cybersecurity workforce needed to help protect these important space systems, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has teamed up with U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) to create the Cyber Halo Innovation Research Program—or CHIRP.

CHIRP is a college-to-career program that brings together government, industry, and colleges and universities to provide students with a direct two-year pathway to a cybersecurity career at SSC or their industry partners. California State University, San Bernardino is the first higher education institution to join the effort.

 

Apply Today

 

“There is an urgent need for professionals with the specialized expertise to protect our mission-critical, space-borne assets from cyber threats by adversaries.” – Colonel Jennifer Krolikowski-Stamer, Chief Information Officer, Space Systems Command

 

The student experience

Students who participate in the career-preparation program receive two years of intensive training designed to equip them for jobs protecting the nation’s vital space-based technologies from cyber threats.

CHIRP participants:

  • Work on cybersecurity-related research and development problems using tools and methods that are directly applicable to SSC;
  • Participate in a cybersecurity internship at SSC, PNNL, or other industry partners;
  • Complete a one-week professional development experience at PNNL

The training will open pathways for futures in information technology, computer science, intelligence (national security), network security, cyber analysis, incident response, cyber policy, data architecture, continuity of operations, data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, secure software development, and other cybersecurity-related fields.

PNNL's cybersecurity operations center
Students in the CHIRP college-to-career program will complete a one-week cybersecurity research experience
at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (Photo by Andrea Starr | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Key Program Dates & Information

CHIRP applications open in January. Those who are selected will participate in the Summer Institute at PNNL Richland campus from May 20 to May 24, 2024. Visit PNNL’s careers page to learn more and view the current CHIRP postings, application requirements, and benefits.

Program Eligibility

Accepted students will begin the program during the summer before their junior year and will commit to a full two years of participation. To meet and maintain eligibility, students must:

  • Maintain a 3.0 GPA in their major;
  • Meet each semester with the CHIRP program manager or with an assigned advisor; and
  • Participate in career, curriculum, and experience pathways and required CHIRP events, including the Summer Institute, research experiences, and a summer internship.

Academic and industry partners

CHIRP is a collaboration between PNNL, SSC, selected higher-education institutions, and industry partners that offers students access to a unique, two-year college-to-career program opportunity.

Learn More

If you’re interested in participating in CHIRP as a student or as an academic or industry partner, please contact us at CHIRP@pnnl.gov.

Related Links

PNNL's Office of STEM EducationSpace Science, Technology, and Policy @ PNNLSpace Systems Command

News

MAY 30, 2023
Article

UTEP Welcomes First Cohort of Future Cyber Defenders

Read
The first cohort of CHIRP fellows at UTEP
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
Article

Expanding Pathways in Cybersecurity

Read
CHIRP Square Image
NOVEMBER 8, 2022
Feature

First-Generation Students in STEM Career Pathways

Read
Abigail Gutierrez Deniz
MAY 24, 2022
Feature

Building a Pipeline of Space Cyber Defenders

Read
illustration of space technologies

Research topics

Cybersecurity
National Security

PNNL

  • Get in Touch
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Doing Business
    • Environmental Reports
    • Security & Privacy
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
    • Energy Resiliency
    • National Security
Subscribe to PNNL News
Department of Energy Logo Battelle Logo
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is managed and operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • X (formerly Twitter)
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn