Multisensory Research Internship - Postgraduate

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is offering a postgraduate internship at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Sensory Systems Branch in the 711th Human Performance Wing is focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms associated with perception, cognition, and communication in order to inform the design of multimodal displays and communication interfaces to improve mission effectiveness in operational environments.

As an ORISE participant, you will join a community of scientists and researchers in an effort to increase your understanding of multisensory perception, perceptual/cognitive processing, and multimodal display design using advanced technologies. This opportunity will focus on measuring both unisensory and multisensory processes in basic and applied research studies. Areas of primary interest include the role of multisensory integration – that is, how information is combined across sensory systems to generate a unified, coherent percept of an object or event, how multimodal information may be distributed across modalities to ensure optimized information throughput and reduce perceptual/cognitive overload, and how virtual/augmented/mixed reality technologies might be employed to present information to individual perceptual channels. Research will be conducted in specialized laboratories, simulators, and in real operational environments. 

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will gain hands-on experience to complement your education and support your academic and professional goals. Along the way, you will engage in activities and research in several areas. These include, but are not limited to:

Dayton, Ohio

AFRL is ready to make appointments immediately. Exact start dates will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected candidate. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and internships will be filled as qualified candidates are identified.

This appointment is a 12-month research appointment, with the possibility to be renewed for additional research periods. Appointments may be extended depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant. The participation rate will be part-time (20 hours/week).

You will receive a stipend to be determined by AFRL. Stipends are typically based on a participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other benefits may include the following:

The 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW), headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is the first human-centric warfare wing to consolidate human performance research, education, and consultation under a single organization. Established under AFRL, the 711 HPW is comprised of the Airman Systems Directorate (RH) and the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM). For more information about the 711th Human Performance Wing, please visit https://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/711hpw/.

The Airman Systems Directorate (RH) is the research arm of the 711th Human Performance Wing at AFRL. RH conducts a wide range of research and design projects for internal and operational customers. These projects connect to a wide range of disciplines and collaborators across government labs, academia, industry, and military operators in order to generate the most innovative and effective solutions.

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DoD. Participants do not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DoD or any other office or agency. Instead, you will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE. For more information, visit the ORISE Research Participation Program at the U.S. Department of Defense.

The qualified candidate will have a bachelor's or master's degree. Degree must have been received within three years of the appointment start date.