Intern - Security Researcher (Summer 2025)

Palo Alto Networks • Santa Clara, CA

382d • $108,160 - $114,400

About The Position

The Security Researcher Intern at Palo Alto Networks will play a vital role in the Cloud-Delivered Security Services team, focusing on developing and refining security content for next-generation products. This internship offers hands-on experience in building automation systems for real-time data processing, analyzing emerging threats, and collaborating with experienced researchers to enhance cybersecurity solutions.

Requirements

• Current student pursuing a doctorate (preferred) or a 2-year master's degree in a related field.
• Basic understanding of malware types (e.g., Spyware, Ransomware) and popular vulnerabilities (e.g., command injection, buffer overflow).
• Familiarity with key network protocols (e.g., HTTP, SMTP, FTP).
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as Python or Go.
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with ML/GenAI techniques and tools such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-Learn, Pandas, NumPy, Keras, NLTK, SpaCy, or Hugging Face Transformers.
• Exposure to malware analysis and Capture-the-Flag (CTF) exercises.
• Experience with traffic analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump) and reverse engineering tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine security content for next-generation products.
• Build and optimize automation systems for data collection and processing.
• Apply AI/ML methods to analyze real network traffic for threat detection and mitigation.
• Research network security countermeasures for identifying and mitigating cyber attacks.
• Collaborate with security researchers to analyze adversarial activities and implement proactive protections.

Benefits

• 1:1 mentorship
• Fun and engaging events that inspire intellectual curiosity
• Opportunities to expand knowledge and work on challenging projects
• Connections to other interns, recent grads, and employees across the company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Associate degree