IAE Cyber Lab Internship - Fall 2025 (Finance)

The University of South Florida (USF) Institute of Applied Engineering (IAE) provides agile, best-value engineering solutions to enhance the performance, effectiveness of its sponsors, including the Department of Defense; other federal, state, and local agencies; and industry. These engineering solutions include hardware-and-software-based research, advanced technology development, prototypes, and technical services.

This internship program will complement IAE's Cyber Lab project with a focus on cyber computing, software engineering, and data analytics. This position will be in-person at IAE'S Headquarters in Tampa, FL.

• Must be an active undergraduate student.
• Must be eligible for a security clearance.
• Pursuing a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cyber Security, Data Science, Information Technology, or a similar major at a local accredited university
• Current GPA of 3.0 or above
• Foundational knowledge of computer networks and TCP/IP protocols.
• Understanding of firewall concepts and access control.
• Familiarity with Linux/Windows operating systems.
• Exposure to basic cybersecurity tools (e.g., Nmap, Wireshark, Burp Suite, Metasploit).
• Strong problem-solving skills and willingness to learn hands-on.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Working at USF
\n
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
\n
About USF
\n
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .
\n
Compliance and Federal Notices
\n
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
\n
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :
\n
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
\n
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.Responsibilities

• Networking & Firewalling: Assist in configuring, monitoring, and analyzing network traffic and firewall rules to ensure secure communication across enterprise systems.
• OSINT & Reconnaissance: Conduct open-source intelligence gathering and reconnaissance to identify potential attack vectors and simulate adversarial research methods.
• Scanning & Vulnerability Discovery: Use scanning tools to identify and validate security gaps in web applications, networks, and infrastructure.
• Initial Exploitation & Attack Simulation: Support red team exercises by participating in controlled exploitation scenarios to assess system weaknesses.
• Privilege Escalation & Lateral Movement: Learn and apply techniques for privilege escalation and internal pivoting as part of penetration testing engagements.
• Threat Hunting & APT Simulation: Assist in detecting advanced persistent threats (APTs) by leveraging SIEM tools, behavioral analytics, and custom detection rules.

Incident Response & Automation: Contribute to automating incident response workflows, including alert triage, playbook development, and integration with security orchestration platforms.

Time commitment

• Hours of operation are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday thru Friday.
• This position requires a minimum of 15 hours and a maximum of 20 hours per week during the Fall/Spring semesters and a minimum of 20 hours and a maximum of 29 hours per week during the summer semester.
• This internship is in-person with limited remote work opportunities.

Opportunities

• Engage in employee events, such as team building
• Build resume and explore career options
• Apply skills and knowledge to the workplace
• Upon completion of the internship, a letter of recommendation can be provided upon request
• Opportunity for follow-on internship based on performance

Pay Rate

$17.50/hour