Security Researcher Intern - PhD Pipeline

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

Your Career We are looking for a passionate and self-driven Security Researcher Intern to join our Cloud-Delivered Security Services team. As a Security Researcher you will play a critical role in developing and refining security content that powers our next-generation products. You’ll work on building and optimizing automation systems to gather and process real-time data, supporting the detection and prevention of malware and other digital threats. Collaborating with experienced security researchers, you’ll analyze emerging threats and contribute to robust security solutions. Our Internship Program Our program provides mentorship, hands-on experience, and the opportunity to work on impactful projects. You’ll connect with other interns, recent graduates, and seasoned professionals, thriving in an environment that values curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving. 1:1 mentorship Fun and engaging events that inspire your intellectual curiosity Opportunities to expand your knowledge and work on challenging projects Connections to other interns, recent grads, and employees across the company as well as our leaders Key Responsibilities Develop an understanding of next-generation firewalls and their application in modern network security. Build and enhance automation systems for efficient data collection and real-time processing to support threat analysis. Apply AI/ML techniques to analyze live network traffic for the detection, analysis, and mitigation of emerging security threats. Research and propose effective network security countermeasures to identify and neutralize various cyber-attack vectors. Proactively collaborate with senior security researchers to analyze adversarial tactics and contribute to the implementation of proactive security protections.

Qualifications

Your Experience Required Qualifications Currently pursuing a 2-year Master’s degree or Doctorate in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, with a planned return to school post-internship. Must be authorized to work in the United States. Available for a May or June 2025 start date. Preferred Qualifications Currently pursuing a Doctorate (PhD) degree. Experience with ML/GenAI techniques (e.g., anomaly detection, deep learning, NLP) and tools (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-Learn). Exposure to malware analysis and participation in Capture-the-Flag (CTF) exercises. Hands-on experience with traffic analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump) or reverse engineering tools. Basic understanding of malware types (e.g., Spyware, Ransomware, Exploits) and common vulnerabilities (e.g., command injection, buffer overflow). Familiarity with key network protocols such as HTTP, SMTP, and FTP. Proficiency in at least one programming language, such as Python or Go.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$129,100.00 - $208,825.00/yr

Our Commitment

We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at  [email protected].

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.