Cyber and IT Interns

Are you curious and passionate about learning how America protects against cybersecurity threats? Then we want you! Start your cyber career with CISA!

CISA is hiring current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to the graduate level for paid cyber/IT internships. If you are a student interested in the world of cybersecurity, then CISA is THE place to work! CISA is on the front lines working with industry and government partners to defend against today's cyber threats and build a more secure and resilient cyberinfrastructure for the future.

Our interns don't just sit behind a desk; they learn in a fast-paced, evolving environment. As a CISA cyber intern, you will grow your skills and enhance your career potential, as you work closely with cyber professionals on mission-focused projects. You will have a variety of robust and rich experiences, such as exposure to cybersecurity activities outside your immediate assignments, hearing program officials discuss major CISA and DHS initiatives to keep our nation's systems secure and meeting former CISA interns who are now CISA employees. You also can tour our labs, participate in informal brown bags with senior management and attend exciting local conferences and forums to hear from experts and newsmakers in other executive agencies, Congress, industry, academia, and think tanks about the importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding against threats to our nation.

Download our cyber intern brochure to find out more about the CISA cyber intern experience!

So, what are you waiting for? If your degree is (or will be) in cybersecurity, computer science, information assurance, information technology management, or a similar degree that requires the development or adaptation of computer applications and/or systems, read on for how you can join our Cyber Posse to help protect our homeland from cyber threats!

High School Students & First Year College Freshmen

If you are sixteen or older and enrolled as a high school student, you qualify for a GS-1 Student Trainee (IT Management) position. If you have a high school diploma or General Education diploma (GED), you qualify for a GS 2 Student Trainee (IT Management) position.

Community College & Bachelor's Degree Students

If you have 1 full academic year of post high school study or 2 full academic years of post-high school study (or an associate degree), you qualify for a GS 3-4 Student Trainee (IT Management) position.

Master's Degree Students

If you have 4 academic years of post-high school study leading to a bachelor's (or equivalent) degree, or if you have completed 1 full academic year of graduate level education, you qualify for a GS 5-7 Student Trainee (IT Management) position.

What Our Interns Do

Learn more about what last year's Vulnerability Management interns worked on. CISA's cyber and IT interns have worked on exciting projects such as:

• Helping develop a database to automate the collection and aggregation of attributes;
• Supporting efforts to automate the collection of forensics from Linux distributions;
• Importing PowerShell queries into a .net framework to use in Cobalt Strike where queries can be used to determine whether DCSynch can be executed;
• Developing a Python script to help analyze logs, which can then be fed into the script to identify deny listed IP addresses and generate reporting;
• Supporting industrial control security efforts through development and application of systematic risk categories across critical infrastructure domains;
• Helping develop a tool to assist with the identification and classification of phishing emails and a broader threat emulation framework; and
• Leveraging Azure DevOps Server pipelines to ease penetration tester evaluations.

Applications are accepted through individual internship announcements that are posted when available on USAJOBS. We will also post links to open announcements on our CISA Student and Recent Graduates page. If nothing is posted on either page, we do not have any current opportunities available.

Click "apply" on the job announcement, attach your relevant documents, answer a few questions, and click submit. Once you apply, you may also receive an automated email (check your junk box!) with instructions to submit a longer USAHire Assessment.

To receive email notifications when new CISA positions are announced, set up a "saved search" with keyword "Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency."