Cyber Security Research Placement

Airbus; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

25 days holiday

Job summary

Airbus is offering cybersecurity internship placements in the Cyber Innovation Team. You will engage in cutting-edge digital security research, collaborate with experts, and contribute to prototypes and experiments that translate theory into actionable solutions.

You will explore topics spanning AI/ML, cryptography, cloud security and more, with opportunities to publish research at international conferences. A strong emphasis on curiosity, learning and teamwork drives this programme.

Qualifications

• Undergraduates only for whole duration of placement.
• CV and Cover Letter required with application.
• Studying towards a degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Psychology, Human Factors, Computing, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to ongoing and new research projects within Cyber Innovation Team.
• Learn needs of a large organisation and work with diverse teams to develop innovations.
• Collaborate with universities and scout market for cybersecurity technologies.
• Write technical reports and contribute to papers for conferences.
• Possibly travel to Airbus sites, events and conferences across Europe.

Skills

Communication skills

Curiosity

Team collaboration

Proactive problem solving

English proficiency

Education

Cyber Security / Computer Science degree

Psychology / Human Factors degree

Degree with Computing related modules

Tools

Python

C++

Java

R

Rust

Job description

We love your interest in joining Airbus! There is no limit on the number of positions you can apply for, however, please be aware that you can only progress in the selection process for one position at a time. We recommend reviewing all available opportunities and applying to those that best match your experience and aspirations.

AI Guidance: We know you might be thinking about using AI to help you in your application - before you do, please read our guidelines on the use of AI for recruitment at Airbus

Benefits:

Salary: £24,246

35 hours per week // Flexible working hours // Hybrid working options available depending on the role // Half day Fridays! // 25 days holiday plus bank holidays

About us:

Ready to protect a global aerospace leader from the world's most sophisticated cyber threats? The Airbus Cyber Innovation team is at the forefront of this battle, pioneering next-generation security solutions for the aerospace and defence sector. This is your chance to work alongside leading experts, tackling the ever-evolving challenges that define modern cybersecurity and make a discernible impact on critical global infrastructure.

Our team is a dynamic collective of specialists in fields ranging from cyberpsychology and smart manufacturing (IoT/ICS) to AI/ML, cryptography, and cloud security. We don't expect you to be an expert in any of these; instead, we seek interns with a powerful sense of curiosity, a deep passion for learning, and a proactive drive to contribute your unique ideas to our hands-on experiments and prototype development. We value a fresh perspective and an eagerness to challenge the status quo.

This is more than an internship; it's an opportunity to turn theory into reality. You will actively build and test innovative prototypes, experiment with emerging technologies, and even have the chance to contribute to research published at international conferences. Immerse yourself in a world-class R&D environment, develop highly sought-after technical skills, and gain firsthand insight into the critical cybersecurity questions facing a major global organization today.

What you will be doing:

During your placement, you will undertake cutting edge digital security research and innovation activities under the guidance of experienced innovators and subject matter experts, to develop solutions to Airbus’ cybersecurity innovation needs.

As part of the Cyber Innovation Team you will:

• Contribute to ongoing and new research projects;
• Learn about the complex and upcoming needs of a large organisation;
• Work with a range of teams within the business to develop new innovations;
• Collaborate with universities across the world;
• Get involved in scouting the market for new cybersecurity technologies and assessing their capabilities;
• Write internal technical reports and contribute to papers published at leading cybersecurity conferences;
• And potentially travel to other Airbus sites, events and academic conferences across Europe.

Requirements:

Our placements are open to Undergraduates only. Therefore it is mandatory for candidates to be an undergraduate for the whole duration of the placement. Please inform your graduation date on your application.

Your application should include a CV along with a Cover Letter outlining your motivation and suitability for the role.

Education

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate some of the following:

• Studying towards a degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Psychology, Human Factors, Computing, or equivalent;
• For Computer Science related degrees, passed modules in any of the following or similar: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cryptography, Data Science, Secure Software Development, Risk Management, Cybersecurity Law, Security Architecture, Cybersecurity of Operational Technology (OT) / SCADA, Cloud Security, Network Security, Offensive & Defensive Security, and/or Security Monitoring.
• For Psychology related degrees, passed modules in any of the following or similar: Cyber Psychology/Human Factors, Decision-Making, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human-Machine interface (HMI) design, Human-robot Interaction (HRI), Research Methods / Design, UI/UX.

Technical

Any practical skills and experience with the following will be helpful although not mandatory:

• Research Design;
• Technical report writing;
• Experience with Google Workspace;
• Qualtrics / Psychopy / Google Forms / Survey Monkey;
• Operating Systems such as Redhat, Ubuntu, Kali Linux, Android;
• Cisco R&S, VLANs, firewalls, Wireshark, Nmap;
• Protocols e.g., TCP/IP, MODBUS, Profinet, CIP, S7, Zigbee, CANBUS, Bluetooth;
• Vulnerability scanning applications such as Nessus, Splunk;
• Metasploit, IDS signatures, Intrusion Detection Systems;
• Web application pentest tools such as Burp Suite;
• Knowledge of AI/ML models;
• Python, C++, Java, R, Rust;
• Statistics.

Behavioural

• The ability to listen, understand and communicate information verbally, textually and diagrammatically;
• The desire to work in a technical team environment;
• A strong interest in developing yourself both technically and personally;
• An interest in finding and developing creative solutions to complex problems;
• Ability to work relatively autonomously with minimal supervision;
• Natural curiosity to discover new things and explore new avenues;
• Willingness to travel and engage with people;
• Professional level of written and speaking English skills, and other languages are a bonus.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

You will be subject to a BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) check. You may also need to gain UK SC-level Security Clearance or Export Control, depending on the role.

Contact

Please let us know if you need us to make any adjustments to allow you to access and participate fully in the recruitment process. If you wish to discuss this further please contact us. Any information disclosed will be treated in the strictest confidence.