Cybersecurity IT Systems Intern - Blacksburg, VA

VPT, Inc.; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

VPT, Inc. is seeking a Cybersecurity IT Systems Intern to join our Blacksburg site for August 2026 through December 2026.

The role offers hands-on experience protecting enterprise IT in a regulated manufacturing environment, with exposure to endpoint protection, Fortinet devices, CrowdStrike, and Rapid7. You will work 15–20 hours per week at $20/hour, gaining real-world skills in incident response, patch management, and secure configurations while collaborating with IT and cybersecurity teams to

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in IT/Cybersecurity/CS program or recent graduate.
• Basic understanding of Windows security environments and Office 365 hardening.
• Interest in cybersecurity operations, incident response, and threat detection.
• Willingness to learn and research independently.

Responsibilities

• Assist with daily cybersecurity and IT support tasks across Windows, Azure, and Office 365.
• Identify and respond to security incidents and alerts.
• Document issues using FreshService and other tools.
• Research errors and vulnerabilities using trusted sources.
• Support Fortinet security systems and secure configurations.
• Participate in access reviews, MFA troubleshooting, and endpoint checks.
• Assist with security patch management and CVE documentation.
• Collaborate with IT and cybersecurity teams to meet DoD/CMMC Level 2 requirements.

Skills

Security basics

Office 365 hardening

Network security

Endpoint protection tools

Ticketing systems

SQL curiosity

VMware

Nutanix

Fortinet

Education

Pursuing or recently graduated in IT / Cybersecurity / CS

Tools

FreshService

VMWare

CrowdStrike

Rapid7

Action1

Job description

Cybersecurity IT Systems Intern

Location: Blacksburg, VA (on-site)

Pay: $20/hour - 15 - 20 hours a week.

Company: VPT, Inc.

Time Frame: August 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026: 10 week period determined from start date

About VPT:

VPT, Inc., is a global leader in power conversion solutions for avionics, military, space, and industrial applications. We're seeking a motivated Cybersecurity & IT Systems Intern to help protect, monitor, and maintain secure IT systems in a regulated manufacturing environment. You'll gain real-world experience working with modern enterprise tools, endpoint protection, and automated security processes.

What You'll Do:

• Assist with day-to-day cybersecurity and IT support tasks across Windows, Azure, and Office 365 environments.
• Help identify and respond to security-related incidents and alerts.
• Use tools like FreshService for ticketing and documentation of security or IT issues.
• Research and troubleshoot errors, potential vulnerabilities, and misconfigurations using trusted sources and documentation.
• Support Fortinet security systems while applying secure configuration practices.
• Participate in user access reviews, MFA troubleshooting, and endpoint security checks.
• Learn to detect, elevate, and resolve issues that may indicate security risks.
• Assist with security-specific patch management, document mitigating CVE's, antivirus monitoring (CrowdStrike, Rapid7), and system hardening.
• Collaborate with IT and cybersecurity teams to maintain compliance with DoD and CMMC Level 2 requirements.

What We're Looking For:

• Studying or recently graduated in IT, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or Computer Science. The students must be enrolled in a participating SWVA CCI institution.
• Basic understanding of security Windows environments, Office 365 hardening, network security, endpoint protection tools, and ticketing systems.
• Interest in cybersecurity operations, incident response, and threat detection.
• Experience with or curiosity about SQL, VMware, Nutanix and Fortinet.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Comfortable researching issues online and learning independently.

What You'll Gain:

• Real-world exposure to cybersecurity operations in a DoD-regulated environment.
• Experience using enterprise IT and IT Security tools like FreshService, VMWare, Crowdstrike, Rapid7, Action1.
• Mentorship from IT and cybersecurity professionals.
• A strong foundation for future roles in cybersecurity analysis, IT administration, or SOC operations.

VPT, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity/VET/Disability Employer

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Person (due to project requirements)
• Temporary position
• Competitive compensation based on experience
• The students must be enrolled in a southwest participating CCI institution (seeNetwork | Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Southwest Virginia | Virginia Tech)