Innovation Research Intern

Trace3; Oregon; Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision plans

401(k) match

Competitive compensation

Training programs

Office snacks

Collaborative culture

Paid time off

Job summary

Trace3 is seeking an Innovation Research Intern to scout emerging startups and support client research within its Innovation team. You will perform secondary research, assess evidence, and organize vendor data to inform enterprise IT decisions.

Under the SVP guidance, you will learn to verify sources, build longlists, and prepare insights for workshops. The internship emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and practical exposure to cloud, security, and AI topics.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in the senior year of an undergraduate program or Masters program.
• Field of study relevant to Innovation Research internship (IT, CS, cybersecurity, business or related).
• Excellent secondary research skills including source evaluation and attribution.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent technical documentation and artifact creation skills.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, presentation tools, and collaborative documents.
• GPA 3.0 or better; transcript may be required.
• Academic or professional/internship experience in a professional setting is a plus.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, or applied AI is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and take direction.
• Self-motivation with a customer mindset and desire to help people.
• Enthusiasm for technical problem solving and critical thinking.
• Ability to learn and research in a dynamic environment.
• Availability to work 40 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Scout emerging vendors across Security, Data, AI, Developer Operations, and others.
• Conduct secondary research to analyze investments in startups and identify trends.
• Apply deductive and inductive reasoning to verify data against sources.
• Interpret data to extract meaningful insights and cite sources for each statement.
• Maintain a vendor pipeline with category, product summary, funding stage, investors and leadership.
• Support quality checks by verifying figures, names and citations; keep trackers current.
• Observe technical reviews and prepare notes with takeaways and questions.
• Assist researchers with client research requests, such as building vendor longlists and competitive comparisons.
• Support client workshop preparation with background research.
• Complete a capstone research project and present findings to the team.
• All client content is reviewed and approved by a Researcher or Innovation Principal.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Self-motivated

Independence

Problem solving

Technical writing

Office tools

Cloud/AI familiarity

Education

Senior year undergraduate

Masters program

Tools

AI research tools

Job description

Who is Trace3 ?Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate.Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it!Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco.

Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology?Come Join Us!Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic TimesWe are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the "big picture." We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems.

Juice - The \"Stuff\" it takes to be a Needle MoverWe get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like.

Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and SmartWe are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it's due and demonstrate transparency. We \"bring the weather\" by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures - not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us.

JOB SUMMARY:

Trace3 is an innovation partner to more than 2,000 companies and has been growing at a double-digit rate for over a decade. Trace3 Innovation collaborates with the industry, VC and start-up community, clients, and internal Trace3 teams to identify, analyze, and offer insights into emerging technology areas such as private/public cloud, data intelligence, security, application/development, and operations. The Trace3 Innovation Team identifies macro technology trends, technology practice areas, use cases, and solutions across the market landscape. Solution partners, from new start-ups to industry incumbents, are evaluated.Under the general direction of the SVP of Innovation, and with day-to-day guidance from an Innovation Researcher, the Innovation Research Intern is responsible for scouting and vetting emerging startups and use cases, and for supporting lower-complexity client research requests, with the goal of understanding how they fit within the Enterprise IT landscape. The intern serves as a research extension of the team, allowing researchers and principals to concentrate on analysis and advisory work.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

• Scout emerging vendors across Security, Data, AI, Developer Operations, and others using funding databases, analyst coverage, venture portfolios, and news sources
• Conduct secondary research to analyze investments in startups to determine possible trends
• Apply deductive and inductive reasoning to test the accuracy of data, and clearly separate verified facts from vendor marketing claims
• Interpret data to bring out meaningful insights by correlating different data points, citing sources for every material statement
• Maintain a pipeline of candidate companies with consistent fields, including category, product summary, funding stage, investors, and leadership
• Support the quality check process by verifying figures, names, and citations, and by keeping vendor tracking and research repositories current
• Observe technical reviews with the Research team and targeted companies, and prepare notes with takeaways and follow-up questions
• Assist researchers with client research requests, such as compiling vendor longlists, locating alternatives to an incumbent product, and building competitive comparisons
• Support the preparation for client workshops and internal thought leadership by assembling background research
• Complete a capstone research project near the end of the internship and present it to the team
• All client-facing content is reviewed and approved by a Researcher or Innovation Principal; the intern does not contact vendors or clients without approval
• May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

ELIGIBILITY AND PREFERRED SKILLS:

• Enrollment in the Senior year of an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university or Masters program
• Candidates should be pursuing a field of study applicable to the Innovation Research internship, such as information technology, computer science, cybersecurity, business, or a related field
• Excellent secondary research skills, including source evaluation and careful attribution
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
• Excellent technical documentation and artifact creation skills
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, presentation tools, and collaborative documents
• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better; People and Organizational Health may require a copy of the applicant's transcript
• Academic or professional/internship experience working in a professional setting is a plus
• Familiarity with enterprise technology domains such as cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, or applied AI is a plus
• Comfort using AI research tools responsibly, with a habit of verifying output against primary sources, is a plus
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks and accepts direction on given assignments
• Self-motivated individuals with a customer mindset and desire to help people
• Enthusiasm for technical problem solving and critical thinking with attention to detail and strong communication skills
• Ability to learn and research in a dynamic and engaging environment
• Availability to work 40 hours per week throughout the internship

Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ. Certain positions may also be eligible for variable incentive compensation, such as bonuses or commissions, that is not included in the base salary.Estimated Pay Range$18—$27 USD

The Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability
• Competitive Compensation
• Training and development programs
• Major offices stocked with snacks and beverages
• Collaborative and cool culture
• Work-life balance and generous paid time off

Our Commitment

At the core of Trace3's DNA is our people. We are a diverse group of talented individuals who understand the importance of teamwork and demonstrating leadership, character, and passion in all that we do.

We're committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to grow. We recognize that embracing diversity drives innovation, improves outcomes, foster collaboration, boosts teammate satisfaction, and builds a more inclusive culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Trace3 bases all employment decisions based on individual qualifications, merit, and business requirements. We do not engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Any demographic information provided is strictly voluntary, kept confidential in accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, and will not be used in employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, or mentorship programs. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process or participate in an interview, please email .