SOC Analyst Internship Program

This Internship Cohort is only open to students enrolled in a Computer Science or Cybersecurity focused degree program within the Louisiana State University (LSU) System Schools.

Have you thought about a career in cybersecurity? Ever daydreamed about sleuth-level mastery the likes of Charlotte Justice, Easy Rawlins, or Veronica Mars... or perhaps captivated by the show Mr. Robot, national news like the Log4Shell Zero-Day vulnerability and major ransomware incidents, or the topic of election security? Our Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst internship may be for you!

Let’s face it - Finding hands-on opportunities to learn about cybersecurity can be tough, and there isn’t one set path into this field. The industry needs organizations that are willing and able to train and equip the next generation of cybersecurity leaders, to secure our organizations, businesses, and nation. There is an imperative to break the mold of who is typically considered a cybersecurity professional, and it takes more than strictly technical ability to succeed. With that in mind, we see the cybersecurity skills gap as an opportunity and are eager to be an on-ramp for those who want to learn and find a pathway into the constantly evolving, thrilling world of online security.

Sure, our team has plenty of people with traditional IT-related backgrounds, but we also have team members who have crossed into cybersecurity from completely unrelated fields ranging from music education to Emergency Medical Technicians. We believe that having technically competent analysts with diversity of thought, culture, and experiences not only creates a better world but also fosters a more inclusive work environment. This gives us a competitive advantage to better protect our range of clients with the ability to consider threats from more diverse perspectives.

SOC analysts are the first line of defense for any of C3’s clients. Analysts have the critical responsibility to initially triage and make key decisions about how to identify, investigate, and address potentially malicious activity in a client’s network. This internship is designed to give students and aspiring cybersecurity professionals an opportunity to gain real-world experience working within a SOC, providing exposure to the technology, data, processes, and expectations that accompany a SOC analyst role. Guided coaching, paired with independently driven, hands-on activities, will help you to develop vital technical skills as well as soft skills. The internship offers ambitious students an opportunity to move from theoretical knowledge to practical experience.

Intrigued? Awesome! Here’s what you need to know about us: Our SOC began as a homegrown Louisiana-based company, focused on establishing Louisiana as a cybersecurity center of excellence. That means being the best at what we do so that we can bring 5,000 industry jobs to the state of “Union, Justice, and Confidence”. We would love to provide this internship opportunity to a student or resident of the state, but it isn’t a deal-breaker as we have team members from all over the country. So, if you’re interested, don’t let your location stop you, please apply!

C3's Core Values:

• Team Human: Respecting all humans is a critical part of who we are at C3. We practice integrity in all interactions, we empathize with others, we create a supportive work environment, and we support the communities in which we live and operate.
• Security First: At the cornerstone of our business, we prioritize security above convenience, cost or efficiency. A “security-first” approach means we practice what we preach and we lead by example for our clients.
• Be an Advocate: We are passionate in our advocacy for our customer’s success and a path to the best solution for their business. We embrace feedback, put ourselves in your shoes and advocate for your interests as our own.
• Embrace Change: It's a practical necessity in an industry that never stands still. As a new entity born from the merger of two top-ranked CMMC-focused IT services companies, we're keenly aware that our success hinges on our ability to adapt - whether that means integrating new platforms, refining processes, or keeping pace with changing guidelines.
• Resilience: Our ability to withstand adversity and accomplish objectives while maintaining professionalism and discipline is critical to successful crisis management and risk avoidance.

Internship Selection Process
                                
Phase I: Applicants complete Internship applications.
 The C3 SOC Leadership Team will review and screen applicants and select candidates for Phase II.    

Phase II: Assessments will be assigned to candidates selected for Phase II.
 The C3 SOC Leadership Team will review Assessment results and select candidates for Phase III.    
                
Phase III: Candidates will be scheduled for a (virtual) interview with the Internship Panel.
 The Internship Panel and the C3 SOC Leadership Team will select Interns and Intern Alternates.

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Responsibilities                    
As part of our Security Operations Center team of analysts who actively monitor security alerts, perform threat hunting, and escalate tickets in order to manage potential threats/risks within our client environments, responsibilities include:

• Complete the C3 SOC Analyst training program
• Learn the basics of Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR), threat detection, and cybersecurity incident response (IR)
• Monitor, detect and respond to security events from reviewing logs and alerts, and provide support when analysis confirms actionable incidents
• Conduct network forensics, log analysis, and malware triage in support of threat hunting and investigations
• Assist with auditing client security tool policies and configurations
• Assist in projects to streamline, improve and create required operational tools, rule sets, processes, and documentation related to SOC workflows.                        
• Assist in testing, analyzing, and evaluating existing or proposed SOC team tools, utilities, systems, and processes            
• Perform threat intelligence research with newly identified threats and vulnerabilities
• Develop, document, and correlate recommendations for cybersecurity incidents and alert tickets

Basic Qualifications

• Enrolled in a degree program in a related field, and/or actively pursuing a new career in cybersecurity/information security
• Basic understanding of technical environments, including conceptual knowledge of administering, defending, and analyzing servers or workstations
• Experience working with Operating Systems (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
• Basic analytical, problem-solving, time management, organizational, and project management skills
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment, multitask, and prioritize during high-stakes security situations
• Comfortable using and/or learning tools such as Teams and Office
• Ability to follow defined processes and procedures, work independently and make decisions with minimal direction
                                   

Advanced Qualifications
For students further along in their IT/information security studies or individuals who have decided to pursue a career in cyber and have work experience or completed self-study training via platforms such as LetsDefend, TryHackMe, Hack The Box, RangeForce, Udemy, Cybrary, Coursera, etc.).

• Experience with security tools in a work or lab* environment (lab = academic lab or home lab set up with servers, big data, and security tools set up to conduct tasks specific to analysis and triage of security data and events)
• If you meet these advanced qualifications, we might even have a job for you so definitely reach out!

Schedule: 16-32 hrs/wk
Compensation: $12 - $14 hourly, depending on experience. We will work with your academic institution if they offer academic credit.
Internship Length: 16 weeks will be standard (Spring 2025 Semester), but we will consider extending internships beyond the Spring Semester for interested, qualified candidates.
Location: Remote