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, escalate, 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
Preferred Qualifications
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 (see Network | Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Southwest Virginia | Virginia Tech)
Skills Required
- Must be a U.S. Person
- Enrolled in a participating Southwest Virginia CCI institution
- Studying or recently graduated in IT, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or Computer Science
- Basic understanding of Windows environments, Office 365 hardening, network security, endpoint protection tools, and ticketing systems
- Interest in cybersecurity operations, incident response, and threat detection
- Strong problem-solving and communication skills
- Comfortable researching issues online and learning independently
- Experience with or curiosity about SQL, VMware, Nutanix, and Fortinet
HEICO Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about HEICO and has not been reviewed or approved by HEICO.
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Retirement Support — The company maintains a long‑standing 401(k) program with company matching available to nearly all U.S. employees, with matches sometimes delivered in company stock. Official materials indicate broad participation and subsidiary‑level match structures.
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Flexible Benefits — The package spans medical, dental, vision, HSAs/FSAs, life and disability coverage, PTO and holidays, tuition reimbursement, an EAP, and various discounts, with multiple plan choices. Eligibility and specifics can differ by subsidiary.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellness programs such as health fairs, screenings, flu shots, and on‑site classes appear alongside fitness, retail, and entertainment discounts. These offerings complement core coverage and support day‑to‑day wellbeing.
HEICO Insights
What We Do
HEICO Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of aerospace, defense, and electronics related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Flight Support Group (FSG/HEICO Aerospace) and Electronic Technologies Group (ETG). HEICO Aerospace offers jet engine and aircraft component replacement parts. It also involves in manufacturing specialty aircraft/defense related parts; offering thermal insulation blankets primarily for aerospace, defense, and commercial applications; subcontracting for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); providing specialty parts as a subcontractor for aerospace and industrial OEMs, and the United States government. In addition, this segment distributes hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, and electro-mechanical components for the aviation markets.
