Computer Security Research Intern

BST01 - Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (BST01)

We are looking for Researchers and Engineers to join a 6-month internship with the team based in Bristol that is researching the future of security technologies and techniques to make computing devices and data more secure and resilient for users and enterprises alike.

This internship is an exciting opportunity to participate in world-class research, to experience how industrial research is conducted to deliver customer value, and of course to do it all within the collaborative culture at HP. There is some flexibility in the start date of the internship, and as a company HP is dedicated to attracting diverse talent from all backgrounds and ethnicity.

During your internship, you will work with our research team to explore new and innovative technologies and architectures for securing endpoint devices and infrastructures. The team's responsibility extends across HP, creating opportunities for the candidate to work with a wide range of technologists and have influence in varied fields.

Areas of interest include supply chain security; isolation and threat mitigation mechanisms rooted in robust hardware security; researching endpoint threats across hardware, firmware and software; investigating and prototyping the use of new cryptographic capabilities and protocols down to the hardware and firmware levels; as well as security of AI, and for AI deployments at the Edge. There will be a variety of projects which can be matched to your skill sets, and you will work with researchers and technologists in the business units to design, prototype, and demonstrate the feasibility and value of your work.

The internship will take place in our HP Security Lab office in the heart of the bustling Bristol city centre, UK, within walking distance of the old town cafes and restaurants, in the middle of the city’s thriving startup and academic tech ecosystem. We are looking for curious and creative research-minded individuals who enjoy teamwork, have an excellent grounding in computer science and engineering, theory and practice, and are relentlessly excited to have impact and lead with innovation to solve real world challenges.

A salary shall be paid to interns.

Responsibilities

• Develop understanding of state of the art in the relevant areas of research
• Navigate uncertainties in the research while working with the team to identify novel technological paths
• Work with the research team to design a solution which addresses the limitations of the existing approaches, and also be able to progress the research
• Demonstrate feasibility of the solution (e.g., paper, prototype, etc.)
• Present the work to the team and the rest of the Security Lab

Mandatory skills and experience required

• Studying towards a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral university degree in the relevant topics
• Knowledge and practical experience in one of the following technical areas:
• computer system architecture;
• programming (C, C++, Python, C#, Rust, Go);
• theoretical or applied cryptography;
• generative AI and python for AI
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Keen to learn and able to progress on live projects

Advantageous skills and experience

• Awareness of system security analysis concepts
• Low level software and firmware development (OS kernel, hypervisor, compiler, embedded systems)
• Trusted computing (e.g. Trusted Platform Modules), digital signatures, and public key infrastructures
• Practical experience of cryptographic libraries
• Knowledge and experience analysing software and firmware threats
• Digital integrated circuit design (SoC, FPGA, VHDL, Verilog, synthesis, emulation)

About HP

HP is about innovation, it’s who we are and what we have been doing since 1939, and we keep reinventing ourselves. Together we challenge convention, pushing each other to engineer experiences that amaze. HP Labs Bristol is our global centre for research in cyber security, located in the vibrant Bristol city centre in the UK. Our industrial research lab is uniquely positioned at the intersection of academic and business-focused research innovation, giving interns the opportunity to contribute innovation that may eventually impact leading products used by millions of people across the globe.

You’re out to reimagine and reinvent what’s possible—in your career as well as the world around you. So are we. We love taking on tough challenges, disrupting the status quo, and creating what’s next. We’re in search of talented people who are inspired by big picture progress, keen to learn and grow, and dedicated to making a meaningful difference.

With over 25 years of research in computer and systems security, the HP Security Lab innovates in HP products and solutions, collaborates with academia, and creates and leads industry standards. We are uniquely positioned as an industrial research Lab at the intersection of academic and business-focused research innovation, partnering across the industry for greater impact, and understanding customers’ real world problems.

HP’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion – it’s just who we are. From the boardroom to factory floor, we create a culture where everyone is respected and where people can be themselves, while being a part of something bigger than themselves. We celebrate the notion that you can belong at HP and bring your authentic self to work each and every day. When you do that, you’re more innovative and that helps grow our bottom line. Come to HP and thrive!