Quantum Security Intern 2027 - Cloud Compliance & Security Tooling

Introduction

IBM Quantum is building and operating some of the world''s most advanced quantum computing systems, delivered to clients and researchers through IBM Cloud. As the program scales, protecting the security and compliance of the cloud infrastructure behind it is a growing priority. We''re looking for a Quantum Security Intern to help strengthen the compliance posture of our IBM Cloud accounts and improve the security tooling our team relies on day to day.

Your role and responsibilities

As a Quantum Security Intern, you will work alongside the IBM Quantum security team on two connected priorities: raising the compliance posture of our IBM Cloud accounts, and improving the tooling we use to monitor and act on security risk. Your responsibilities will include:

• Assess IBM Cloud account configurations (IAM policies, access controls, encryption, logging/audit trails) against internal and industry compliance frameworks, and identify and document gaps.
• Design, build, and enhance automated tooling - scripts, dashboards, and checks - that continuously monitor cloud account compliance and flag deviations as they occur.
• Support remediation of identified security and compliance findings in partnership with cloud and infrastructure engineering teams.
• Improve existing security tooling and workflows, reducing manual effort and closing gaps in current coverage across IBM Cloud accounts.
• Document security controls, compliance evidence, and tooling runbooks to support internal reviews and audits.
• Partner with the broader IBM Security and Quantum engineering organizations to evaluate and pilot new security and compliance tools.
• Present findings, tooling improvements, and recommendations to the team throughout the internship.

Required technical and professional expertise

• Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or a related technical field.
• Foundational understanding of cloud security concepts, including IAM, encryption, network security, and logging/monitoring.
• Working knowledge of at least one scripting or programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Bash) for building automation and tooling.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (IBM Cloud, AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their security/compliance features.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with close attention to detail.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Exposure to compliance frameworks or standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2, CIS Benchmarks).
• Coursework or project experience related to quantum computing.
• Experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (e.g., Terraform) or CI/CD security tooling.
• Familiarity with security scanning, SIEM, or cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools.