Intern - Security Operations at Rakuten Advertising in New York, NY

Summary: Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a Japanese global technology leader in various services. The Security Operations Intern will support the security team in planning, tracking, and delivering security projects while helping design and implement process automations to improve the efficiency of day-to-day security operations. Responsibilities: - Assist in planning and tracking security initiatives (e.g., tooling rollouts, playbook updates, control improvements) using the organization’s project management platform - Document current security operations processes, including incident response workflows, alert handling procedures, and access review steps, and help identify opportunities for standardization and automation - Support the design, testing, and rollout of process automations (for example, ticketing integrations, alert routing rules, simple scripts, or low-code workflow automations) under guidance from senior staff - Maintain and update project artifacts such as timelines, status reports, risk/issue logs, and stakeholder communications for security projects - Help define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for security operations (e.g., mean time to acknowledge, mean time to resolve, ticket volumes, automation coverage) - Assist in creating and updating operational documentation, runbooks, and standard operating procedures for automated and manual workflows - Coordinate with cross-functional teams (IT, DevOps, compliance, business units) to gather requirements, schedule meetings, and ensure follow-through on assigned security tasks - Participate in security team standups and project meetings, taking notes, capturing action items, and following up on owners and due dates - Support ad hoc process improvement and continuous-improvement initiatives within the SOC and broader security program Required Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in information security, computer science, information systems, engineering, business, or a related field - Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a structured way - Basic understanding of core cybersecurity concepts (e.g., threats, vulnerabilities, incidents, logging, access control) and interest in security operations - Familiarity with project management concepts (timelines, milestones, dependencies, risks, and status reporting) - Comfort working with spreadsheets and/or basic data manipulation (e.g., sorting, filtering, simple formulas) to help track metrics and tasks - Ability to learn new tools quickly (ticketing systems, project management platforms, collaboration tools, and basic automation/low-code platforms) Preferred Qualifications: - Exposure to project management methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, or Kanban through coursework or previous internships - Experience using project management or work-tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar) in a team environment - Basic scripting or automation experience (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Bash) or familiarity with low-code workflow tools (e.g., Microsoft Power Automate, Zapier, or similar) - Familiarity with SIEM, ticketing, or ITSM tools (e.g., Splunk, Elastic, ServiceNow) is a plus, but not required - Strong attention to detail and an interest in process design, standardization, and continuous improvement Required Skills: Information Security, Cybersecurity Concepts, Project Management Important Skills: Basic Scripting, Data Manipulation Nice-to-Have Skills: Process Improvement, Organizational Skills, Communication Skills, Attention to Detail