Working Student - IT Security Specialist at trivago in Düsseldorf

When travelers are searching for a hotel, we want the obvious choice to be trivago! Our leading metasearch engine is super fast and constantly optimized - enabling millions of travelers to compare hotel prices from hundreds of booking sites and find great deals in just a few clicks. We use cutting-edge technology, real-time auction, and machine learning techniques with petabytes of data to create an experience - time and money saved! In the lively city of Düsseldorf, we seize opportunities to learn everyday, innovate, and make an enduring mark on the travel industry. At trivago you will find those who aren’t afraid of change but rather embrace it, turning every challenge into a pathway for growth. Join trivago, work with a great team, and grow with us!

Join us in making a difference

As part of our IT Security team, you’ll help protect trivago’s systems, data, and users where cybersecurity meets artificial intelligence. Working closely with Engineering, Data, and AI teams, you’ll support how we securely adopt new AI-powered tools across the company. In this working student role (20 hours per week), you’ll gain hands-on experience of how a fast-moving tech company secures its AI systems in practice. You’ll support real security assessments of AI and machine learning tools, help investigate emerging risks like prompt injection and data leakage, and contribute ideas that shape how trivago uses AI responsibly. You’ll learn from experienced security professionals, while your curiosity and ideas have real influence. trivago is a place where ambition and support go hand in hand: we hold high standards and genuinely invest in each other’s growth.

If you’re excited about where AI and security meet, we’d love to hear from you.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Support the evaluation, security testing, and risk assessment of AI and machine learning tools and AI-driven product features.
• Help monitor AI-powered features for threats such as prompt injection, data leakage, and model misuse.
• Assist in researching emerging AI security threats, attack techniques, and industry best practices.
• Contribute to internal guidelines and documentation for the secure use of AI tools.
• Create, test, and review AI skills and MCP (Model Context Protocol) configurations for secure internal use.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Data, and Security colleagues on AI-related security initiatives.

What you'll need to thrive:

• Currently enrolled at a German university (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung required).
• Studying computer science, IT security, or a related field, with a genuine interest in how AI systems can be attacked, misused, or secured.
• A basic understanding of security fundamentals such as common vulnerabilities, threat modeling, or secure system design; familiarity with the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications or basic scripting (e.g. Python) is a plus.
• A genuine learning mindset: you approach challenges with curiosity, seek out feedback, and continuously look for ways to develop and grow.
• A performance mindset: you set ambitious goals for yourself and have the determination and resilience to follow through and achieve them.
• An open and curious mindset toward AI tools: you’ve experimented with LLMs or AI assistants and enjoy exploring how they can enhance your work, and how they can be broken.

Not ticking every box? We still want to hear from you. Apply, tell us what motivates you, and you could be a great match—now or in the future. Your application does not need to include a photo.

Recruiting process for this student position:

- Step 1: Asynchronous video interview

- Step 2: Technical interview with the team

Want to know more about life at trivago? Check out what our colleagues say on kununu and Glassdoor.

What you can look forward to

As you grow, so do we.
This is why at trivago, we prioritize your development, offer personalized coaching through Nilo, and provide workshops, educational meetups, conferences, free online learning courses, and access to a fully-equipped campus library.

Life happens.
We offer self-determined vacation (with a minimum of 25 vacation days), flexible working hours, up to 2 work from home days weekly. Additionally you can work remotely from a different location, within Germany or selected countries abroad for up to 20 days per year. You also get free access to the Heycare platform for personalized nanny assistance, and an on-campus kids room.

Enjoy your office days.
Use your daily canteen budget to share lunch with colleagues in our canteen, help yourself to complimentary snacks and drinks in our kitchens, choose from a variety of fitness options with our on-site gym, sports classes, and Urban Sports Club membership, and enjoy the comfort of ergonomic desks and focused work areas.