[Hiring] Innovation Research & Development Lab Intern @Trace3

Role Description

Trace3 is an innovation partner to more than 2,000 companies and has been growing at a double-digit rate for over a decade. The Trace3 Innovation Team identifies macro technology trends, technology practice areas, use cases, and solutions across the market landscape. Under the general direction of the Senior Director, Research & Development, the Innovation R&D Lab Intern supports the Innovation R&D Lab by building and maintaining Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud environments that support incubator prototypes, proofs of concept, minimum viable products (MVPs), and technical reviews of emerging solutions.

• Build and configure AWS environments from engineer-provided designs, templates, and checklists to support prototypes, proofs of concept, and MVPs.
• Learn core AWS lab standards, such as compute, storage, networking, and identity and access management, with training and guidance from R&D engineers.
• Deploy vendor and open-source technologies under evaluation, including security, identity, data, and AI tools, in lab environments for technical review.
• Prepare test environments, sample data, and basic validation scripts for proofs of concept and technical reviews, and capture the results.
• Automate small, well-scoped lab tasks with scripting, and learn infrastructure as code tools alongside engineers.
• Document build steps, configurations, and lessons learned, with R&D engineers reviewing and owning the final runbooks.
• Track and report resource usage and cost for assigned environments, and shut down or remove resources that are no longer needed.
• Troubleshoot environment issues, and escalate blockers promptly to R&D engineers.
• Observe team meetings, technical reviews, and vendor briefings, and prepare notes with takeaways and follow-up questions.
• Complete a capstone project near the end of the internship, such as a documented test environment for a technology under evaluation, and present it to the team.
• R&D engineers own security, access, and cost controls, and the intern works within them in approved lab accounts only; the intern does not use client data or engage clients or vendors directly without approval.
• May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in the Junior or Senior year of an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
• Candidates should be pursuing a field of study applicable to the Innovation R&D Lab internship, such as computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, or a related field.
• Fundamental understanding of cloud computing concepts, such as virtualization, storage, networking, and the shared responsibility model; coursework or personal projects are acceptable.
• Basic familiarity with Linux, the command line, and at least one scripting language, such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell.
• Hands-on AWS experience or a foundational certification, such as AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, is ideal but not required; training will be provided.
• Familiarity with Git and infrastructure as code tools is a plus.
• Interest in cybersecurity, identity, AI, or agentic technologies is a plus.
• Excellent technical documentation and artifact creation skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better; People and Organizational Health may require a copy of the applicant’s transcript.
• Academic or professional/internship experience working in a professional setting is a plus.
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks and accepts direction on given assignments.
• Willingness to learn new technologies on the job and to ask questions early.
• Self-motivated individuals with a customer mindset and desire to help people.
• Enthusiasm for technical problem solving with attention to detail and strong communication skills.
• Availability to work 40 hours per week throughout the internship.

Requirements

• Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs.
• The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ.
• Certain positions may also be eligible for variable incentive compensation, such as bonuses or commissions, that is not included in the base salary.
• Estimated Pay Range: $18 - $27 USD.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability.
• Competitive Compensation.
• Training and development programs.
• Major offices stocked with snacks and beverages.
• Collaborative and cool culture.
• Work-life balance and generous paid time off.