Software Development for Data Curation for Vulnerability Detection: 6 Months Internship in Research & Development

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented software development intern to contribute to an innovative project leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect weaknesses in source code. This internship focuses on the collection, preparation, and augmentation of data related to Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of AI models in identifying software vulnerabilities. In this role, you will support critical data collection activities from publicly available vulnerability databases, preprocess and clean the data for analysis, and contribute to developing strategies to enrich the dataset by creating diverse examples for each CWE.

You will work on advancing the capabilities of automated systems to identify software security weaknesses. You will assist in collecting and curating vulnerability data, ensuring its quality and consistency, and researching methods for augmenting the dataset to include more representative entries for each CWE. This role will involve analyzing existing datasets, identifying gaps, and working closely with developers and data scientists to implement and evaluate data augmentation techniques. You will help define approaches for increasing the diversity of training examples, which is critical to improving AI model performance and generalization.

As part of a dynamic team, you will collaborate closely with senior developers and project leads, offering your expertise in prototyping data pipelines, testing preprocessing workflows, and developing strategies to manage data at scale, while gaining invaluable experience in a cutting-edge, technological environment. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of cybersecurity experts, AI researchers, and software engineers, you will gain hands-on experience in combining AI with software security research. We are looking for someone who is ready to take on challenges, learn rapidly, and make a significant mark in the field of security automation.

This internship is a mandatory on-site position at our Princeton, NJ, USA office. Remote work is not available. Siemens offers interns a competitive salary, along with relocation and housing allowances. We also welcome international applicants seeking a J-1 visa (6+ months).

The challenges and responsibilities

Collect and curate data from publicly available vulnerability databases to build high-quality datasets.
Clean and preprocess data to ensure it meets quality standards, addressing inconsistencies and improving data usability for AI training.
Define and implement strategies for data augmentation, enhancing datasets with diverse and representative examples for each Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE).
Collaborate with cybersecurity experts, data scientists and developers to integrate datasets into AI models, enabling accurate identification of source code weaknesses.
Contribute to the development of requirements by proposing data enhancement and augmentation strategies through research and brainstorming sessions.
Maintain clear documentation of data sources, cleaning processes, and augmentation strategies to ensure reproducibility and transparency.
Participate in development cycles, including meetings, iterative development, and design sessions, ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
Work collaboratively with other team members, document learnings and project progress, and regularly present results to the research and consulting team.

Required Knowledge/Skills, Education, and Experience

B.S. in cybersecurity, computer science, data science, or a related subject with a strong cybersecurity focus.
Familiarity with Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) and understanding of their role in software security assessments.
Proficiency in data cleaning, preprocessing, and augmentation techniques, with experience in Python or a similar programming language.
Capability and interest in quick prototyping and experimentation to explore data augmentation strategies.
Hands-on experience in Linux environments, including command-line usage and shell scripting.
Experience with professional software development tools and workflows, such as Git, Jira, or GitLab.
Excellent written and verbal proficiency in English
Successful candidates must be able to work with controlled technology in accordance with US Export Control Law.

US Export Control laws and applicable regulations govern the distribution of strategically important technology, services and information to foreign nationals and foreign countries. Siemens may require candidates under consideration for employment opportunities to submit information regarding citizenship status to allow the organization to comply with specific US Export Control laws and regulations. Additional information on the US Export Control laws & regulations can be found on https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/deemed-exports/deemed-exports-faqs

Preferred:

Pursuing a M.Sc. in cybersecurity, computer science, or data science.
Experience with vulnerability databases, software security, or AI applications in cybersecurity
Knowledge of data collection tools and APIs, with experience in web scraping and data pipeline creation being a strong plus.
Interest in control systems
Effective communication and teamwork skills, essential for collaborating with other interns and project stakeholders.
Eagerness to learn and adapt, with a willingness to delve into new tools and technologies as required by the project.

You’ll benefit from:

Siemens offers a variety of health and wellness benefits to employees. Details regarding our benefits can be found here: https://www.benefitsquickstart.com/siemens/index.html.

The pay range for this position is $32,550 - $55,800. The actual wage offered may be lower or higher depending on budget and candidate experience, knowledge, skills, qualifications, and premium geographic location.

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About Siemens:

We are a global technology company passionate about industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. We build resource-efficient factories, resilient supply chains, smarter buildings and grids, sustainable transportation, and advanced healthcare. Our technology adds real value for customers.

What do we offer?

Our team is part of Siemens Technology (T), which is Siemens’ central Research & Development department. The team is composed of consultants, innovators, engineers, and researchers that unite a passion about cybersecurity and securing our customers’ assets and networks - in domains such as control systems used in energy utilities that are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, smart factories, building automation systems, intelligent transportation systems, healthcare, and innovative new products and solutions developed by Siemens. Our close contact to all our business units in Siemens provides the opportunity to contribute to and gain experience in real industrial applications.

Our research team is in beautiful Princeton, NJ, a university town packed with exceptional international talent that provides a unique feel of this true cultural gem in the state. The town has plenty of activities to offer, but for those looking for more, at just about 1h drive we have NYC or Philadelphia. We have the best public schools in the country and all the above glued together by a very active and welcoming community.

As Siemens’ central Research & Development department, we embrace this community. Our core mission is to support our Siemens business units as a central knowledge hub for all cybersecurity capabilities globally. We research and develop new and innovative solutions, based on much-needed deep technical expertise, and our network with internal and external experts and academia. This allows us to invent new solutions and approaches and verify their feasibility in the “real world” together with the product development teams of our business units – creating a stimulating setup for quick innovation cycles and rapid prototyping.

As an intern in our team, you have the opportunity to experience a professional industrial research team and learn about the unique challenges and opportunities of a career in industrial cybersecurity.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

We appreciate your outstanding identity and perspective. We are fully dedicated to providing equitable opportunities and building a workplace that reflects the diversity of society. Come bring your authentic self and build a better tomorrow with us. Learn more about our dedication to DEI here.

At Siemens, we are fully committed to protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and ensuring the health and well-being of our employees. These principles are deeply ingrained in our Business Conduct Guidelines and corporate strategy.

US Export Control laws and regulations govern the distribution of important technology, services, and information to foreign nationals and countries. Siemens may ask candidates about citizenship status to align with US Export Control laws.

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