Why Intern at CNF? Our 2026 Interns Share Their Experiences

At CNF, an internship is more than an opportunity to gain experience—it’s an opportunity to discover what you’re capable of. Our 12-week, paid internship gives students the chance to step outside the classroom and into the real world of cybersecurity and technology. Interns work on meaningful projects, collaborate with experienced pros, and put the knowledge they’ve gained in school to the test. It’s the kind of experience that turns concepts from a textbook into skills you can actually use.

From the first day, interns are treated as part of the team. Each intern is paired with dedicated mentors who provide guidance, share their expertise, and encourage them to ask questions, try new things, and take on challenges. Along the way, interns gain technical knowledge, professional confidence, and a better understanding of what it means to build a career in the cyber industry. And often, the moments they remember most are the ones that happened when they were simply given the opportunity to jump in and be part of the work.

But the CNF experience extends beyond the work itself. Interns get to know the people behind the technology through team events, ambassador lunches, All-Hands meetings, conversations with leaders, and everyday interactions with their colleagues. They experience our culture, build relationships, and discover that professional growth can—and should—be an experience worth remembering.

Most importantly, we see an internship as a beginning, not an ending. CNF was founded on the belief that great talent can be developed from within, and that philosophy continues today. Our internships are designed to be a launching point—a pathway to bigger opportunities, new experiences, and potentially a career with CNF. The stories from our interns are the best reflection of what makes the program special: real people, real experiences, and real opportunities to grow.

CNF Technologies 2026 Summer Interns' Experiences

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Daniel

University of the Incarnate Word

Computer Information Systems, Programming

318 RANS ICS SCADA Lab Intern

"My internship at CNF this summer exceeded every expectation I had coming in. The moment that defined it for me was how often I got to present our lab. Interest in the work came from all directions, and with visitors from all sorts of agencies coming through, demos became a regular part of my week. At first, it was intimidating to stand up in front of experienced professionals and walk them through what we had built, but it quickly became the thing I looked forward to most. Being trusted to represent the team's work to outside agencies, answer real questions on the spot, and watch people get excited about what we were doing made me feel less like an intern and more like a full member of the team from early on. That sense of ownership and trust is what I'll carry with me, and it's what I'd tell future interns to expect from CNF: you won't be watching from the sidelines, you'll be handed the marker and asked to brief the room."

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Elijah

Texas A & M University

Electrical Engineering

318 RANS ICS SCADA Lab Intern

"My time at CNF this summer has been incredible. Interning in the OT/ICS Lab was an invaluable experience. Being taught by guys like Greg Petty, Nathan Vasquez, Caleb Gamboa, and Brandon Gathright has been one of my favorite learning experiences. I felt like I was able to slide right into the lab and use my skills to provide value to the team, the 318th Range Squadron, and CNF as a whole. From the moment I got there Greg made it imperative to put me in a place to succeed by letting me decide out of the plethora of projects what I should work on that summer. Choosing the EPGS was absolutely the right decision. I learned valuable brainstorming, planning, testing, production, and presentation skills from the whole team. I could not be more pleased with my time and this internship has completely changed my perspective on where I'd like to go in my career. Thank you CNF, for choosing me!"

Nicholas

Army SkillBridge

Cybersecurity, Network Specialist

IRAD Intern

"I began my internship with the CNF Industrial Control Systems (ICS) IRAD Department on June 3, 2026. During the internship, I was immersed in the design, research, and development of industrial control system technologies while gaining valuable experience working alongside engineers and technical professionals. My responsibilities steadily increased throughout the internship, allowing me to apply my military experience and IT background to corporate engineering projects and strengthen both my technical and professional skills. 

During the first several weeks, I completed onboarding activities, received company equipment, and integrated with the IRAD team. I completed the ICS-300 training program and delivered a "Brown Bag" presentation to demonstrate my understanding of the course material. At the same time, I became involved with the Boiler Project, where I began researching methods to incorporate radio frequency (RF) capabilities into an industrial control system. These early experiences provided a strong foundation in industrial control systems, project planning, and professional communication. 

As the internship progressed, I expanded my research into mesh networking technologies and their application within ICS environments. This included studying RF communications, VT SCADA, Python programming, and the architecture of industrial networks. I presented my findings on mesh networking to the engineering team and completed extensive research that contributed to ongoing project development. In addition, I gained a greater understanding of the ERCOT power grid, electrical substations, transformers, and power distribution systems while investigating how these components could be represented within a human-machine interface (HMI). 

Later in the internship, I assumed a larger role in the Boiler Project and shifted my focus toward developing an industrial power distribution simulation using Open PLC Structured Text. The project modeled the operation of a generator, transformer, substation, and residential electrical distribution network. I designed process variables, researched methods for simulating voltage, current, circuit breakers, and load balancing, and worked extensively through debugging and code refinement. Although learning Structured Text presented challenges, the experience significantly improved my programming abilities and understanding of PLC development. 

In parallel with PLC development, I began building the HMI in VT SCADA Light to visualize the simulated power distribution process. By the conclusion of the internship, I had completed a functional rough draft displaying the major system processes and continued refining both the HMI and the underlying control logic. This project combined software development, automation, industrial networking, and electrical system concepts into a comprehensive simulation representative of modern industrial control systems. 

Overall, this internship provided invaluable hands-on experience in industrial automation, control systems engineering, PLC programming, HMI development, industrial networking, technical research, and professional collaboration. Working with the CNF IRAD team allowed me to strengthen my technical problem-solving skills, improve my understanding of real-world engineering practices, and gain confidence in designing and implementing industrial control system solutions. The knowledge and experience gained throughout this internship have significantly prepared me for future opportunities in industrial automation, systems engineering, and cybersecurity within critical infrastructure environments."

Eric

St. Mary's University

Electrical Engineering

IRAD ICS Lab Intern

"My time interning at CNF can be characterized by learning and analyzing systems for project requirements and completion. I remember the first week of the internship, having lunch with the IR&D team, and learning where the project is planning to go and what businesses we were supporting. I felt the team were all stakeholders in the project themselves and invested great consideration into the project planning. I learned how to use ladder logic to program virtualized PLCs, network between virtual machines, and presenting project progress to engineers and senior staff. Though this is the largest company I have worked with, I never felt out of place around senior engineers or members of the C-Suite team. It truly felt like a family.

One thing I would recommend to any future interns is to always say “Yes” to lunch. The lunches bring you great insight into the company, the projects happening in other labs, and allows you to grow your professional network and ask the questions that may help you in finding your future career. I would like to thank Tom Sillence personally for his mentorship during my senior design project, Raymond Downing and Paul Lindsey for their roles in my internship and professional growth, and the IR&D team. It was truly a blessing to partake in this internship and learn what it is like to work for a defense contractor."

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Christopher

Colorado School of Mines

Electrical Engineering

The Front Range Intern

"My time with CNF Technologies has truly been unique. I have been given many opportunities to observe and absorb knowledge I would not be able to get anywhere else. A great example of this was the Cyber Knife Fight event. This internship has also been unique in the fact that it did not follow the standard. Instead of working and supporting one project I was given the opportunity to help with multiple projects that support the OT (Operational Technology), such as improvements on safety or working on procurements for hardware. My mentors and co-workers have also made my time with CNF enjoyable. Everyone I have met has been a pleasure to work with. Overall, this internship was a great experience, and I took lots of knowledge with me from it."

Carlos

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Cybersecurity & IT

HNCD Intern

"My experience with CNF this summer has been amazing. Having the opportunity to work with long-time professionals and asking them questions has helped me gain skills needed to succeed in the workforce. Helping configure servers that were used by the customer and assisting the team has made me feel accomplished during my summer with CNF. " 

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Jonathon

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Cybersecurity

HNCD Intern

"The summer internship experience went great; I had a wonderful time and got to be around some really awesome and knowledgeable people. The IOP team as a whole was very impressive and I'm grateful I got to be a part of it. I don't think there was anything I'd change about the experience, I'd like to think I got as much out of it as I could. Being able to help with the deployment of real-world assets really helped me to feel accomplished regarding this whole experience."

Oliver

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Computer Science and Software Engineering

IRAD CRTTER Intern

"Coming into this internship, I remember being nervous and thinking I might not know enough or have enough experience with cybersecurity and reverse engineering. Throughout the internship however, I learned so much and grew to be so much more comfortable in my understanding of topics and technologies than I thought I would be back when I was just starting. I became a lot more confident in my ability to learn new things and delve into challenges instead of avoiding them. Getting to work with and learn from others in CRTTER and at CNF has really positively influenced my career in tech, how I work on projects, and how I approach new challenges as a whole."

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