Recently postedRemoteCo opTechnology

Information Security Analyst Co-op (Winter 2027)

MagnetforensicsWaterloo / Ottawa / Ontario🇨🇦Canada

Quick overview

SalaryC$23 - C$35/hr

SeniorityMid Senior

Employment typeCo Op

Work modeRemote

LocationWaterloo / Ottawa / Ontario, Canada

EncryptionTCP/IPBackground ChecksBashCDNComplianceDNSIoTLLMPowerShellPythonTriageGenerative AIJiraNetwork Administration

Job description

Who We Are; What We Do; Where We’re Going

Magnet Forensics is a global leader in the development of digital investigative software that acquires, analyzes, and shares evidence from computers, smartphones, tablets, and IoT-related devices. We are continually innovating so our customers can deploy advanced and effective tools to protect their companies, communities, and countries.

Serving thousands of customers globally, our solutions are playing a crucial role in modernizing digital investigations, helping investigators fight crime, protect assets, and guard national security.

With employees based around the world, Magnet Forensics has been expanding our global presence. As a part of Magnet Forensics, you can expect to make a difference in the world, no matter what role you play. You’ll be supported through learning and development, not to mention an incredible team with unbelievable talent and integrity.

If you think you would be the right person to join our team working towards this goal, we would love to hear from you!

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director, Cyber Security Operations, this co-op role operates across security operations, network engineering, and AI-driven automation.

This is a hands-on role where you will work directly with real security alerts, incidents, network systems, and operational workflows. In parallel, you will help design and build automation and AI-assisted solutions that reduce manual work, improve investigation quality, and strengthen how security and network operations are executed day-to-day.

Why This Role

Work with real alerts, tickets, logs, and enterprise infrastructure
Gain hands-on experience across both security operations and networking
Build AI copilots, automations, and workflows that solve real operational problems
Contribute to improving investigation quality and reducing analyst workload
Help shape safe and practical enterprise use of AI

What You Will Accomplish

Security Operations

Monitor and triage alerts across SIEM, endpoint, email, identity, and access systems
Investigate phishing, malware, suspicious logins, and security events
Collect evidence, validate findings, and clearly document investigations
Escalate incidents and coordinate with IT and other teams
Support vulnerability tracking, remediation validation, and advisory monitoring
Assist with access reviews, account changes, and security controls

Network Operations and Engineering

Monitor network performance, availability, and connectivity
Troubleshoot issues across LAN, WAN, VPN, and wireless environments
Assist with configuration of switches, routers, and network devices
Support network changes and maintain diagrams and documentation
Investigate network-related alerts and assist during outages or disruptions

Network Controls, Security, and Audit Support

Support segmentation reviews and validation of trust boundaries
Assist with firewall rule reviews and IPS tuning validation
Validate access controls and permissions against requirements
Support logging, monitoring validation, and dashboard review
Review VPN and remote access configurations
Assist with vulnerability remediation related to network infrastructure
Maintain documentation and support audit readiness and evidence collection

Ticketing, Workflow, and Documentation

Create, update, and close tickets across security and network activities
Maintain clear, structured, and audit-ready documentation in Jira
Track remediation efforts and follow up on outstanding items
Improve workflow consistency, categorization, and documentation quality

AI, Automation, and Operational Improvement (Core Focus)

Build automations to reduce repetitive work (ticket creation, enrichment, correlation, deduplication)
Develop AI-assisted workflows for triage, summarization, and investigation support
Create repeatable templates, prompt patterns, and investigation frameworks
Improve documentation quality and consistency using structured approaches
Evaluate AI limitations (hallucinations, missing evidence, overconfidence) and implement safeguards
Support AI-driven monitoring and operations tooling
Work with real data (alerts, logs, tickets) to improve operational efficiency

AI Projects (depending on term length and focus)

You may work on one or more of the following:

AI-assisted ticket triage and enrichment
- Standardize how alerts are converted into structured incident records
- Improve consistency, speed, and accuracy of investigations
- Investigation quality rubric and feedback loop
  - Define what “good” investigation output looks like
  - Create scoring and improvement mechanisms for analysts and AI outputs
  - Copilot / agent for SOC workflows
    - Build a small agent that performs a real task end-to-end (summarize, recommend actions, generate tickets)
    - Focus on reliability, guardrails, and measurable time savings
    - Safe enterprise AI playbook
      - Define guidelines for AI usage, data handling, and risk prevention
      - Help reduce data leakage and unsafe usage patterns

What You’ll Learn

How enterprise security and network operations are run in practice
How to investigate real incidents and document work in an audit-ready way
How infrastructure, security, and business systems intersect
How automation and AI improve efficiency and reduce manual work
How governance, controls, and compliance apply in real environments

What We Are Looking For

What We’re Looking For

Education

Enrolled in Cybersecurity, Networking, Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related program

Core Technical Skills

Understanding of security fundamentals (authentication, access control, encryption, threats)
Knowledge of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, routing, switching)
Familiarity with security or network tools (SIEM, Wireshark, Packet Tracer, etc.)
Basic troubleshooting skills across systems or networks

Scripting and Data Skills

Python (preferred) for automation and data handling
Basic Bash or PowerShell knowledge
Comfort working with logs, alerts, or semi-structured data

AI / Automation Experience (Strongly Preferred)

Experience building or experimenting with AI/LLM-based solutions
Exposure to automation, workflows, or integrations
Interest in applying AI to real operational problems
Understanding of risks such as data leakage or incorrect outputs

Preferred Indicators

Participation in CTFs, labs, or technical competitions
Personal or academic projects in security, networking, or automation
Experience building tools that solve real problems (not just demos)
Interest in how systems operate in real enterprise environments

Success Criteria

Able to independently triage and document lower-severity alerts and issues
Demonstrates strong understanding of networking and security fundamentals
Ships at least one automation or AI-driven improvement that reduces manual work
Improves investigation quality, consistency, or workflow efficiency
Demonstrates strong judgment, including validating AI outputs and escalating when needed

Compensation & Benefits

At Magnet Forensics, we are committed to fair and consistent pay practices for our student roles. Hourly pay is determined using standardized, non-negotiable salary bands based on academic progression and the number of official completed work terms recognized by your academic institution.

$23.33 - $35.18 (Currency i.e. “CDN”) an hour

Salary range (min - max)

Position Type: Current Vacancy

Indicators of Success

We’re looking for someone who checks off most, but not all, of the boxes listed in “skills and experiences”. It’s more important to us to find candidates who can display indicators of success through skills they have developed and experiences they have been a part of, than to find folks who have “been there, done that”. We want to be part of your development journey, and we’ll learn as much from you as you learn from us.

How We Work

At Magnet Forensics, we take a hybrid-flexible approach to support your productivity and work-life balance. If you’re within a comfortable travel distance to one of our offices, you’ll occasionally join us in person. How often you’ll come in depends on your department and team needs, typically ranging from weekly to monthly. These in-person moments help us build stronger connections, spark new ideas, and celebrate our successes together. Most days, you can choose what works best for you, while staying in tune with your team’s goals.

We’re excited to welcome you to our team and look forward to achieving great things together - both in the office and wherever you work best!

The Most Important Thing

We’re looking for candidates that can provide examples of how they have demonstrated Magnet CODE in their previous experiences:

CARE – We care about each other and our mission to make a difference in the world.

OWN – We are accountable for our results – while never forgetting to act with integrity, empathy, and respect.

DEDICATE – We put our heart and soul into meeting the needs of our customers and helping them serve the people they protect.

EVOLVE – We are constantly innovating and exploring new ways to work together to make an impact with our work.

Here at Magnet Forensics, we are committed to continuous learning and are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. This commitment will be reflected in our hiring processes and embedded in our values and how we treat one another. If you’re interested in this role, but do not meet all of the qualifications listed above, we encourage you to apply anyways.

Magnet Forensics is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis forbidden under federal, provincial, or local law. We are committed to providing an inclusive, accessible recruitment process and work environment. Accommodation is available to all applicants upon request throughout the hiring process. Please contact aoda@magnetforensics.com should you require any accommodations.

All offers of employment at Magnet are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check. All background checks will be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws. Magnet will consider each position’s job duties, among other factors, in determining what constitutes satisfactory completion of the background check. Refusal to consent to a background check may be grounds for revoking an offer of employment.

US Applicants: Magnet Forensics participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Magnet Forensics handles and uses personal data of job applicants in line with its Recruitment Privacy Policy found here.