About the role#
As a PhD Intern on the Security team, you will work on projects designed to improve the security of Figma’s platform, product, or infrastructure. You will work alongside a mentor and teammates to apply your research background to real-world security challenges. This role involves partnering with teams across the company to focus on systemic security improvements, risk reduction, and operational tasks such as security reviews, consulting, and incident response. This is a 12 or 16-week internship starting in May or June 2027.
What you'll do#
- Perform technical security assessments, code audits, and design reviews.
- Design and develop solutions to prevent or mitigate security vulnerabilities.
- Lead and support security investigations.
- Develop datasets, tooling, and analysis to assist with incident scoping and root cause analysis.
- Translate threat intelligence into action to prioritize detection coverage and harden high-risk surfaces.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment as a 4th or 5th year senior PhD student in a Computer Science program with a focus in Security or a related field.
- Proficiency in at least one general-purpose coding language.
- A track record in applying security techniques to projects in academia or industry.
- Domain knowledge in areas such as AI Safety, Usable security, Anti-abuse, Anti-fraud, or detection and response.
- Knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design.
- Experience solving complex problems and comparing alternative solutions.
Location & details#
- This is a full-time, paid internship.
- The role is based on-site in either San Francisco, California, or New York, New York.
- Sponsorship is not provided for this position.
About Figma
Figma operates in the design services industry. It provides a platform for collaborative design work. The company started in 2012 and maintains its headquarters in San Francisco, California. It employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people. The organization remains privately held.
How to get in at Figma
Applying early gives you a distinct advantage at Figma because recruiters review applications before the pile grows. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you can be among the first to submit your materials. This timing often determines whether your resume gets a second look or remains in the queue. You can reach out to recruiters directly to ask about the role or a referral, which materially improves your response rates. Intern Insider surfaces the specific recruiters behind Figma roles so you can make that connection. Using these direct channels helps you stand out in a competitive process.
