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Graduate Student Research Intern - Summer 2025

Remote - US

Open Source has taken over the world of software development; however, the largest trade-off still persists: security. Companies spend an enormous amount of time and resources patching and fortifying open source software in order to ship with confidence & compliance. 

Founded by the industry's leading experts on open source software, security and cloud native development, Chainguard has built the largest library of open source software that is secure by default. Customers including Snowflake, Canva, and HPE rely on Chainguard to build securely with open source software across the organization.

Chainguard is the safe source for open source.

About Us

We live and breathe our company values:

We are customer obsessed - Our true advantage is the strength of our relationships with customers through collaboration, empathy, and responsiveness.  We establish trust as we educate, advocate, and listen to their needs.  Our focus is on delivering solutions to our customers that create value and make their lives better. 

We have a bias for intentional action - We’re a start-up and we need to move fast. However we need to move fast through intentional action to make sure we’re able to deliver quickly and efficiently on what is most impactful to our collective success.  We prioritize, plan, try things, and fail fast.  We think about how what we do impacts other teams and communicate our progress - owning the whole solution from start to finish. If we move fast enough, we can make two or three mistakes, learn, and correct them before competitors even make their first decision.

We don’t take ourselves too seriously (but we do serious work) - Though we are solving an important problem which takes focus and a degree of seriousness, we don’t take ourselves too seriously while we do.  We laugh, have fun, embrace uniqueness, and enjoy the journey. Together.

We trust each other and assume good intentions - We hire great team members and trust them to do their work. We’re transparent with data, news, and decisions - positive or negative - to empower team members to make well informed decisions. Showing up for each other fully means we celebrate each other’s accomplishments as well as give compassionate direct feedback when needed.  We always default to assuming good intentions.

Role Overview

Chainguard Labs, a pioneering software supply chain security research lab, is seeking applicants for the Summer 2025 Research Internship. This internship, running from June to August 2025, offers an opportunity for you to contribute to cutting-edge research while being mentored by senior researchers. At Chainguard Labs, we value diversity of thought and experience, and we encourage individuals from underrepresented groups in tech to apply.

As an intern, you will work on three impactful projects: two aligned with Chainguard Labs' ongoing research agenda and one self-directed project, providing you the space to explore your own innovative ideas.

Responsibilities

  • Design and lead research initiatives related to open-source software security. Example topics include improving software supply chain security for Linux distributions and exploring the application of large language models in software engineering.
  • Collaborate closely with interdisciplinary teams across product, engineering, and marketing, contributing your expertise and learning from others’ perspectives.
  • Share your research insights through accessible and clear written reports, articles, and blog posts aimed at both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Current PhD student pursuing research related to software security, software supply chain security, or open-source software security. We welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds who have a passion for software security.
  • Knowledge of software security, with a particular focus on open-source software security. A desire to grow and learn is as valuable as prior experience.
  • Familiarity with open-source ecosystems, Linux distributions, package management, and software vulnerabilities. However, we welcome those new to these areas with an eagerness to learn.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain research findings to diverse audiences.
  • A commitment to applying your research in real-world contexts, and a curiosity about how research can drive innovation in industry.

Hourly rate: $70-75 USD | 40 hours a week

A few of the benefits we offer (for our full time employees):

  • Equity/stock options
  • Unlimited PTO
  • Remote work with flexible coworking and team meetup opportunities
  • Home office and internet stipend
  • 100% health/dental/vision insurance coverage for you and your family
  • Monthly Wellness budget

If your experience is close but doesn’t fulfill all requirements, please apply. Chainguard is on a mission to build the best team. To achieve our goal, we are focused on hiring “Guardians'' with unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Chainguard is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

For US based roles - Chainguard participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employee Form I-9 Information to confirm authorization to work in the U.S. Chainguard, Inc. only uses E-Verify once a candidate has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. If E-Verify cannot confirm that an employee is authorized to work, Chainguard, Inc. will give the employee written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so the employee can begin to resolve the issue before any adverse employment action is taken. For more information about your right to work, please see the Notice of Right to Work.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Chainguard will process your personal data in accordance with Chainguard’s Privacy Policy.

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