Student Assistant Internship; HESC

Duties Description

Under the direction of Information Technology Specialist 4, within the HESC Dedicated Team the position will be involved with modernizing legacy systems that support educational services across New York State.

Under the direction of Information Technology Specialist 4, within the HESC Dedicated Team the position will be involved with modernizing legacy systems that support educational services across New York State.

• Support the Senior Cybersecurity Officer in assessing and strengthening the agency’s cybersecurity posture in alignment with New York State cybersecurity policies, standards, and risk management guidelines, including participation in security reviews, documentation, and remediation tracking.
• Assist with cybersecurity initiatives such as vulnerability tracking, access reviews, secure development practices, and awareness of data protection standards to help ensure applications, integrations, and data platforms meet state security and compliance requirements.

• Participate in initiatives to assess, document, and modernize existing legacy systems.
• Support application modernization projects that transition older technologies to current platforms.
• Contribute to business transformation programs aimed at improving operational efficiency.
• Gain exposure to the technical and strategic challenges of large-scale system migrations.

• Research emerging technology trends, including AI, automation, and cloud solutions.
• Evaluate how new technologies AI/ML can be applied to modernization efforts.
• Provide analysis and recommendations on tools and approaches that could enhance current operations.
• Help identify opportunities where innovation can address long‑standing technical challenges.

• Support leadership in developing Business Intelligence (BI) reports and dashboards.
• Assist in data analysis to provide insights that inform technology and business decisions.
• Help translate business requirements into reporting solutions.
• Contribute to creating visibility into system performance and operational metrics.

• Collaborate with technical teams, business analysts, and project stakeholders.
• Document existing systems, processes, and technical specifications.
• Participate in planning sessions and contribute ideas for improvement.
• Support day‑to‑day technology operations and problem‑solving efforts.

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Data Analytics, or related field (required).
• Recent graduates or students in their final year are encouraged to apply.

• 1‑2 years of relevant experience in technology, IT operations, or related field (preferred but not mandatory).
• Academic projects, internships, or coursework demonstrating technical foundation are valuable.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook).
• Familiarity with data analysis, reporting tools, or BI platforms (Tableau, Power BI, or similar) is a plus.
• Understanding of databases, programming concepts, or systems architecture is helpful.
• Interest in learning about both legacy and modern technology stacks.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies including AI/ML concepts is advantageous.

• Self‑motivated learner with patience and persistence to work through complex technical challenges.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities—comfort with ambiguity is essential.
• Good communication skills to work across technical and non‑technical teams.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Practical mindset focused on finding workable solutions to real‑world problems.
• Genuine interest in understanding how technology serves NY State Gov mission.

• Hands‑on exposure to the realities of enterprise IT transformation in a large organization.
• Experience with both legacy technologies and modern solutions—a unique combination highly valued in the industry.
• Understanding of the…