Backend Engineer Intern - Placement Year 2026

Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

About Us:

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.

How We Work:

At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values: 

Bold in how we dream and innovate

Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities

Accountable for results and best in class outcomes

Visionary in future focused problem-solving

Exceptional in execution and impact

The Role:

You will be joining at an exciting time, as the team prepares to scale the Tessian product following the Proofpoint acquisition. Tessian protects every business’s mission by securing the human layer.
 

We’re building intelligent security that works for human beings as they are, not how security policies would like them to be. The Tessian Cloud Email Security platform helps enterprises defend against email attacks, protect against data loss, and respond to security incidents more efficiently. Using machine learning technology, Tessian automatically predicts and eliminates advanced threats on email caused by human error, such as data exfiltration, accidental data loss, business email compromise, and phishing attacks .
 

We’re growing and are looking for new team members to help us build something special. Having found exceptional product/market fit for our category-defining Human Layer Security software platform, we’re looking to capitalize on the huge demand for our product.

What you’ll do:

• Work with Python 3 and AWS to build and evolve backend services and distributed systems that handle large volumes of data efficiently.
• Collaborate within a cross-functional team to deliver high-quality features and improvements that provide real value to customers.
• Apply a product-aware mindset when designing and implementing solutions, understanding how your work impacts users and the wider platform.
• Contribute to a positive, supportive team environment through constructive feedback, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.
• Help maintain and support business-critical systems, balancing reliability, performance, and cost.
• Work with highly sensitive data, following best practices for security, privacy, and compliance.
• Participate in technical discussions and design reviews, contributing ideas and learning from more experienced engineers.
• Take ownership of well-scoped pieces of work and see them through from development to production with support from the team.

What you bring to the team:

• Backend software development (our codebase is Python, but we’re open to candidates transitioning from Java or similar languages).
• exposure to AWS or other public cloud platforms.
• A product-focused mindset, with an understanding of how engineering decisions affect customers and the business.
• Ability to identify issues, ask good questions, and contribute to solutions proactively.
• Comfortable working within established technical direction while growing your own design and ownership skills.
• Willingness to share knowledge and learn from others in a collaborative team setting.
• Solid problem-solving skills and the ability to break down complex problems into manageable tasks.
• Clear, thoughtful communication skills, both written and verbal, when working with engineers and non-engineers alike.

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:

• Competitive compensation

• Comprehensive benefits

• Career success on your terms

• Flexible work environment

• Annual wellness and community outreach days

• Always on recognition for your contributions

• Global collaboration and networking opportunities

Our Culture:

Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.

We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to [email protected].

How to Apply

Interested? Submit your application along with any supporting information- we can’t wait to hear from you!