Security Services Intern

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative is one of Virginia’s largest distribution cooperatives, providing electric service to 184,000 members across 22 counties in Virginia. The Security Services department is responsible for strengthening the physical security and operational resilience of REC’s substations and facilities. This includes consolidating site information, improving accessibility of critical data, maintaining accurate documentation, and supporting the development of secure, centralized systems used across the organization. REC seeks an intern to support a major project focused on enhancing the security, organization, and accessibility of substation information.

How you will make an impact
The intern will support the creation of comprehensive site summaries by gathering and organizing location photos, compiling property maps, and assisting with GIS tasks. They will input, structure, and maintain data within the new Convergent system to ensure key substation information is accessible remotely. Additional responsibilities include organizing materials to build a centralized resource for team members, assisting with research on substations and risk classifications, and contributing to improved efficiency, accuracy, and usability of departmental documentation.

About this Role
This internship is ideal for students interested in physical security, project management, utilities, or organizational systems. No specific major is required; however, students studying criminal justice, security, or project management may find the work particularly meaningful. The intern will gain hands-on industry experience, develop communication and project management skills, and receive exposure to security operations within a large electric utility.
The internship is designed to support both the intern’s professional development and the department’s growing workload. This role also gives staff members opportunities to gain supervisory and mentoring experience.

What You will be doing
The internship is designed to last at least one semester, with the possibility of continuing for additional semesters based on project needs. Because the full project may take up to a year, scheduling is flexible, and the position may be part-time or full-time depending on the student’s availability.

The intern will support substation operations by collecting and maintaining site data, preparing research and written summaries, coordinating meetings with internal and external stakeholders, assisting substation crews and safety, security, design, and dispatch teams, collaborating across REC divisions, and contributing to efforts to consolidate critical site information into a secure platform. The intern will have access to office space, equipment, and all required resources.

Required skills include:
• Excellent driving record
• Basic computer skills. Familiarity with Excel, PowerPoint, and photo-editing software
• Strong communication and organizational abilities
Requirements
• Interest in criminal justice, security, operations, or project management (preferred)
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and within teams
• Reliable, detail-oriented, and highly motivated
• Willingness to collaborate across multiple divisions
 

While this is an unpaid internship, participants will gain valuable experience through involvement in a high-impact security project, cross-department collaboration, and industry networking opportunities.