2026 Internship: Digital Business & Data Protection

Our Story

Founded in 2008, Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations. Hightower’s capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their financial vision. Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., we operate as a registered investment advisor (RIA).

Hightower’s Summer Internship Program:

The Information Security team is seeking a Digital Business & Data Protection Intern to support strategic initiatives focused on protecting sensitive business information and improving data governance practices across the organization.

This role is designed for an intern interested in business analysis, project coordination, and data governance within a cybersecurity environment.

The intern will work closely with cybersecurity leadership and business stakeholders to identify, organize, and profile business data, helping build the foundational understanding required for the firm's Data Loss Prevention (DLP) program and broader digital business protection strategy.

Rather than focusing on technical security tools, this role emphasizes understanding how businesses create, use, and protect sensitive information and translating that into structured documentation and project execution.

Key Responsibilities

Business Data Discovery & Profiling

• Work with internal teams to help identify where sensitive business data is created, stored, and shared.
• Assist in organizing and profiling different categories of business data relevant to data protection initiatives.
• Help document data flows across business processes, applications, and teams.
• Support the classification and categorization of sensitive information used across the organization.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Program Support

• Assist in gathering business requirements needed to support the firm's DLP program.
• Help organize information needed to determine appropriate data protection policies and monitoring.
• Support the documentation of data protection use cases across different business functions.
• Assist with consolidating findings from multiple stakeholders into structured project documentation.

Project Coordination & Task Management

• Help track project tasks, milestones, and deliverables across the Digital Business Protection initiative.
• Maintain organized trackers and documentation to support progress across workstreams.
• Assist in coordinating follow-ups with stakeholders to gather missing information required for project execution.
• Support preparation of project summaries and status updates.

Business & Risk Analysis

• Help identify patterns in how business data is handled and where potential risks may exist.
• Assist in organizing insights that support risk awareness and data protection decisions.
• Help translate business process information into structured documentation that supports security initiatives.

Learning Opportunities

This internship provides hands-on exposure to:

• Business-side cybersecurity strategy
• Enterprise Data Loss Prevention programs
• Data governance and information lifecycle management
• Project management within complex corporate initiatives
• Business process analysis and risk identification
• Interns will gain practical experience learning how organizations map, understand, and protect critical business data across systems and teams

The internship will run from June 3, 2026, to August 7, 2026, and is a paid position at $23 per hour.

What You’ll Bring   

Required:

• Current undergraduate or graduate student in Business, Information Systems, Data Analytics, Finance, or related field
• Interest in business analysis, project management, or data governance
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail
• Strong written and communication skills
• Proficiency with Excel or other data organization tools

Preferred

• Interest in cybersecurity or information risk management
• Experience organizing datasets or business information
• Familiarity with project tracking tools (Excel, Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, etc.)
• Ability to structure complex information clearly

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Enjoys understanding how businesses operate and use data
• Likes organizing complex information into structured formats
• Has an interest in risk management, governance, or business strategy
• Is curious about how organizations protect sensitive information
• Is detail-oriented and proactive in gathering and organizing information

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Hightower is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, ancestry, age (over 40), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related), gender identity or expression, genetic information including sickle cell or hemoglobin C trait, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Hightower Advisors, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Securities are offered through Hightower Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/ SIPC.

You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or possess other unrestricted U.S. work authorization and will not require sponsorship for U.S. work authorization now or anytime in the future.