Tax Intern

We are looking for a highly motivated and detail-oriented Tax Intern to join Fortinet, Inc.’s Tax Department. This is an in-office position and requires the intern to work from our Sunnyvale office. Unlike a traditional accounting firm role, this in-house position offers a front-row seat to the financial operations of a fast-paced technology company. In this role, we encourage the utilization of AI and data automation tools to accelerate technical tax research, streamline notice management, and enhance the accuracy of audit-ready workpapers.

Key Responsibilities

• Tax Compliance & Financial Reporting
  • Assist in the preparation of the U.S. Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1120) and various state and local (SALT) filings.
  • Help calculate and document quarterly estimated tax payments.
  • Assist with preparation indirect tax returns, including sales/use tax, VAT/GST, and CAT filings
  • Assist with audit projects by gathering supporting documentation, preparing schedules ,and responding to audit information requests
• Tech-Sector Specialized Projects
• R&D Tax Credit: Gather documentation from engineers or product teams to support Research & Development tax credit claims.
• Tax notice/audit: Support the Tax Department in managing and resolving formal inquiries, notices, and audits from federal, state, and international tax authorities. 
• Tax Operations & Automation
  • Learn to extract the clean financial data from our ERP system (e.g., Oracle) and Vertex for use in tax workpapers.
  • Learn to Utilize data visualization and automation tools (e.g., Alteryx or Tableau) to streamline repetitive compliance tasks.
  • Collaborate with Accounting, Finance, AP, AR and IT teams on tax-related matters
  • Support implementation and testing of tax engine and system updates

Qualifications & Skills

• Educational Background: 
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Taxation, or Finance or recently graduated (May/June 2026). (CPA-track preferred).
• Technical Prowess: 
  • Proficiency in MS Excel (e.g., Pivot Tables and VLOOKUPs, and other formulas).
  • Exposure to data analytics tools (Alteryx) is a significant plus.
• Core Competencies: 
  • Senior pursuing Accounting/Finance or recently graduated (May/June 2026). A basic understanding of GAAP (General Accepted Accounting Principles).
  • Ability to translate complex tax concepts into "plain English" for non-tax stakeholders.
  • Attention to detail—accuracy is paramount in tax reporting.

What We Offer

• Direct Impact: Work on projects that influence the company’s effective tax rate and bottom line.
• Mentorship: Regular 1-on-1s with experienced Tax Professionals and exposure to senior finance leadership.

Fortinet offers employees a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, 401(k), 11 paid holidays, vacation time, and sick time as well as a comprehensive leave program. Wage ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, and job level. Earnings for this position are expected to be $20 - $24/hour. Exact salary offers will be determined by factors such as the candidate's subject knowledge, skill level, qualifications, experience, and geographic location. All roles are eligible to participate in the Fortinet equity program, Bonus eligibility is reviewed at time of hire and annually at the Company’s discretion.