Software Engineer Intern

About the Role

Shield AI's Software Development Engineer Intern program spans engineers who design, build, and test the code that powers our autonomous systems. This 10–12 week paid internship provides hands-on mentorship and the opportunity to contribute to a real project using Agile development practices. Interns will work alongside full-time engineers to analyze requirements, write and debug production-quality code, and ship a feature or capability.

Example Intern Projects

• Applications: Build a new feature or internal tool (web, mobile, or desktop) to streamline mission-planning or fleet-management workflows.
• Firmware/Embedded: Develop and debug embedded C/C++ code for a flight controller or sensor module, including bring-up and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Machine Learning: Train, evaluate, and integrate a perception or decision-making model (e.g., object detection, sensor fusion) into an autonomy pipeline.
• Systems Development: Extend a platform tool, API, or data pipeline supporting autonomy software, simulation, or cloud infrastructure.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Proficiency in at least one modern programming language (e.g., C, C++, Python, Java, or JavaScript).
• Solid foundation in data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.
• Experience writing, testing, and debugging code.
• Familiarity with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to mobile or web application frameworks and full-stack development.
• Hands-on experience with embedded systems, microcontrollers, real-time operating systems, or assembly-level debugging.
• Coursework or projects involving machine learning, statistics, probability theory, or deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience with cloud platforms, databases, networking, or distributed systems.
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum development methodologies.
• Prior internship, research, or club/competition experience in robotics, autonomy, or aerospace applications.
• Interest in or exposure to the defense, aerospace, or autonomous systems industry.

Shield AI offers competitive pay and a housing stipend. Interns are responsible for their own housing and travel.