Instrumentation Engineer

About Nominal

Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems. We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers.

The Role

We are looking for students interested in a 12-week Summer 2027 internship, on track to graduate in Summer 2028 or sooner. As an Instrumentation intern, you will work at the boundary between software and physical test hardware, integrating Nominal solutions in real test stands, hardware instrumentation stacks, and live control systems. You will write code that talks directly to hardware and see your work show up in customer test campaigns within weeks.

Key Responsibilities

• Write reliable and performant Python and/or Rust-based software to interface with customer hardware using PyVISA, broad-base industrial protocols, and proprietary vendor SDKs (NI-DAQmx, LabJack, Dewesoft).
• Automate data collection and control processes across hardware test environments.
• Contribute new drivers and instruments to our open-source instrumentation library (instro).
• Work on-site with engineers to get test setups running and troubleshoot hardware-software integrations live.
• Take ownership of a scoped hardware ↔ software integration project from start to finish, with mentorship.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Graduation by Summer 2028 and openness to a full-time role afterward.
• Hands-on experience with data acquisition systems, test instruments (power supplies, eLoads, DMMs, oscilloscopes), embedded hardware, or industrial controllers (through coursework, research, or projects).
• Strong Python and/or Rust fundamentals.
• Comfort reading hardware manuals and communication protocol specifications.
• Prior experience contributing to open source or building hardware abstraction layers.
• Strong interest in developing software that dictates how high-impact electro-mechanical systems behave.
• Described by peers as ambitious, resourceful, resilient, and persistent.

Benefits/Perks

• Mentorship from our world-class team.
• Trips to co-locate with the team across offices.
• Free lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks.
• Swag bag and intern gift.
• In-office hardware lab with a $250 project stipend.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a:

• U.S. citizen or national.
• U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder).
• Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157.
• Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.