PhD Autonomy Engineer Intern, 2027

Description

The company is a US drone maker focused on autonomous flight, and its drones are used by utility inspectors, first responders and soldiers in the field.

The computer vision team builds the algorithms that let drones understand their surroundings, and those algorithms run on every drone the company powers.

This PhD research internship pairs you with one or more members of the core software team, and you take direct ownership of a project that moves the team's capabilities and products forward.

The role suits someone with a solid base in math, theory and software development, plus relevant research, who wants to help build the next generation of autonomy algorithms and ship them in real products.

The company describes its team as diverse and says it is working to grow programs and resources that support an inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

• Enable fast research and development of intelligent systems with autonomous capabilities that go beyond what exists today.
• Research and prototype new approaches, and assess whether they are feasible.
• Design and build new features that give users capabilities they would not otherwise have.
• Measure and characterize the performance of core parts of the software and hardware stack.

Requirements

• You are highly proficient in C++, Python, or both.
• You show clear interest in one or more of these areas: computer vision, deep learning, motion planning, dynamics and controls, 3D graphics, embedded software or firmware, distributed systems, tools and infrastructure, or mobile.
• You have a solid software engineering foundation and write clean, well-structured code.
• You work well in a fast-moving, collaborative small team.

Conditions

The internship is a PhD research position based in the US.

Pay is hourly: $70/hr for PhD students. Undergraduate ($47/hr) and Masters ($53/hr) rates are listed for other levels.

Pay within the range may depend on skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge and experience.

For some positions, pay may depend on the regional location.

This role and its benefits are subject to applicable federal, state and local laws and to company policies and eligibility criteria.

Benefits

• Paid vacation time, paid sick leave and paid holiday pay.
• A 401K savings plan.