Embedded Software Engineering Intern - 2025 Summer Intern

Introduction to Shield AIFounded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.

Job Description:Our 2025 Summer Internship program is a wonderful opportunity for rising 2026 graduates to immerse themselves in an innovative and mission driven culture. Our 10-week paid internship program will provide you with hands on mentorship, an opportunity to add real contribution to our company via your internship project, and a possible job offer at the end. You will have the chance to make lifelong friendships, expand your network, and learn all about what it's like to work in a high-growth, fast scaling tech unicorn. You'll take part in company sponsored events and enjoy exploring a new city. Read on below to learn more about this unique internship!

The Aircraft Software Engineering organization contributes to this effort by developing real-time software that controls our advanced UAV while in flight. You will write embedded firmware in C/C++, develop tests and reporters in Python, and work cross-functionally with electrical and mechanical engineers to determine software requirements. Help us save lives as we strive to deliver the most highly reliable aerospace hardware in the industry.

10 Week Project Scope & Description:

• The general area will be making contributions to our firmware or flight control software codebase by implementing an end-to-end feature.
• While the specific project scope is not known, it will be derived from our team’s backlog of work. This will ensure that it directly meets business needs.
• The project will be directly related to embedded software development. The intern will work with full-time engineers to design, implement and test their solution.

Required qualifications:

• You are an undergraduate, graduate or PhD student expected to graduate in December 2025 or Spring 2026.
• Pursuing a degree in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science or related STEM field.
• Software development expertise in C++
• Experience with software development on real-time embedded systems (academic or college extracurricular projects are applicable)
• Experience working on multidisciplinary hardware development projects, which can be from an internship, job, club, team, personal project, etc.
• Great written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated history of showing ownership of project outcomes and delivering exceptional results.
• Record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others to high standards, and being kind to others.