Early Career AI Engineer, Intern

Rakuten • Bellevue, WA

2d • $30 - $50 • Onsite

About The Position

Rakuten International is seeking an innovative and dedicated Software Engineer to join the Rakuten AI User Experience team. The team aims to make Rakuten AI a personal, contextual companion and the AI core of the Rakuten ecosystem, connecting Rakuten services and users. This role contributes to the AI user experience framework that will serve as a foundation across Rakuten products, with a focus on building flexible, scalable, and engaging experiences using modern technologies.

The position is designed for an early-career engineer and welcomes candidates from diverse software engineering backgrounds, including those without direct AI experience. Rakuten offers mentorship and resources to support growth in AI. The work is expected to have a direct impact on company objectives and to make the successful candidate a genuine member of the team.

The role is onsite at least four days per week in Bellevue, Washington; it is not remote. The position is expected to last six months. The posted hourly rate is $30–$50, with individual compensation varying according to job-related factors and business need.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and experience with at least one modern front-end framework such as React, Angular, or Vue.
• Proficiency in back-end development, including knowledge of server-side languages such as C#, Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby, or PHP; familiarity with RESTful APIs and web development frameworks.
• Knowledge of data schema design and database management, including relational databases such as MySQL or PostgreSQL and/or NoSQL databases such as MongoDB or Cassandra.
• Proficiency in debugging and problem-solving across front-end and back-end systems.
• Ability to write clean, maintainable code and follow coding standards and best practices.
• Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies and respond to changing project requirements.
• Experience with testing practices, including unit, integration, and end-to-end testing.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with AI-related projects or products is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable, high-performing front-end and back-end web application features.
• Create intuitive, responsive AI user interfaces using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a modern front-end framework such as React, Angular, or Vue.
• Build server-side logic and APIs using technologies such as Node.js, Python, Java, or Ruby.
• Build a flexible, scalable Agentic AI framework using popular AI tools such as LangChain.
• Design and manage data schemas and databases to support efficient data storage and retrieval.
• Integrate external APIs and third-party services as needed.
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests; troubleshoot issues and resolve bugs across the application.
• Optimize application code, databases, and server configurations to improve performance, reduce latency, and increase efficiency.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern