Electrical Engineering Intern
About The Position
As an Electrical Engineering Intern on the Counter-UAS team, you will contribute to the design, development, and testing of RF and electronic hardware for systems that detect, track, and defeat unmanned aircraft. You will work alongside engineers across RF front-end design, PCB design, firmware, and production engineering, supporting hardware bring-up, test-equipment development, test software, and troubleshooting across the lifecycle from prototype to production. The role provides close mentorship from experienced RF and hardware engineers and the opportunity to apply academic training to a fielded defense product. This position works onsite in the San Diego office. It involves work in office, lab, and light manufacturing or test environments, with occasional support for outdoor field testing. The role requires access to ITAR- and/or EAR-regulated information. Applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the applicable regulations or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.
Requirements
- Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Coursework or project experience in one or more of the following areas: RF/microwave circuits, antennas, or electromagnetics; analog and digital circuit design; embedded systems, FPGA, or software-defined radio; PCB design and assembly.
- Familiarity with communication interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART, USB, or Ethernet.
- Basic programming experience in Python, C, C++, or C#.
- Hands-on exposure to lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and power supplies.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
- Effective communication skills and ability to work well in a team.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with RF test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, VNAs, and signal generators.
- Familiarity with RF concepts such as S-parameters, impedance matching, noise figure, gain, and link budgets.
- PCB design experience in Altium or a similar ECAD tool.
- Experience with SDR platforms such as USRP, HackRF, or PlutoSDR, or with GNU Radio/MATLAB signal processing.
- Soldering, rework, and prototyping skills.
- Experience with Git, test automation, or instrument control such as PyVISA or SCPI.
- Interest in RF systems, electronic warfare, aerospace, or defense.
- Demonstrated initiative, accountability, and willingness to learn.
- Ability to manage time effectively and adapt in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Responsibilities
- Assist in the design, bring-up, and debugging of RF and mixed-signal PCBAs, including RF front-end circuits such as LNAs, filters, power amplifiers, and switches.
- Perform RF measurements and characterization using spectrum analyzers, signal generators, vector network analyzers, and power meters.
- Help develop and maintain automated test software in Python, C/C++, or C# for hardware validation and production testing.
- Support the design, build, and calibration of development and production test fixtures and stations.
- Assist with schematic capture, layout reviews, and design documentation in Altium.
- Support firmware integration and testing on embedded processors and SDR/FPGA-based hardware.
- Participate in creating test plans, verifying requirements, and conducting environmental and performance testing.
- Assist production engineering with failure analysis, yield improvement, and resolving manufacturing issues.
- Learn and apply engineering best practices, configuration management, and documentation standards.
- Collaborate with systems, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams.
- Perform other related duties as assigned to support ongoing engineering efforts.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- 401(k) with company matching.
- 9/80 work schedule.
- Paid holiday shutdown.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
