Intern - Software Engineer, AI User Experience

Rakuten • San Mateo, CA

5d

About The Position

Rakuten is seeking an innovative and dedicated Software Engineer Intern to join its AI User Experience team. Rakuten AI aims to serve as an AI companion and the AI core of the Rakuten ecosystem, connecting Rakuten services and users to improve customer experiences worldwide. The role contributes to the AI user experience foundation across Rakuten products by developing an innovative, scalable framework and immersive user experiences using modern technologies.

The intern will help build and maintain web applications across the front end and back end, develop AI user experiences and services, and contribute to a flexible, scalable agentic AI framework. The work also includes database design and management, integrations with APIs and third-party services, testing and debugging, and application performance optimization. Applicants from diverse fields are welcome, including those without direct AI experience; Rakuten offers mentorship and resources to support growth in AI-related areas.

Rakuten describes its internship program as providing meaningful work with an impact on company objectives, professional development workshops, interactions with leadership, and opportunities to build relationships with other interns and professionals.

Requirements

• Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and experience with at least one modern front-end framework such as React, Angular, or Vue.
• 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, well-organized code and follow coding standards and best practices.
• Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies and respond to changing project requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 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 features for web applications.
• Create intuitive and responsive AI user interfaces using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a modern 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 and scalable agentic AI framework using popular AI toolsets 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 stack.
• Optimize application code, databases, and server configurations to improve performance and reduce latency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern