June 2027 Co-Op - Software Engineer Intern

Shield AI•Washington, DC

2d•$37 - $97

About The Position

Shield AI’s Software Development Engineer Intern program offers interns the opportunity to help design, build, and test software for autonomous systems, including user-facing applications, embedded flight software, machine learning models, and systems platforms. During the 10–12-week program, interns work alongside full-time engineers to analyze requirements, write and debug production-quality code, and deliver a feature or capability using Agile development practices. Example projects include building web, mobile, or desktop features and internal tools; developing and debugging embedded C/C++ for flight controllers or sensor modules; training, evaluating, and integrating perception or decision-making models; and extending platform tools, APIs, or data pipelines supporting autonomy software, simulation, or cloud infrastructure. The paid internship includes mentorship, a project contributing to the company, company-sponsored events, presentations from company leaders, social and networking opportunities, and the possibility of a job offer at the end. Interns may be eligible for a relocation stipend and a housing stipend for qualified hires, and are eligible for paid company holidays. Interns are responsible for finding their own housing and arranging travel to and from their office location.

Requirements

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
Proficiency in at least one modern programming language, such as C, C++, Python, Java, or JavaScript.
Solid foundation in data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.
Experience writing, testing, and debugging code through coursework, personal projects, or prior internships.
Familiarity with version control, such as Git, and collaborative development workflows.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to break down ambiguous requirements into working code.
Effective written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate in a team environment.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to mobile or web application frameworks and full-stack development.
Hands-on experience with embedded systems, microcontrollers, real-time operating systems, or assembly-level debugging.
Coursework or projects involving machine learning, statistics, probability theory, or deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
Experience with cloud platforms, databases, networking, or distributed systems.
Familiarity with Agile/Scrum development methodologies.
Prior internship, research, or club/competition experience in robotics, autonomy, or aerospace applications.
Interest in or exposure to the defense, aerospace, or autonomous systems industry.

Responsibilities

Analyze software requirements and turn them into working code.
Write, test, and debug production-quality code alongside full-time engineers.
Deliver a real software feature or capability using standard Agile development practices.
Depending on the project, build application features or tools, develop embedded software, integrate machine-learning models, or extend platform tools, APIs, and data pipelines.