June 2027 Co-Op - Software Engineer Intern

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.

Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies.

The Summer Internship program is a wonderful opportunity for Fall and Spring graduates to immerse themselves in an innovative and mission-driven culture.

About the Role

Shield AI's Software Development Engineer Intern program spans engineers who design, build, and test the code that powers autonomous systems , from user-facing applications and embedded flight software to machine learning models and the underlying systems platforms that tie it all together.

Over 10–12 weeks, interns work alongside full-time engineers to analyze requirements, write and debug production-quality code, and ship a real feature or capability using standard Agile development practices.

Example Intern Projects:

• Applications: Build a new feature or internal tool (web, mobile, or desktop) that streamlines a mission-planning or fleet-management workflow.
• Firmware/Embedded: Develop and debug embedded C/C++ code for a flight controller or sensor module, including bring-up and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Machine Learning: Train, evaluate, and integrate a perception or decision-making model (e.g., object detection, sensor fusion) into an autonomy pipeline.
• Systems Development: Extend a platform tool, API, or data pipeline that supports autonomy software, simulation, or cloud infrastructure.

Required Qualifications

• 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 (e.g., C, C++, Python, Java, or JavaScript).
• Solid foundation in data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.
• Experience writing, testing, and debugging code, whether through coursework, personal projects, or prior internships.
• Familiarity with version control (e.g., Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to break down ambiguous requirements into working code.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 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 (e.g., PyTorch, 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.

Additional Information

Shield AI offers competitive pay and a housing stipend for qualified hires. Interns are responsible for finding their own housing and traveling to and from their office location.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.