Controls Software Engineer Internships
Controls software engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience working alongside working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in {{top_industries_phrase}}, with Tesla, Bosch, and Rivian among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 6+ Controls Software Engineer Internships
This is a bucket application, and is not an official opening. Your application can be considered for Rivian’s 2027 internship programs. If you are selected, you will receive communication with specific responsibilities and qualifications for the role you are being considered for.
Rivian internships are experiences optimized for student candidates. To be eligible, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited program during the internship term with an expected graduation date between Fall 2027 through Spring 2029. Rivian's Internship Program requires active student enrollment. Information regarding your expected degree completion date is collected solely to verify eligibility and determine your availability for future full-time opportunities. Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and does not use graduation dates to determine the age of applicants or as a basis for discriminatory hiring decisions.
If you are not pursuing a degree, please see our full-time positions on our Rivian careers site.
Note that if your university has specific requirements for internship programs, it is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements.
Applying to this opening will place you into consideration for Rivian’s 2027 summer internship program.
Teams your application can be considered for include:
- Embedded Software
- System Engineering - Test & Integration
- Power Electronics
- Various Controls teams
- Various Automation teams
- and similar
- Must be currently pursuing a bachelors, masters, or PhD degree.
- Actively pursuing a degree or one closely related in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or similar.
- Experience with languages such as C, C++, Python.
- Embedded software development and optimization.
- Experience with software development and the ability to read/debug code.
- Experience with troubleshooting and root cause analysis of complex systems.
- Software development on microcontrollers.
- Experience utilizing scripting languages.
- Applied knowledge and understanding of engineering first principles.
This is a bucket application, and is not an official opening. Your application can be considered for Rivian’s 2027 internship programs. If you are selected, you will receive communication with specific responsibilities and qualifications for the role you are being considered for.
Rivian internships are experiences optimized for student candidates. To be eligible, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited program during the internship term with an expected graduation date between Fall 2027 through Spring 2029. Rivian's Internship Program requires active student enrollment. Information regarding your expected degree completion date is collected solely to verify eligibility and determine your availability for future full-time opportunities. Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and does not use graduation dates to determine the age of applicants or as a basis for discriminatory hiring decisions.
If you are not pursuing a degree, please see our full-time positions on our Rivian careers site.
Note that if your university has specific requirements for internship programs, it is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements.
Applying to this opening will place you into consideration for Rivian’s 2027 summer internship program.
Teams your application can be considered for include:
- Embedded Software
- System Engineering - Test & Integration
- Power Electronics
- Various Controls teams
- Various Automation teams
- and similar
- Must be currently pursuing a bachelors, masters, or PhD degree.
- Actively pursuing a degree or one closely related in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or similar.
- Experience with languages such as C, C++, Python.
- Embedded software development and optimization.
- Experience with software development and the ability to read/debug code.
- Experience with troubleshooting and root cause analysis of complex systems.
- Software development on microcontrollers.
- Experience utilizing scripting languages.
- Applied knowledge and understanding of engineering first principles.
Controls Software Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Tips for Your Controls Software Engineer Internship Search
Apply earlier than your classmates do
Large employers recruit summer controls software engineer interns the preceding fall, closing cohorts before spring semester begins. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates. Checking listings in September and October for summer roles puts you in the first wave, when more spots are still open.
Build a project portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for controls software engineer interns expect limited work history and assess you on documented project work instead. Publish two or three complete projects to a GitHub repository, linking to your control system designs, embedded code, or simulation results so recruiters have something concrete to evaluate beyond your coursework list.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and your professors and career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to companies running smaller cohorts alongside campus activity widens the pool you reach and catches openings that never come through university channels.
Practice your technical screen out loud before the first interview
Controls software engineer intern screens typically include a coding or systems problem where interviewers weigh how you reason through the problem as much as the final answer. Practice explaining your logic aloud as you work through problems in controls theory, embedded systems, or software algorithms, so your thinking is clear under interview conditions.
Target structured internship programs at larger companies
Many large industrial, automation, and technology employers run formal rotational or university cohort programs designed to train controls software engineer interns new to the field. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and often include dedicated mentorship and project rotations. Identify which ones align with your background and apply in the first wave of their recruiting cycle.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 100% of the controls software engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you sort through openings. Filtering by location and work type upfront means you spend your time on roles you can actually accept.
Controls Software Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a controls software engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A GitHub repository or documented project portfolio gives recruiters something concrete to assess your controls and software skills. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a controls software engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it for controls software engineer interns is performance on real project work, available headcount on the team, and acting early when return-offer conversations open. Position yourself by delivering on your assigned scope without treating a full-time offer as a certainty.
When should I apply for controls software engineer internships?
Earlier than most students expect. Large employers recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often closing cohorts before spring semester begins. Smaller companies and co-op programs post much closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you catch both early structured programs and shorter-lead postings from smaller teams.
Are controls software engineer internships paid?
Most professional controls software engineer internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Where an employer discloses pay, it appears directly in the listing, so you can compare offers as you apply.
What should a controls software engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that name the tools, platforms, and control systems you used, with a linked GitHub repository or design portfolio where recruiters can verify the work. Add relevant coursework in controls, embedded systems, or software engineering, and keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote controls software engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the controls software engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get controls software engineer internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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