Embedded Software Engineer Internships
Embedded software engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience building firmware and real-time systems, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in Manufacturing, with Tesla, E-Space, and Leonardo DRS among the employers posting roles now.
Find InternshipsOverview
Showing 5 of 11+ Embedded Software Engineer Internships
E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.
We’re intentional, we’re unapologetically curious and we’re 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life.
We are looking for an Embedded Software Engineering Intern to work on real firmware for real hardware that ships. You will be embedded (pun intended) with a senior firmware engineer working on a sensor-rich, wireless-connected IoT device: writing production C on Zephyr RTOS, bringing up sensors, debugging on live boards at the bench, and moving data from the edge to the cloud.
This is not a shadow-and-observe internship. You will have your own board, your own debugger, and your own work items from week one. You will pair daily with your mentor — at the whiteboard, at the bench, and in code review — and by the end of the internship you will have shipped at least one feature end-to-end on live hardware.
What you will do:
Hands-on Development
Write and debug firmware in C on Zephyr RTOS for Arm Cortex-M class MCUs.
Work on sensor integration and sampling pipelines — IMUs, accelerometers, microphones, temperature sensors — over I2C, SPI, and I2S.
Build, flash, and debug boards daily using West, CMake, SWD/J-Link, and serial consoles.
Contribute to edge-to-cloud connectivity: Wi-Fi, MQTT over TLS, and low-power wireless protocols such as Thread and BLE.
Help collect and validate sensor datasets that feed on-device machine learning models, and assist with deploying and evaluating those models on target hardware.
Test and Tooling
Write unit and integration tests alongside your feature code — we test what we ship.
Build and improve bench tooling: flash/serial automation scripts, data-capture harnesses, and hardware-in-the-loop test setups.
Reproduce, instrument, and root-cause bugs on real hardware, and document what you find so the next engineer doesn't hit it twice.
Team Collaboration
Participate in design discussions and code reviews — your code gets reviewed, and you review ours.
Work directly with hardware and systems engineers when the bug turns out not to be in software.
Present your work at the end of the internship: what you built, what you learned, and what you'd do differently.
What we are looking for:
Required
Currently pursuing a BS or MS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
Solid C programming fundamentals: pointers, memory, bit manipulation, and comfort reading a datasheet.
Exposure to microcontrollers through coursework, projects, clubs, or prior internships (Arduino/ESP32/STM32/Nordic all count).
Basic Git fluency: branching, commits, and pull requests.
Comfort with the command line and at least one scripting language (Python preferred).
Curiosity and persistence. Embedded debugging rewards people who keep pulling the thread.
Ability to work on-site in Arlington, TX for the duration of the internship.
Nice to Have
Coursework or projects involving an RTOS (Zephyr, FreeRTOS) or bare-metal firmware.
Familiarity with communication buses (I2C, SPI, UART) and reading signals on a logic analyzer or oscilloscope.
Exposure to signal processing (FFTs, filtering) or machine learning basics — our devices run inference at the edge.
Experience with networking concepts: sockets, TLS, MQTT/HTTP, or wireless protocols.
A personal project you can talk about in depth — hardware or software.
What success looks like:
How we work:
On-site, collaborative environment. We build physical hardware — presence matters.
Small teams with high autonomy. Interns get real ownership, scaled to fit.
Fast iteration cycles. We prototype, test, and revise quickly.
Direct feedback culture. We expect candor and respect in equal measure — and we invest in people who want to grow.
As a member of our team, you will play a crucial role in driving our success. Our team members have a strong sense of dedication and responsibility; this includes a strong commitment to our mission to create an entirely new suite of global capabilities to improve lives, business efficiencies and build a smarter planet. This means that there will be times when extra hours, including nights and weekends, may be needed to meet critical deadlines and mission goals. In return, we offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a high-growth industry.
An opportunity to really make a difference- Sustainability at our core
- Fair and honest workplace
- Innovative thinking is encouraged
- Competitive salaries
- Continuous learning and development
- Health and wellness care options
- Financial solutions for the future
- Optional legal services (US only)
- Paid holidays
- Paid time off
E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.
We’re intentional, we’re unapologetically curious and we’re 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life.
We are looking for an Embedded Software Engineering Intern to work on real firmware for real hardware that ships. You will be embedded (pun intended) with a senior firmware engineer working on a sensor-rich, wireless-connected IoT device: writing production C on Zephyr RTOS, bringing up sensors, debugging on live boards at the bench, and moving data from the edge to the cloud.
This is not a shadow-and-observe internship. You will have your own board, your own debugger, and your own work items from week one. You will pair daily with your mentor — at the whiteboard, at the bench, and in code review — and by the end of the internship you will have shipped at least one feature end-to-end on live hardware.
What you will do:
Hands-on Development
Write and debug firmware in C on Zephyr RTOS for Arm Cortex-M class MCUs.
Work on sensor integration and sampling pipelines — IMUs, accelerometers, microphones, temperature sensors — over I2C, SPI, and I2S.
Build, flash, and debug boards daily using West, CMake, SWD/J-Link, and serial consoles.
Contribute to edge-to-cloud connectivity: Wi-Fi, MQTT over TLS, and low-power wireless protocols such as Thread and BLE.
Help collect and validate sensor datasets that feed on-device machine learning models, and assist with deploying and evaluating those models on target hardware.
Test and Tooling
Write unit and integration tests alongside your feature code — we test what we ship.
Build and improve bench tooling: flash/serial automation scripts, data-capture harnesses, and hardware-in-the-loop test setups.
Reproduce, instrument, and root-cause bugs on real hardware, and document what you find so the next engineer doesn't hit it twice.
Team Collaboration
Participate in design discussions and code reviews — your code gets reviewed, and you review ours.
Work directly with hardware and systems engineers when the bug turns out not to be in software.
Present your work at the end of the internship: what you built, what you learned, and what you'd do differently.
What we are looking for:
Required
Currently pursuing a BS or MS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
Solid C programming fundamentals: pointers, memory, bit manipulation, and comfort reading a datasheet.
Exposure to microcontrollers through coursework, projects, clubs, or prior internships (Arduino/ESP32/STM32/Nordic all count).
Basic Git fluency: branching, commits, and pull requests.
Comfort with the command line and at least one scripting language (Python preferred).
Curiosity and persistence. Embedded debugging rewards people who keep pulling the thread.
Ability to work on-site in Arlington, TX for the duration of the internship.
Nice to Have
Coursework or projects involving an RTOS (Zephyr, FreeRTOS) or bare-metal firmware.
Familiarity with communication buses (I2C, SPI, UART) and reading signals on a logic analyzer or oscilloscope.
Exposure to signal processing (FFTs, filtering) or machine learning basics — our devices run inference at the edge.
Experience with networking concepts: sockets, TLS, MQTT/HTTP, or wireless protocols.
A personal project you can talk about in depth — hardware or software.
What success looks like:
How we work:
On-site, collaborative environment. We build physical hardware — presence matters.
Small teams with high autonomy. Interns get real ownership, scaled to fit.
Fast iteration cycles. We prototype, test, and revise quickly.
Direct feedback culture. We expect candor and respect in equal measure — and we invest in people who want to grow.
As a member of our team, you will play a crucial role in driving our success. Our team members have a strong sense of dedication and responsibility; this includes a strong commitment to our mission to create an entirely new suite of global capabilities to improve lives, business efficiencies and build a smarter planet. This means that there will be times when extra hours, including nights and weekends, may be needed to meet critical deadlines and mission goals. In return, we offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a high-growth industry.
An opportunity to really make a difference- Sustainability at our core
- Fair and honest workplace
- Innovative thinking is encouraged
- Competitive salaries
- Continuous learning and development
- Health and wellness care options
- Financial solutions for the future
- Optional legal services (US only)
- Paid holidays
- Paid time off
Embedded Software Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
Tips for Your Embedded Software Engineer Internship Search
Apply in fall for the following summer
Large employers in semiconductor, defense, and automotive sectors open summer internship applications as early as August and close them by November. Waiting until spring means most structured cohorts are already full. Set reminders to check listings each fall and submit applications before holiday hiring freezes.
Build a GitHub portfolio before you apply
Embedded software engineer intern screens assess your ability to write firmware, configure peripherals, and debug hardware. A GitHub repository showing a complete project, such as a bare-metal RTOS implementation or a sensor driver with documentation, gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate when your work history is limited.
Work campus fairs and direct applications together
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and recruiters there often move faster for students they meet in person. Professors and your career center frequently know which embedded systems employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to smaller companies running their own cohorts alongside campus activity widens the pool you reach.
Practice coding and debugging on real hardware out loud
Embedded software engineer intern interviews commonly include a coding screen covering data structures and low-level programming, plus questions on interrupts, memory management, and debugging methodology. Practice explaining your reasoning as you work through problems, not just producing an answer, since interviewers weigh how you think through a hardware constraint as much as the final solution.
Target structured university and rotational programs early
Several large semiconductor and defense companies run formal rotational or university internship programs designed to train candidates new to embedded development. These programs recruit well ahead of general postings and fill fast. Identify the ones that fit your focus area, whether that is firmware, FPGA development, or real-time systems, and apply in the first wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 100% of the embedded software engineer internships listed here. Embedded development frequently requires lab access, hardware bring-up, and bench debugging, so on-site or hybrid arrangements are common. Decide what you can commit to before searching and filter by location and work type so you are not sorting through roles you cannot take.
Embedded Software Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an embedded software engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. The concrete artifact that gives recruiters something to assess is a GitHub repository or portfolio showing firmware, driver code, or RTOS projects with clear documentation. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an embedded 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 embedded software engineer interns is consistent delivery on real work, available headcount on the team at offer time, and return-offer windows that close before graduation. Position for one by treating your project like a full-time assignment, but keep applying to other roles throughout.
When should I apply for embedded software engineer internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers at semiconductor, aerospace, and automotive companies recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often closing applications by November. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings consistently rather than waiting for a single season prevents you from missing early-closing cohorts.
Are embedded software engineer internships paid?
Most professional embedded software engineer internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and listings show it where the employer discloses it. Unpaid arrangements are rare outside certain academic research settings and are not the norm for engineering internships at commercial employers.
What should an embedded software engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects naming the microcontroller or processor, the toolchain, and the language used, with a linked GitHub repository so reviewers can read the code. Add relevant coursework in embedded systems, real-time operating systems, and hardware interfaces. Keep the resume to one page.
Are there remote embedded software engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the embedded 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 embedded 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.
See All 11 Embedded Software Engineer Internship Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Internships