Robotics Researcher Internships
Robotics researcher internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience building and testing autonomous systems, mentorship from working robotics engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Automotive lead in internship volume, with Meta, Honda Research Institute USA, and Toyota Research Institute among the employers posting roles now.
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At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team advancing the state of the art in AI, robotics, driving, and material sciences.
This is a paid 12-week internship opportunity and is a hybrid, in-office role.
Here’s a glimpse into the Internship experience from some of our TRI interns!
The Team
The Prototyping and Research Operations (PROps) team supports and operationalizes TRI’s robotics research to succeed at scale in laboratory and deployment environments. We work across engineering and operations disciplines to develop robot hardware and testing setups, as well as operate and deploy robotic research systems to collect data for researchers. Our team administers the two prototyping laboratories within TRI and uses those facilities to prototype research hardware.
The Internship
The intern who joins our team will have the opportunity to contribute to the work of our various research support projects and the daily tasks that keep our researchers productive by:
Maintaining and improving the lab: This will include working with the lab manager on organizational tasks, fulfilling fabrication requests, maintaining and fixing the manufacturing equipment and robot systems, and improving lab workflow and tooling, allowing for more efficient use of the lab space.
Supporting our operations projects: This will require our intern to collaborate with Research Operations Engineers to design and coordinate events, improve data collection processes, and maintain testing and deployment documentation to support the research and engineering teams.
Qualifications
Engineering, Robotics, or Computer Science student (undergrad junior or senior, or a master’s student).
Driven to learn new skills and become adept at new systems, processes, and tools.
Experience with rapid prototyping tools (3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools, etc.. ) and time spent in a lab environment designing, prototyping, and manufacturing components and assemblies.
Experience in creative and novel mechanical, electrical or software design work and employing rapid prototyping techniques to improve your iterative design process.
A safety-first mentality.
Familiarity with UNIX/Linux systems.
Experience executing and summarizing system tests and results.
Bonus Qualifications
Electronic assembly skills like crimping, soldering, and wire routing.
Experience with large scale data collection efforts.
Computer building/commissioning skills such as GPU, Operating System or power supply installation.
Familiarity with hand tools & hardware. Any service, repair or design work with complex mechanical systems is a plus.
Familiarity with CAD (preferably OnShape) software.
Basic machining skills on a lathe or mill.
Experience designing for small-scale contract manufacturing and assembly.
Understand software development processes and the tooling required to enact them, such as version control (e.g., Git) and CI/ CD (e.g., Jenkins).
Working knowledge of Asana and Gsuite.
Demonstrable communication skills, written and verbal, including utilization of design documents and systems drawings.
At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team advancing the state of the art in AI, robotics, driving, and material sciences.
This is a paid 12-week internship opportunity and is a hybrid, in-office role.
Here’s a glimpse into the Internship experience from some of our TRI interns!
The Team
The Prototyping and Research Operations (PROps) team supports and operationalizes TRI’s robotics research to succeed at scale in laboratory and deployment environments. We work across engineering and operations disciplines to develop robot hardware and testing setups, as well as operate and deploy robotic research systems to collect data for researchers. Our team administers the two prototyping laboratories within TRI and uses those facilities to prototype research hardware.
The Internship
The intern who joins our team will have the opportunity to contribute to the work of our various research support projects and the daily tasks that keep our researchers productive by:
Maintaining and improving the lab: This will include working with the lab manager on organizational tasks, fulfilling fabrication requests, maintaining and fixing the manufacturing equipment and robot systems, and improving lab workflow and tooling, allowing for more efficient use of the lab space.
Supporting our operations projects: This will require our intern to collaborate with Research Operations Engineers to design and coordinate events, improve data collection processes, and maintain testing and deployment documentation to support the research and engineering teams.
Qualifications
Engineering, Robotics, or Computer Science student (undergrad junior or senior, or a master’s student).
Driven to learn new skills and become adept at new systems, processes, and tools.
Experience with rapid prototyping tools (3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools, etc.. ) and time spent in a lab environment designing, prototyping, and manufacturing components and assemblies.
Experience in creative and novel mechanical, electrical or software design work and employing rapid prototyping techniques to improve your iterative design process.
A safety-first mentality.
Familiarity with UNIX/Linux systems.
Experience executing and summarizing system tests and results.
Bonus Qualifications
Electronic assembly skills like crimping, soldering, and wire routing.
Experience with large scale data collection efforts.
Computer building/commissioning skills such as GPU, Operating System or power supply installation.
Familiarity with hand tools & hardware. Any service, repair or design work with complex mechanical systems is a plus.
Familiarity with CAD (preferably OnShape) software.
Basic machining skills on a lathe or mill.
Experience designing for small-scale contract manufacturing and assembly.
Understand software development processes and the tooling required to enact them, such as version control (e.g., Git) and CI/ CD (e.g., Jenkins).
Working knowledge of Asana and Gsuite.
Demonstrable communication skills, written and verbal, including utilization of design documents and systems drawings.
Robotics Researcher Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Automotive
Tips for Your Robotics Researcher Internship Search
Apply in the fall for summer cohorts
Large robotics and technology employers open summer internship applications as early as August or September of the preceding year. If you wait until spring, many structured cohort programs are already closed. Set a calendar reminder to check for openings at the start of each fall semester.
Build a portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for robotics researcher interns expect limited work history and weigh project evidence instead. Document two or three complete projects on GitHub or a personal site, naming the tools, sensors, algorithms, and hardware you used. A linked repository with a clear README gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to companies running smaller cohorts at the same time widens the pool you reach beyond what shows up at any single fair.
Practice your technical screen out loud
Robotics researcher intern interviews typically include a coding screen covering data structures, algorithms, and sometimes kinematics or control theory questions. Practice solving problems out loud and explaining your reasoning step by step, since interviewers weigh how you think through a problem as much as whether you reach the right answer.
Target structured rotational and university programs early
Larger robotics, aerospace, and defense employers run cohort or rotational internship programs specifically built to train people new to the field. These programs recruit on a fixed calendar, often months before general postings appear, and fill fast. Identify the programs that match your background and submit in the first application wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 100% of the robotics researcher internships listed here. Decide what you can commit to, whether on-site, hybrid, or remote, before you start searching, then filter by location and work type so you're not sorting through roles you cannot take.
Robotics Researcher Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a robotics researcher 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 project portfolio gives recruiters something concrete to assess your robotics and programming skills. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a robotics researcher internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is consistent performance on real project work, team headcount at the end of the internship, and whether the employer runs a formal return-offer process. Treat the internship as an extended audition without counting on a specific outcome.
When should I apply for robotics researcher internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often closing applications before the winter holidays. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly rather than waiting for a single season keeps you ahead of rolling deadlines.
Are robotics researcher internships paid?
Most professional robotics researcher 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 uncommon at established technology, defense, and manufacturing employers, though they appear occasionally at smaller research organizations.
What should a robotics researcher internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that name the tools, programming languages, and hardware you used, with links to your GitHub, published code, or CAD files so reviewers can verify the work directly. Add relevant coursework in robotics, controls, or machine learning, and keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote robotics researcher internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the robotics researcher internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw applicants from across the country, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get robotics researcher 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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