Software Design Engineer Internships
Software design engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across {{top_industries_phrase}}, with Keysight Technologies, Meta, and Rivian among the employers posting roles now.
Find Software Design Engineer InternshipsOverview
Showing 5 of 6+ Software Design Engineer Internships











Research Intern — Neural Network Training and Hardware–Software Co-Design Responsibilities:
- Design, train, and evaluate neural networks for on-device workloads under compute, memory, and energy constraints
- Develop hardware-aware training and model compression techniques and measure their impact on target hardware
- Explore partitioning models across multiple accelerators or chips, including how inter-chip communication affects accuracy and performance
- Profile models end to end and use the measurements to drive both model and hardware design decisions
- Prototype and validate on FPGA platforms, modifying and debugging existing RTL as needed
- Present results through a working demo and a technical write-up
Minimum Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience training deep neural networks in PyTorch or TensorFlow, from data pipeline through debugging and evaluation
- Working knowledge of computer architecture: how memory hierarchy, data movement, and numerical precision affect neural network performance
- Must obtain work authorization in country of employment at the time of hire, and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
- Intent to return to full-time degree program after completion of the internship
Preferred Qualifications:
- RTL design in Verilog or SystemVerilog, including simulation and testbenches
- FPGA experience: synthesis, timing closure, and on-board bring-up and debug
- Quantization-aware training, mixed precision, pruning, or knowledge distillation
- Experience with neural network accelerators, model parallelism, or distributed inference
- C/C++ and model deployment on embedded or edge platforms
- Publications or substantial projects in efficient ML, ML systems, or computer architecture (e.g., MLSys, NeurIPS, ICLR, ISCA, MICRO, DAC)
About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$7,313/month to $12,667/month + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.
Software Design Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring



Tips for Your Software Design Engineer Internship Search
Apply in fall for summer roles
Large employers in tech and manufacturing open summer internship applications as early as August or September of the preceding year. If you wait until spring to start applying, the structured cohort programs are often already closed. Check listings as soon as a new academic year begins and treat fall as the primary application season.
Build projects you can link to
Hiring teams for software design engineer internships have limited work history to review, so a linked GitHub repository or documented project is the artifact that moves your application forward. Build at least two complete projects that name the tools, show the code, and are publicly accessible before you submit your first application.
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 any single recruiting event covers.
Practice the coding screen before you apply
Software design engineer intern interviews center on data structures and algorithms, and interviewers weigh how you explain your reasoning as much as whether you reach the right answer. Practice problems out loud, narrating your approach as you go. Running through problems silently does not prepare you for the actual format.
Target structured intern programs early
Many larger technology and engineering employers run cohort-based programs, including dedicated SDET and university hiring pipelines, built to train people new to the field. These programs recruit early and fill fast. Identify the ones that fit your interests and get your application in during the first wave, not after the deadline appears.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 0% of the software design engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can actually commit to, location, housing, remote setup, before you start searching. Filtering by work type upfront means you spend time on roles you can take rather than sorting through listings after the fact. Migrate Mate's work-type filter applies the moment you search.
Software Design Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a software design engineer internship?
Lead with coursework, personal projects, and a portfolio rather than work history, hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level and want something concrete to assess. A linked GitHub repository or project writeup gives recruiters a real signal. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a software design engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What drives it is performance on real work, available headcount on the team, and how early you signal interest in returning. Position for a return offer by owning your project scope and asking for feedback mid-internship, without counting on the outcome.
When should I apply for software design engineer internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers, particularly in tech and manufacturing, recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often closing cohorts before spring semester begins. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their actual start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you won't miss the early-opening roles that fill quietly.
Are software design engineer internships paid?
Most professional software design engineer internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Where an employer discloses pay, it appears directly in the listing, so the roles you see here show that information when it's available.
What should a software design engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that name the tools and frameworks you used and link to the code, a public GitHub repository is the standard proof for software design engineer candidates. Add relevant coursework, keep the whole document to one page, and put your strongest project first.
Are there remote software design engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 100% of the software design 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.
What is a software design engineer in test (SDET) internship?
SDET internships focus on building automated test frameworks and tooling rather than product features, making them a well-known entry point for candidates interested in quality engineering and reliability. Programs at larger tech employers recruit early and are competitive. If this track fits your interests, identify the SDET-specific cohorts and apply in the first wave of recruiting.
Can international students get software design 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 6 Software Design Engineer Internship Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Design Engineer Internships