2027 Summer Intern, BS/MS, Embedded, Software Engineer

About the Role

Waymo is seeking interns to join the Embedded Software Engineering team, where you'll develop safety-critical software for the Waymo Driver, interfacing with vehicle systems like steering, braking, and sensors. You'll work on high-reliability firmware and simulation tooling, contributing to the scaling of autonomous vehicles across different platforms and cities.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-quality vertically-integrated C++ software systems (on-vehicle firmware and off-vehicle simulation/tooling) running at the edge of the Waymo driver.
• Contribute to the bring-up, validation, and debugging of next-generation compute platforms, peripheral drivers, and hardware-software interfaces for new vehicle platforms.
• Write robust unit tests (such as gTest) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) simulation fixtures to validate edge-case handling, system robustness, and fault containment.
• Analyze field data logs, vehicle telemetry, and simulation results to identify root causes and improve firmware performance.
• Participate in cross-functional engineering workflows, design discussions, and code reviews alongside experienced embedded and systems engineers.

Requirements

• Enrolled in a BS or MS program in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field.
• Strong programming foundation in C or C++, with a solid understanding of data structures, pointers, and memory management.
• High curiosity, a continuous learning mindset, and enthusiasm to explore unfamiliar hardware architectures, tools, and codebases.
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability, debugging skills, and comfort navigating ambiguity when working with evolving platforms or prototypes.
• Familiarity with Linux development environments, command-line tools, and version control systems (e.g., Git).

Qualifications

• Embedded Systems and Real-Time Programming: Hands-on experience developing software for microcontrollers (such as ARM Cortex-M or Cortex-R), bare-metal environments, or RTOS with resource-constrained execution.
• Hardware Bring-Up and Lab Debugging: Practical experience with board bring-up, hardware-software integration, and lab instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters.
• Testing and Quality: Experience with C++ unit testing frameworks like Google Test (gTest) and test-driven development methodologies.
• Open Source and Student Team Experience: Active involvement in collegiate engineering teams (such as Formula SAE, Formula Electric, Baja SAE, robotics clubs) or open-source projects demonstrating dedication to crafting high-quality modern C++ software.
• Scripting and Tooling: Proficiency in Python for test automation, telemetry data analysis, or build scripting.

Pay

The expected hourly rate for this full-time position is $60 USD for Bachelors and $70 USD for Masters. Interns are also eligible to participate in the Company’s generous benefits programs, subject to eligibility requirements.

Note: This will be a hybrid onsite internship position. We will accept resumes on a rolling basis until the role is filled.