Machine Learning Engineering Intern

About the role

Our paid Summer Internship Program is designed to provide students with an immersive, hands-on experience within the aerospace and defense industry. Interns work alongside AV team members on meaningful projects involving cutting-edge technology while developing professional relationships, strategic problem-solving skills, and practical experience in a full-time work environment. This is a 12-week, onsite program intended for highly motivated and passionate students who are currently enrolled in college or are recent graduates. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, with a preference for students at the junior level or above. Our program has been recognized by Yello and WayUp as one of the Top 100 Internship Programs in the United States for multiple years. Depending on the team and location, students who are willing to relocate for their internship may be eligible for a relocation and housing reimbursement stipend. AV offers internship opportunities across various teams and locations throughout the United States; specific team, location, and program details will be discussed during the interview process.

As a Machine Learning Intern, you will have the opportunity to support the R&D Group at AV in developing innovative computer vision solutions for defense and commercial applications. You will contribute to small, focused design teams working on detection, classification, localization, and tracking technologies. This internship will expose you to various stages of the development process including concept design, prototyping, testing, and evaluation.

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of computer vision and machine learning algorithms for detecting, classifying, localizing, and tracking objects-of-interest using UAV-mounted gimballed cameras.
• Assist in writing and testing software to integrate ML algorithms into aircraft systems (e.g., autopilots, payloads, robotic platforms).
• Explore and visualize data to understand distribution patterns and potential anomalies.
• Assist in implementing machine learning systems and validating designs through experiments.
• Help define objectives, develop models, and track