HIL & System Validation Intern

Zoox’s internship program provides hands-on experiences with state of the art technology, mentorship from some of the industry's brightest minds, and the opportunity to play a part in our success. Internships at Zoox are reserved for those who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, activities outside their course work, aptitude, curiosity, and a passion for Zoox's mission.

As a HIL or System & Validation Intern, you may be assigned to one of the following teams:

On the HIL Platform Software team, you will work across the entire AI, sensor, and compute stacks, building robust validation tools for the Zoox Robot. In this role, you will help build tools that let us drive the Zoox robot from the safety of a server room,: providing a flexible, reliable, and high-performance test environment. Additionally, you will build a high-level understanding of the overall system design and component interaction to help guide requirements and methodology for functional and performance sign-off while providing support to teams using the framework.

On the Hardware Software Integration team, you will ensure various hardware subsystems work reliably on our vehicle platform on a day-to-day basis, and also ensure that the platform continues to grow in a manageable and sustainable fashion under evolving requirements. They’re responsible for prototyping and maintaining advanced hardware/software tools for system-level testing, and evaluating the vehicle hardware/software architecture and stability. We are looking for an intern who is excited to work in the intersection of hardware, software, and firmware. In this role, you may be called upon to do new product exploration, prototyping of hardware PCBA and systems, testing and characterization of hardware/software systems, as well as automation of tooling and processes.

On the Systems Integration team, you will develop automation and tests. This includes writing Python scripts, libraries, hardware interfaces, and tests (using standard and internal frameworks). You'll work closely with Mechanical, Electrical, Firmware, and Systems engineers to develop module, system, and hardware-in-the-loop tests. You will also develop automated test scripts for various technology domains, including CAN and Ethernet-based network devices.

Requirements:

• Currently working towards a B.S., M.S., Ph.D., or advanced degree in a relevant engineering program
• Must be returning to school to continue your education upon completing this internship
• Good academic standing
• Able to commit to a 12-week internship beginning in May or June of 2026
• At least one previous industry internship, co-op, or project completed in a relevant area
• Ability to relocate to the Bay Area, California for the duration of the internship
• Interns at Zoox may not use any proprietary information they are working on as part of their thesis, any published work with their university, or to be distributed to anyone outside of Zoox

Qualifications:

• Experience programming in Python and C++ in large code bases
• Experience designing software and tooling
• Experience with AI, autonomous behavior, modeling, simulation, vehicle platforms, and/or test engineering
• Experience with issue reporting tools (e.g. Jira, Atlassian tools, Azure DevOps, etc.)
• Experience with communication busses (e.g. CAN, ethernet, etc.)
• Experience with version control systems (e.g. Git)
• Experience with a business intelligence tool (e.g. Looker, Tableau)
• Experience with Linux and Unix-based systems
• Experience with CI/CD applications and best practices

Bonus Qualifications:

• Previous experience with robotics middleware

Compensation:

The monthly salary range for this position is $5,500 to $9,500. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level of education. Additional benefits may include medical insurance, and a housing stipend (relocation assistance will be offered based on eligibility).

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.