Summer 2027 Intern, Human Machine Teaming (Washington, D.C.)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. The company has offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. More information is available at www.shield.ai, and the company can also be followed on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

About the Internship

This Summer Internship suits Fall and Spring graduates who want to work in a mission driven culture. The paid program includes hands-on mentorship, a chance to contribute to the company through an internship project, and a possible job offer at the end. Interns also take part in company sponsored events and get to explore a new city.

Interns are paid a competitive wage and receive a housing stipend. The People Experience team offers resources, but interns are responsible for finding their own housing and travel to and from the office.

Responsibilities and Requirements

The Hivemind Solutions Division, Strategic Product Development team, is hiring for this onsite role. Candidates should bring the following:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field, with a minor or focus in human factors engineering, cognitive systems engineering, or human-computer interaction.
• Hands-on software development experience that lets you work credibly with engineers, judge feasibility and cost, and read the code and interfaces under discussion.
• Proficiency in Python and C++, plus familiarity with at least one other relevant language or tool, such as JavaScript, C#, HTML, CSS, or Docker.
• Demonstrated experience gathering user needs, turning them into design or development requirements that an engineering team built, and checking whether the delivered system met them.
• Working knowledge of human machine teaming and human factors concepts, including joint work requirements, and the ability to reason about developer-system or operator-autonomy interaction, not just interfaces.
• Respect for the methods of human factors practitioners, designers, and operators, and the ability to bridge engineering, HMT, and customer audiences.
• Experience in multidisciplinary settings, and comfort working in complex, ambiguous problem spaces while producing clear, structured artifacts.
• Strong teamwork, collaboration, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an applications, integration, or solutions engineering role working between customers and product engineering.
• Experience with autonomy, robotics, or simulation software, and with build, simulation, and test toolchains.
• Hands-on experience with human machine teaming, MUM-T, human-robot interaction, or applied artificial intelligence, especially in mission autonomy applications such as UAV Groups 3–5.
• Experience with developer-experience research, developer productivity measurement, or qualitative study of how engineering work gets done.
• Familiarity with developer platforms and workflows such as Git, GitLab, CI/CD, or cloud-native development.
• Familiarity with traceability methods or AI assurance frameworks.
• Experience with mission planning, C2, and battle management concepts, processes, and doctrine, plus ground control stations or HMIs.
• Willingness to use agentic AI to speed the path from design concept to fielded product.

Shield AI is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. It welcomes applicants regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. Candidates with a disability or special need that requires accommodation can ask for it.