Embedded Software Engineer Intern, San Mateo

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading US drone company and a world leader in autonomous flight, a key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer focus to serve a broad and diverse group of drone users, from utility inspectors and first responders to soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the Role

We are hiring interns for the Summer 2027 season. Reliable embedded firmware acts as the brain stem of our autonomous drones and accessory products, bridging algorithms with sensors and mechanical hardware. As an Embedded Software Engineering Intern, you will help define and develop functionality for internal teams and current and future products in a collaborative, fast-paced setting.

An ideal candidate is a junior, senior, or MS-level college student with industry experience developing device-level embedded software or firmware.

About the Team

The team owns large portions of the software engineering stack across a wide range of subsystems. We write bare metal and RTOS microcontroller code (generally on the STM32 product line), integrate and write code for embedded Linux and Android platforms (Qualcomm and Nvidia SoCs), maintain the associated Linux kernels, and help design and bring up new electronics.

The team works closely with the hardware group and the rest of the software organization, building the foundation the wider Skydio software team relies on.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Develop and implement embedded software that runs on the drone and our growing accessory product lines, such as the Skydio Dock.
• Characterize, integrate, and validate key subsystems such as cameras, radios, and flight controllers.
• Bring up and debug new hardware.
• Write interfaces and drivers for sensors, cameras, and other devices.

What Makes You a Good Fit

• Practical experience writing firmware or embedded code for a physical device.
• Proficiency with C++ in embedded systems.
• Proficiency with Python for testing, experimentation, and tools development.
• Ability to write clean code with appropriate abstraction boundaries.
• Ability to read schematics and use standard debugging equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters.
• Ownership when digging into complex problems.
• Bonus: embedded Linux userspace and kernel development.
• Bonus: debugging systems at the ARM assembly level.

At Skydio we believe diversity drives innovation. We are building a multidisciplinary environment that welcomes diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions to complex problems, and we are committed to an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions in the United States, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.