Forward Deployed Software Engineer Intern

Forward Deployed Software Engineer Intern Job Description

Position Summary

Title

Forward Deployed Software Engineer Intern

Locations

Austin, TX (Months 12) Markle, IN (Months 36)

Type

Full-time, on-site internship (40 hours/week); can be extended based on performance

Duration

6 months

Start date

Oct 11, 2026

Compensation

$35/hour + one-time $1,500 relocation allowance

The Role

This is a forward-deployed engineering role. You will spend two months in Austin learning our production software. Then you will move to our production facility in Markle, Indiana, where you will be the software team's engineer on the ground for four months.

You will own three areas:

1. ROS 2 migration. Test a scoped piece of our production software from design through validation on live hardware.
2. Deployments and incident support. Act as first responder when software issues come up on the plant floor.
3. Daily calibration and drift detection. Work with process engineers to confirm every machine is calibrated each day and to catch performance drift before it affects output.

This role suits someone who wants real responsibility early, likes working next to hardware, and collaborates when a production line needs them.

What You'll Do

Months 12: Knowledge Transfer (Austin, TX)

• Learn our production software stack: machine control, the vision and sensor pipeline, classification models, and configuration tools.
• Learn our ROS 2 architecture and migration approach, and scope the component you will own.
• Practice deployments, calibration, and troubleshooting on our Austin test machine before working in production.
• Shadow the software team on releases and incident response, and learn the deployment pipeline and release process.
• Leave Austin with a written plan for your ROS 2 component and runbooks reviewed with the team.

Months 36: Forward Deployment (Markle, IN)

ROS 2 migration

• Build, test, and deploy your component as ROS 2 nodes, working with the Austin team.
• Validate it against current production behavior on live machines and document the results.
• Present the outcome to the software team and hand off code and documentation for long-term ownership.

Deployments and incident support

• Carry out and verify on-site software deployments: pre-checks, rollout, post-deployment validation, and rollback when needed.
• Act as first-line support for production software issues: triage, collect logs and data, reproduce, then fix or escalate clearly to the remote team.
• Write incident summaries and keep runbooks and troubleshooting guides current.

Calibration and drift detection

• Work with process engineers to run and verify machine calibrations every day.
• Track calibration and sort-performance data over time, and flag drift early.
• Build or improve tools that make drift visible and calibration repeatable, such as scripts, dashboards, and automated checks.

What We're Looking For

Required

• Currently pursuing, or recently finished, a BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of ROS 2: nodes, topics, services, lifecycle nodes, and launch systems.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and/or Python.
• Comfortable with Linux, the command line, and Git.
• A structured, persistent approach to debugging problems that span software, hardware, and data.
• Clear written and verbal communication; you will often be the remote team's eyes and ears on-site.
• Able to work fully on-site in Austin, TX for 2 months, then in Markle, IN for 4 months.
• Willing to work in an industrial plant environment and follow safety procedures and PPE requirements.

Preferred

• Exposure to computer vision, camera systems, sensors, or embedded devices.
• Experience deploying or supporting software in production (CI/CD pipelines, on-call, or field support).
• Data analysis skills (pandas, NumPy, plotting or dashboards) for tracking machine performance over time.
• Prior work in robotics, automation, or manufacturing through internships, research, competition teams, or personal projects.

What You'll Gain

• End-to-end ownership of a production software component, from design to deployment.
• Hands-on experience running AI-driven industrial machines at scale.
• Mentorship from both software engineering and process engineering.
• A clear path to more responsibility; the internship can be extended based on performance.

Compensation & Logistics

• Pay:$35/hour, 40 hours per week.
• Relocation: One-time $1,500 allowance to help with the move between Austin and Markle. Candidates arrange their own housing in both locations.
• Start date: Oct 11, 2026
• Duration: 6 months total: 2 months in Austin, TX, then 4 months in Markle, IN.
• Extension: An extension beyond 6 months may be offered based on performance and business needs.