Manufacturing Software Engineer Intern - Winter 2027

Location: San Mateo, California, United States Department: R&D Employment Type: Intern Location Type: Remote

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

About the role

At Skydio, we're dedicated to building intelligent flying robots, combining innovative design with cutting-edge technology. Our mission is to make the world more productive, creative, and safe with autonomous flight. We have a deep belief in the transformative power of drones, and our enterprise focus is already making an impact in a wide range of industries across the world.

What makes Skydio different?

Our drones have the best path-planning and obstacle avoidance thanks to over a decade of R&D in advanced autonomy algorithms.

We build all parts of the software stack in-house, including embedded systems, middleware, autonomy, cloud infrastructure, manufacturing infrastructure, and automation.

We design our own hardware to be tightly integrated with our software for maximum performance per gram / per watt.

We are a U.S. company and manufacture our drones at our factory in California.

As an intern on the Manufacturing Software team, you'll be a core contributor, helping us manufacture high-quality drones, docks and accessories at scale to meet growing customer demands, turning prototypes into finished products. The processes and tools you build will have a significant impact on the company's scale and success.

This team is highly cross-functional. It sits at the intersection of backend (Python + Flask), embedded software (C++/C), frontend (React + Typescript), and electrical engineering (Robotics and Hardware Fixtures).

If you have strong coding fundamentals, thrive on solving and debugging cross-functional challenges, and are passionate about hardware-software systems, this could be a uniquely rewarding opportunity for learning and professional growth.

Our tech

Python + Flask backend + on-machine, Protobufs for IPC and RPC

React + Typescript frontend

On-premises containerized Linux client machines and servers, AWS backend cloud

Hardware-in-the-Loop validation systems

In-house framework for manufacturing and testing operations

Team Project Examples

Build and maintain a Hardware-in-the-Loop system for continuous testing of the hardware and software components of our drones and build systems.

Design a deployment system for sending code physical machines all over the globe, inside of challenging and hostile networks, with redundant safety systems.

Build a visual configuration tool for documenting and changing how mass production processes work and change on the fly.

Develop our robot calibration process that can distinguish between hardware and software failures and suggest next steps for assembly rework.

Create a dashboard that visualizes the state of the factory to help engineers debug faster.

Develop an automated test fixture that assesses sensors and actuators to minimize operator interaction.

How you'll make an impact

Develop an AI-powered triage system that can inspect drone hardware and suggest which parts need to be repaired. Build a framework that combines LLM agents with our manufacturing API in a loop to test the hardware, and compare results against a growing library of root cause failures and suggested reworks.

What makes you a good fit

You love having fun building great products and enjoy working on systems that involve both hardware and software

You are very comfortable with Python and have strong coding fundamentals.

You’re a patient troubleshooter, comfortable asking for help when you need it, and giving help whenever you can.

You get excited by How It's Made or Factorio and want to get paid to work on the machine that builds the machines.

Compensation Range: The hourly pay for this position is $47/hr*. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. In addition to base salary, Skydio full-time employees are eligible to enroll in our benefit plans and take advantage of a variety of incentives and stipends.

• For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.

#LI-ZD1

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture 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 located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/