Electrical Engineering Intern

Atoms; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Atoms is building autonomous transport platforms with a strong emphasis on integrating hardware and software to operate in real-world environments. As an Electrical Engineering Intern, you will collaborate with senior hardware engineers to design, test, and validate boards and carrier solutions that power on‑road autonomous systems.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with PCB design, prototyping, and hardware validation while working in a fast-paced startup setting that values curiosity,

Qualifications

• Pursuing Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a technical field.
• Solid foundation in circuit design and embedded systems.
• Hands-on experience with PCB design tools and lab equipment.

Responsibilities

• Design and revise custom PCBs and carrier boards for vehicle compute and sensors.
• Assist with analyzing and debugging CAN/CAN FD and Ethernet on real test platforms.
• Help design and execute test procedures and hardware fixtures for validation.
• Collaborate on vehicle bring-up, fleet installations, and on-site troubleshooting.

Skills

Circuit design

Analog/digital fundamentals

Embedded systems

PCB design tools

Test equipment

CAN / CAN FD / Ethernet

Problem solving

Vehicle hardware experience

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics

Tools

Altium

KiCad

Eagle

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Logic analyzers

Job description

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI— real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you’ll do

As an Electrical Engineering Intern, you will work alongside senior hardware engineers to help expand our autonomous transport platforms. You will get hands‑on experience designing, testing, and integrating real‑world hardware solutions for next‑generation, on‑road autonomous vehicles.

• PCB & Carrier Board Design: Support the design and revision of custom circuit boards and carrier boards for vehicle compute, sensors (camera, radar, lidar), GPS, and actuation systems.
• Vehicle & Protocol Integration: Assist with analyzing and debugging automotive communication protocols (CAN, CAN FD, Ethernet) on real vehicle test platforms.
• Hardware Validation & Testing: Help design, assemble, and execute test procedures and hardware test fixtures to validate board designs and troubleshoot edge cases.
• Fleet Support: Work directly with hardware and software engineers on vehicle bring‑up, fleet installations, and physical hardware troubleshooting on‑site.

What we’re looking for

• Education: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field.
• Core Technical Knowledge: Solid foundation in circuit design, analog/digital fundamentals, and basic embedded systems logic.
• Hands‑on Experience: Practical experience with PCB design tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad, Eagle) and bench equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers) through lab work, student design teams (e.g., Formula SAE, Robotics Club), or personal projects.
• Protocols & Hardware: Familiarity or coursework covering common hardware communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART).
• Mindset: Proactive problem solver who thrives in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative startup environment and is excited to work with physical hardware.

At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time—bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team—so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Franciscooffice. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change - we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office‑based teams work onsite, five days a week.

Program Dates: Our internship is a 12‑weeks program. Cohort sessions run as follows:

• Winter 2027: January – April
• Summer 2027: Late May – September

The base salary range for this role is $50.00 per hour.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others?

#LI-Onsite

Voluntary Self-Identification

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As set forth in Atoms’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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