Internship 2027 Validation & Verification Test Engineer

Bedrock Robotics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedrock Robotics in San Francisco seeks a V&V Intern to own black-box testing of hardware actuators and help quantify and close the sim-to-real gap. You will work alongside construction veterans and world-class engineers to improve models and validate real-world performance on heavy equipment.

The role requires pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in engineering, strong Python skills, and willingness to spend time on machines in PPE.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in mechanical, computer science, electrical, aerospace, or robotics engineering — or bringing equivalent hands-on experience.
• Working understanding of controls or system identification fundamentals.
• Python for analysis and automation.
• Hands-on experience with sensors, DAQ, or test benches.
• Willingness to spend real time on machines in the field, in PPE.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute black-box test plans that characterize actuator behavior on machines and test stands.
• Instrument hardware, set up data acquisition, and collect clean, trustworthy datasets.
• Characterize response behavior — latency, deadband, hysteresis, saturation — and how it shifts with temperature, load, and wear.
• Compare real machine data against simulation output and quantify where they diverge.
• Feed your findings to the controls and simulation teams as concrete model improvements.
• Automate test execution and reporting so these runs become routine.

Skills

Python

Controls fundamentals

Sensors & DAQ

Education

BS/MS/PhD in mechanical, CS, electrical, aerospace, or robotics engineering (or equivalent hands-on)

Tools

ROS

Gazebo

MuJoCo

Isaac

Job description

Join the team bringing advanced autonomy to the built world

At Bedrock, we're moving AI out of the lab and into the real world. Our team includes veterans who helped launch Waymo, scaled Segment to a $3.2B acquisition, and grew Uber Freight to $5B in revenue. Today, we're deploying autonomous systems on heavy construction equipment across the country, improving safety on job sites and accelerating schedules on critical infrastructure projects.

We're not here debating the future of AI. We're deploying it in the real world. In just two years, we've raised $350M and achieved the first fully autonomous excavator deployments in construction.

This is where algorithms meet steel-toed boots. You'll work alongside construction veterans and world-class engineers to solve physical-world problems that simulations can't touch. If you're ready to do meaningful work on hard problems, we'd love to have you join us.

About the Role & Team

Simulation is how we move fast, but a sim is only as good as the machine model underneath it. The V&V team measures what real actuators and real environments actually do, and feeds that back until sim and reality agree. As our V&V intern, you'll own black-box testing of hardware actuators and help quantify and then close the sim-to-real gap.

What You'll Do

• Develop and execute black-box test plans that characterize actuator behavior on machines and test stands

• Instrument hardware, set up data acquisition, and collect clean, trustworthy datasets

• Characterize response behavior — latency, deadband, hysteresis, saturation — and how it shifts with temperature, load, and wear

• Compare real machine data against simulation output and quantify where they diverge

• Feed your findings to the controls and simulation teams as concrete model improvements

• Automate test execution and reporting so these runs become routine

What We're Looking For

Required

• Currently pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in mechanical, computer science, electrical, aerospace, or robotics engineering — or bringing equivalent hands-on experience

• Working understanding of controls or system identification fundamentals

• Python for analysis and automation

• Hands-on experience with sensors, DAQ, or test benches

• Willingness to spend real time on machines in the field, in PPE

Preferred

• Exposure to hydraulics or heavy equipment

• Experience with a robotics simulator (Isaac, MuJoCo, Gazebo, or similar)

• Familiarity with ROS or comparable robotics middleware

Bedrock Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.

Reasonable Accommodations

We want our hiring process to be accessible to everyone. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know so we can support you.