RF & Hardware Engineering Intern – Counter-UAS

Roboticsconnected; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

AeroVironment is seeking an Electrical Engineering Intern for RF & Hardware in our San Diego office. You will contribute to RF front-end design, PCB development, firmware integration, and hardware test automation while learning from experienced RF and hardware engineers.

You will gain hands-on experience across prototype to production cycles, collaborating with systems, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams in a dynamic defense tech environment.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework or project experience in RF/microwave circuits, antennas, or electromagnetics; analog/digital design; embedded systems; PCB design.
• Familiarity with interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART, USB, or Ethernet.
• Basic programming experience in Python, C, C++, or C#.
• Hands-on exposure to lab equipment like oscilloscopes, multimeters, and power supplies.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in design, bring-up, and debugging of RF and mixed-signal PCBAs including LNAs, filters, PA, and switches.
• Perform RF measurements using spectrum analyzers, VNAs, signal generators, and power meters.
• Develop and maintain automated test software (Python, C/C++, or C#) for hardware validation.
• Support test fixtures and stations used in development and production.
• Assist with schematic capture, layout reviews, and design docs in Altium.
• Support firmware integration and testing on embedded processors and SDR/FPGA hardware.
• Participate in test plan creation, requirements verification, and environmental testing.
• Assist production engineering with failure analysis and yield improvement.

Skills

Python

C/C++

RF basics

FPGA/SDR

Altium PCB

Lab equipment troubleshooting

Communication protocols (SPI/I2C/UART/

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

Altium

USRP/HackRF/PlutoSDR

GNU Radio/MATLAB

Git/test automation/instrument control

Job description

AeroVironment is seeking an Electrical Engineering Intern for RF & Hardware in our San Diego office. You will contribute to RF front-end design, PCB development, firmware integration, and hardware test automation while learning from experienced RF and hardware engineers.

You will gain hands-on experience across prototype to production cycles, collaborating with systems, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams in a dynamic defense tech environment.