Robotics Systems Intern - Sensor Platform

PlusAI; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 26,174 - 89,544; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Catered free lunch

Unlimited snacks and beverages

401(k) plan

Job summary

PlusAI in Santa Clara is looking for an intern to help evaluate and optimize production-intended sensors for autonomous trucks. Tasks include designing sensor evaluation experiments and contributing to performance improvements in C++ and Python.

The ideal candidate will have strong coding skills, experience analyzing sensor traffic, and a keen interest in systems-level performance. Benefits include competitive compensation and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Strong coding skills in C++ and/or C and Python.
• Comfortable working in Linux (shell, compiling code, basic debugging).
• Strong interest in systems-level performance.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute sensor evaluation experiments.
• Characterize bandwidth, latency, jitter for different sensors.
• Contribute to sensor driver and pipeline improvements.
• Analyze and improve multi-sensor time synchronization.
• Investigate phase alignment for better perception performance.
• Support integration of sensor safety concepts.
• Build tooling and dashboards to visualize sensor performance.
• Document findings and present recommendations.

Skills

C++

C

Python

Linux

Networking fundamentals

Data structures and algorithms

Analyzing sensor traffic

Tools

tcpdump

Wireshark

Job description

About PlusAI

PlusAI is a Physical AI company pioneering AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the United States and Europe, Plus was named by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Partners including TRATON GROUP’s Scania, MAN, and international brands, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, Bosch, and DSV are working with Plus to accelerate the deployment of next-generation autonomous trucks. If you’re ready to make a huge impact and drive the future of autonomy, Plus is looking for talented individuals to join its fast-growing teams.

Internship Overview

In this role, the intern will help evaluate and optimize production‑intended sensors (LiDAR, radar, GNSS/IMU, cameras) for our autonomous trucks. You’ll work across hardware and software boundaries: characterizing sensor behavior, improving multi‑sensor time synchronization, and integrating safety‑relevant checks and diagnostics into our platform.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute sensor evaluation experiments for LiDARs, radars, and other sensors used in our production stack
• Characterize bandwidth, latency, jitter, and packet loss for different sensors and configurations
• Contribute to sensor driver and data pipeline improvements in C++ and Python
• Analyze and improve multi‑sensor time synchronization (PTP/gPTP, NIC hardware timestamps, clock offset/jitter measurement)
• Investigate phase alignment between LiDAR, radar, GNSS/IMU, and vehicle motion signals for better fusion and perception performance
• Support integration of sensor safety concepts, such as basic health and status monitoring
• Build tooling and dashboards to visualize sensor performance (latency histograms, bandwidth plots, sync error, etc.)
• Document findings and present recommendations to the robotics / perception / systems teams

Required Skills

• Strong coding skills in C++ and/or C and Python, comfortable working in Linux (shell, compiling code, basic debugging, log inspection)
• Experience capturing and analyzing sensor traffic using tools like tcpdump, Wireshark, or custom logging pipelines
• Strong interest in systems‑level performance: profiling, bottleneck analysis, latency and jitter measurement

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with systems concepts
• Data structures and algorithms
• Networking fundamentals (UDP/TCP, ports, sockets, throughput vs latency)
• Familiarity with robotics or sensor systems, such as LiDAR, radar, IMU, or cameras (project, coursework, or hobby)
• Strong analytical and communication skills; ability to turn raw data into clear, actionable insights

Compensation

$19 - $65 an hour

Benefits and Opportunities

Work, learn and grow in a highly future‑oriented, innovative and dynamic field.

Wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development.

Catered free lunch, unlimited snacks and beverages.

Highly competitive salary and benefits package, including 401(k) plan.

Hiring Process

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.