Software Engineer I

F5 Networks, Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment in Seattle

Mentorship and career growth

Professional development and learning

Job summary

F5 Networks, Inc. is seeking a Software Development Engineer (AI) intern to contribute to scalable systems and ML/AI projects within its Digital organization.

Based in Seattle, WA, you will learn from mentors, work on real-world solutions, and gain exposure to backend development, DevOps, and data-driven AI applications. You will participate in design reviews, implement features, and develop technical documentation, while growing professionally in a collaborative, inclusive environment with a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrated programming experience in Python (preferred) or Java/C++/Go, including building APIs/services, writing tests, and using Git in a collaborative codebase.
• Hands-on exposure to machine learning and deep learning concepts and tooling, such as PyTorch (preferred) or TensorFlow/JAX, including training/inference workflows and basic model evaluation.
• Familiarity with modern LLM tooling and patterns, such as Hugging Face Transformers, prompt engineering, and retrieval-augmented generation concepts (embeddings + search).
• Exposure to data handling for ML, including common formats and pipelines (e.g., Parquet, basic ETL, and data quality checks).
• Demonstrated knowledge of computer science fundamentals (e.g., data structures and algorithms).
• Must be willing to relocate to Seattle, WA or San Jose, CA if not currently based in one of these locations.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to real-world projects across the full development cycle, collaborating with the team to deliver solutions that meet project goals.
• Work with peers to design, implement, and test code in a collaborative environment, receiving feedback and guidance from senior engineers.
• Analyze requirements, test features, and integrate components into applications with support and mentorship.
• Create technical documentation for designs and new features, learning best practices in technical writing and communication.
• Participate actively in design and code reviews to absorb best practices, understand quality standards, and continuously improve code quality.
• Collaborate with your team to explore and develop data-driven solutions using machine learning and AI technologies.
• Ask questions, seek clarification, and leverage mentorship to navigate challenges and accelerate learning.

Skills

Python

APIs

Git

PyTorch

Transformers

LangChain

Vector search

Data structures & algorithms

Machine learning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Parquet

ETL

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation. Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive.

This position is exclusively intended for candidates who successfully completed the F5 Summer 2026 Internship Program and have received an invitation to apply for a return role.

Position SummaryJoin F5's Digital organization as a Software Development Engineer (AI) and launch your career with a talented team of engineers. In this entry-level role, you will collaborate with experienced mentors, contribute to meaningful projects, and work with technologies that power real-world solutions across our digital ecosystem. As a Software Development Engineer (AI), you will contribute to the design and development of scalable systems, explore AI and machine learning technologies, and grow your technical expertise in a supportive environment. Whether your interest is backend development, DevOps, machine learning engineering, or expanding your technical toolkit, you'll take on progressively challenging projects, build your skills, and establish a strong foundation for your career at F5.

Location: This role is based in Seattle, WA.

The Ideal Candidate Will Be Able To:

• Contribute to real-world projects across the full development cycle, collaborating with the team to deliver solutions that meet project goals.
• Work with peers to design, implement, and test code in a collaborative environment, receiving feedback and guidance from senior engineers.
• Analyze requirements, test features, and integrate components into applications with support and mentorship.
• Create technical documentation for designs and new features, learning best practices in technical writing and communication.
• Participate actively in design and code reviews to absorb best practices, understand quality standards, and continuously improve code quality.
• Collaborate with your team to explore and develop data-driven solutions using machine learning and AI technologies.
• Ask questions, seek clarification, and leverage mentorship to navigate challenges and accelerate your learning.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Technical Curiosity: You're eager to apply your programming knowledge, learn new languages and tools, and actively grow your technical skill set.
• Problem-Solving Mindset: You think critically, use data to inform decisions, and aren't hesitant to seek guidance when faced with challenges.
• Adaptability & Initiative: You're willing to embrace new challenges, contribute ideas to team discussions, and adjust as projects evolve.
• Team Player: You enjoy collaborating with others, exchanging ideas, and supporting peers to achieve common goals.
• Strong Communicator: You can articulate your thoughts clearly, listen actively, and value diverse perspectives on the team.
• Growth Mindset: You view feedback as an opportunity to improve and are committed to continuous learning and professional development.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrated programming experience in Python (preferred) or Java/C++/Go, including building APIs/services, writing tests (pytest/JUnit), and using Git in a collaborative codebase.
• Hands‑on exposure to machine learning and deep learning concepts and tooling, such as PyTorch (preferred) or TensorFlow/JAX, including training/inference workflows and basic model evaluation.
• Familiarity with modern LLM tooling and patterns, such as Hugging Face Transformers, prompt engineering, and retrieval-augmented generation concepts (embeddings + search).
• Exposure to data handling for ML, including common formats and pipelines (e.g., Parquet, basic ETL, and data quality checks).
• Demonstrated knowledge of computer science fundamentals (e.g., data structures and algorithms).
• Must be willing to relocate to Seattle, WA or San Jose, CA if not currently based in one of these locations.

Preferred Skills (Not Required but Valued)

• Experience with API development (e.g., FastAPI/Flask, REST/gRPC) and backend fundamentals (auth, pagination, error handling).
• Experience implementing retrieval-driven AI applications using LangChain/LlamaIndex and vector search technologies (e.g., pgvector, Pinecone, Milvus, Weaviate).
• Familiarity with fine-tuning approaches (e.g., LoRA/PEFT) and/or ML experimentation tools (MLflow or Weights & Biases).
• Exposure to containers and modern DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes basics, CI/CD (e.g., GitHub Actions, GitLab CI).
• Observability basics: logging/metrics/tracing (e.g., OpenTelemetry, Prometheus/Grafana concepts).
• Experience with distributed/data tooling used in ML workloads: Spark, Ray, Kafka, or Airflow.

Why You’ll Love F5

Seamless Transition: Move from internship to full-time with continuity in your team, projects, and growth trajectory Professional Development: Continue developing your skills with ongoing training, mentorship, and access to advanced learning opportunities Meaningful Work: Contribute to real business impact and solve complex enterprise data challenges Collaborative Culture: Work alongside experienced analysts, engineers, and leaders in an inclusive, innovative environment Career Growth: Excel in your role and build a long-term career path with F5, including opportunities for advancement and specialization Inclusive Community: Be part of F5's diverse, people-first culture where individual contributions are valued

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and market conditions
• Comprehensive health, wellness, and retirement benefits
• Professional development and continuous learning opportunities
• Work-life balance benefits including flexible work arrangements
• Hybrid work environment with periodic in-office collaboration in Seattle
• Mentorship and career growth opportunities within the F5 Digital organization
• Access to F5's employee resource groups and community

The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.

The annual base pay for this position is: $105,600.00 - $158,400.00 F5 maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, geographic locations, and market conditions, as well as to reflect F5’s differing products, industries, and lines of business. The pay range referenced is as of the time of the job posting and is subject to change. You may also be offered incentive compensation, bonus, restricted stock units, and benefits. More details about F5’s benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.f5.com/company/careers/benefits. F5 reserves the right to change or terminate any benefit plan without notice.

F5 only contacts candidates through F5 email address (ending with @f5.com) or auto email notification from Workday (ending with f5.com or @myworkday.com).

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of F5 to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, discipline, and termination.

F5 offers a variety of reasonable accommodations for candidates. Requesting an accommodation is completely voluntary. F5 will assess the need for accommodations in the application process separately from those that may be needed to perform the job. Request by contacting [e-mail].

Hybrid: Employees within 30 commutable miles of an F5 office are required to work from the office a minimum of 30 business days per quarter. Remote: Primarily work from designated home location but can come into an F5 office to work or travel to an offsite location as needed.

Together, we're building a better digital world. Founded in 1996, F5 is a global leader in application delivery and security.

Our premier platform helps customers secure and deliver every app, API, and piece of infrastructure across all environments. Backed by over three decades of expertise and 553 patents, our solutions protect against threats while ensuring fast, reliable digital experiences. With over 6,400 employees, we serve more than 23,000 customers in over 170 countries. To continue this work, we need people like you—the best minds in the industry. We're committed to a unique, human-first culture that encourages authenticity, prioritizes diversity and inclusion, and fosters the growth and success of our employees.