Software Engineering Intern

Protagonist Therapeutics; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. seeks a Software Engineering Intern to join our small, collaborative team and contribute to the Narrative Analytics® platform that analyzes millions of online conversations to uncover beliefs shaping public discourse.

This hands-on role involves backend development with Python/Django REST Framework, frontend work with React/TypeScript, and data pipelines using Metaflow. Office-based in Washington DC with some remote options.

Qualifications

• Authorized to work in the US.
• Pursuing a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering.
• Available to work a minimum of 20 hours/week.
• Not fully remote; interns must be in Washington DC office 1–2 days per week.
• Comfortable in Python.
• Experience with Git.
• Some exposure to web development (any framework), SQL, or JavaScript.
• Curious about NLP, ML, or LLMs.

Responsibilities

• Build API endpoints in Python (Django REST Framework) and the React/TypeScript components that use them
• Write steps in data pipelines (Metaflow) that pull in documents, enrich them with LLMs, and index them in OpenSearch
• Help build and evaluate LLM features: prompt templates, structured outputs, and scorecards
• Gain hands-on experience with AWS services, including S3, Bedrock, and EKS, to support development, troubleshooting, and deployment
• Write tests, upgrade dependencies, fix what breaks, and help track down production bugs
• Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand how the platform is used and how engineering contributions support analytical workflows

Skills

Python

Git

Web development

SQL

JavaScript

NLP

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Pursuing a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

Tools

Django REST Framework

React

TypeScript

Metaflow

OpenSearch

AWS (S3, Bedrock, EKS)

Job description

Join Our Talented Team at Protagonist

We fuse rigorous, methodologically sound analysis with our cutting-edge technology platform, Narrative Analytics®. This powerful combination enables us to quantitatively analyze open-source media, deliver strategic recommendations, and craft executive-level communication strategies for clients with missions that matter.

Why Us?

Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts with extensive experience across U.S. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. By joining Protagonist, you’ll immerse yourself in a collaborative environment where innovation thrives, and your contributions truly matter.

What We Do

• Innovative Solutions: We co-develop cutting-edge solutions with our clients to address tough communication problems and capitalize on opportunities to make a tangible impact.
• Data-Driven Insights: Our tools and methodologies provide actionable insights that help clients meet their communication objectives and stay ahead of global challenges.
• Applied Expertise: We integrate our solutions within client organizations, leveraging our profound expertise to address critical issues and ensure sustainable success.

Be Part of Something Bigger

At Protagonist, you’ll work on compelling projects that make a real difference. We seek talented individuals eager to contribute to our mission and grow alongside us. If you’re passionate about communication, data analysis, and making an impact, we invite you to explore a career with Protagonist.

Washington, DC | Minimum 20 hours/week | In-Office with Remote Opportunities (Starting Immediately)

About You

Protagonist is seeking a Software Engineering Intern to join our small, collaborative engineering team and contribute directly to the development of our Narrative Analytics® platform, which analyzes millions of online conversations to uncover the beliefs and narratives shaping how people think and act.

This is a hands-on opportunity to write real code for a real product, working across backend development, user-facing applications, data pipelines, and AI-powered features. You'll work alongside experienced engineers, data scientists, and analysts to solve real technical challenges, gain exposure to modern development tools and technologies, and see firsthand how your contributions make an impact. Rather than working on hypothetical projects, you'll contribute to technology that our teams and clients use in practice.

Responsibilities:

• Build API endpoints in Python (Django REST Framework) and the React/TypeScript components that use them
• Write steps in our data pipelines (Metaflow) that pull in documents, enrich them with LLMs, and index them in OpenSearch
• Help build and evaluate LLM features: prompt templates, structured outputs, and scorecards that tell us whether a prompt is working
• Gain hands-on experience with AWS services, including S3, Bedrock, and EKS, to support development, troubleshooting, and deployment Write tests, upgrade dependencies, fix what breaks, and help track down production bugs
• Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand how the platform is used and how engineering contributions support analytical workflows

Requirements

• Authorized to work in the US
• Must meet applicable U.S. Government contract eligibility requirements, including any citizenship or security clearance requirements associated with assigned work.
• Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
• Available to work a minimum of 20 hours/week throughout the semester
• This is not a fully remote position; interns must be able to work in our Washington D.C. office 1-2 days per week
• Comfortable in Python
• You’ve used Git for real, not just for a class assignment
• Some exposure to web development (any framework), SQL, or JavaScript
• Curious about NLP, machine learning, or large language models

Ideal Candidate

• A class project or side project in Django, React, or TypeScript
• Pandas or other data work in Python
• You’ve called an LLM API and built something with it
• You use AI coding tools and can tell when they’re wrong
• Docker, or any cloud provider

Protagonist is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and innovative environment where everyone’s voice can make a difference.

Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The internship pays $20.00 / hour or the applicable local minimum wage rate, whichever is higher.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.