Winter 2027 Intern, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

Kodiak; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 123,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Excellent medical, dental and vision

Dog friendly office

Free catered lunch

Beautiful facility in Mountain View

Job summary

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. is seeking a highly skilled AI/ML Intern to tackle real-world challenges in robotics. You will design state-of-the-art ML algorithms, work with cameras, lidars, and radars, and develop a robust ML flywheel within Kodiak’s advanced software ecosystem.

Ideal candidates are pursuing an MS or Ph.D., with hands-on experience in deep neural networks and Python. This on-site internship in Mountain View offers a dynamic, fast-paced environment and strong growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Pursuing an MS or Ph.D. with hands-on experience in deep neural networks.
• Experience in applied AI research, Python programming, and robotics.
• Enthusiastic about solving real-world robotics challenges and production ML pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms in Python.
• Lead development of deep networks for 3D scene understanding and sensing.
• Work with cameras, lidars, and radars to build ML datasets and improve models.
• Develop automated AI flywheel and integrate it into the ML workflow.
• Contribute to Kodiak’s advanced software ecosystem and production pipelines.

Skills

Computer Vision

Foundation Models

Python

Deep Learning

Robotics

Research

Education

MS or Ph.D. in progress

BS considered

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are looking for a highly skilled AI/ML Intern with a solid grasp of Computer Vision and Foundation Models, to tackle real-world challenges in robotics. The perfect candidate for our team is someone who embodies a proactive, can-do mindset, tackling tasks with enthusiasm and persistence. We expect our interns to not only excel in their field but also to rapidly adapt and thrive in our fast-paced, innovative environment. This role is ideal for individuals eager to demonstrate their expertise and eager to grow in a cutting-edge technological setting.

In this role, you will:

• Design and implement state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms using robust, efficient Python code, ensuring high-quality evaluations and reliability.
• Lead the development of innovative deep neural networks to address key robotics problems, such as end-to-end learning, 3d scene understanding, 3D object detection, 3D world reconstruction, and self-supervised learning.
• Work with various sensor technologies like cameras, lidars, and radars to create and refine machine learning datasets, enhancing performance with growing data.
• Develop and manage automated AI flywheel, ensuring seamless integration and efficiency in the machine learning process.
• Work within Kodiak’s advanced software ecosystem, pushing the frontiers of existing autonomous systems through continuous innovation and development.

What you’ll bring:

• Strong technical background. You are currently pursuing an MS or Ph.D. and have hands‑on experience in designing and implementing deep neural networks; exceptional candidates pursuing a BS are considered.
• You are a skilled engineer with experience in applied AI research, Python programming, and strong problem‑solving skills.
• You are passionate about solving real‑world robotics problems, and you have ideally worked on autonomous robots before.
• A team player. You take ownership and work with the team to deliver exceptional results. You are interested in the performance of the entire system across engineering disciplines.
• Ability to build and iterate quickly. You enjoy working fast and smart, and you are comfortable in the earlier stages of developing an algorithm from scratch.
• Hands‑on. You are not only passionate about ML research but also experienced working with production machine learning pipelines, from dataset curation to training and validation.
• Great communicator. You have experience writing clear, concise, and detailed design documents. You can enable your colleagues to leverage the ML models resulting from your work in their algorithms and systems.

Internship Program Details:

• Start Date: January 2027
• Our internship program is 12-16 weeks; the end date is flexible based on individual needs.
• Location: Mountain View, CA.
• Housing: Interns are responsible for housing.

What we offer:

• A fast paced environment where we work with talented, committed and supportive teammates.
• Competitive pay.
• Excellent medical, dental and vision benefits. A beautiful facility in Mountain View.
• We love our dogs, so we are a dog friendly office!
• Free catered lunch.

The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in our SF/Silicon Valley location, across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package

California Pay Range

$10,000—$10,000 USD

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security‑related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.