Vehicle Software Engineering Intern

Vehicle Software Engineering Intern  - Summer 2026 Internship 

About Parallel Systems 

Parallel Systems is building the future of freight transportation with autonomous, electric rail vehicles. Our technology reimagines how goods move across the country, combining cutting-edge robotics, vehicle engineering, and software to create a cleaner, more efficient rail network. 

Role Summary 

The Vehicle Software Engineering Intern will contribute directly to the development and bring-up of software for the Mk3 vehicle platform. Working in Rust, you will write device drivers, communications interfaces, and business logic that runs on the vehicle's embedded computers. Your work will move from devkits and testbed setups to real prototype hardware, helping the team accelerate Mk3 prototype bring-up and drive toward production-ready code. 

What You Will Work On 

You will own a specific Mk3 vehicle subsystem end-to-end, carrying it from system design through integrated testing on prototype hardware. Your subsystem assignment will be scoped based on team priorities, but examples include: 

• Braking system software: developing and validating the control logic, sensor interfaces, and safety-critical communication protocols for the Mk3 pneumatic and electronic braking subsystem 
• Drivetrain control: writing device drivers and control algorithms for powertrain components including motor controllers, inverters, and gearbox sensor integration 
• Fast charging system: implementing the software interface between the vehicle computers and the DC fast charging hardware, including protocol handling, state machine design, and fault management 
• Vehicle communications: building and testing inter-node communication interfaces (CAN, Ethernet, serial) that connect the Mk3's distributed computing architecture 
• Sensor integration and diagnostics: developing drivers and data pipelines for onboard sensors used in vehicle health monitoring, telemetry, and operational decision-making 

Regardless of subsystem, you will follow a structured engineering lifecycle: requirements gathering, concept review, critical design review, implementation, test plan development, and full-up integrated testing on prototype hardware. 

What to Expect 

• Weeks 1-2: Onboarding, Mk3 vehicle architecture deep-dive, codebase orientation, development environment setup (devkits, testbeds), and pairing with a VSW engineer on an initial integration task 
• Weeks 3-4: Subsystem assignment, requirements gathering, system design documentation, and concept review with the engineering team 
• Weeks 5-7: Critical design review, implementation in Rust, unit testing on devkits and testbed hardware, and iterative code review with the team 
• Weeks 8-10: Integration onto Mk3 prototype hardware, system-level testing, debugging, and performance validation against requirements 
• Weeks 11-12: Final integrated test on prototype vehicle, documentation of results and recommended next steps, and presentation of outcomes to the broader engineering team 

Progress will be tracked through weekly check-ins, design reviews, field testing with data review and presentation, and feedback from the broader engineering team. 

Basic Requirements 

• Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related field (rising junior, senior, or graduate student) 
• Hands-on experience with real-world embedded systems such as robotics platforms, ground or air vehicle projects, or other sensing and actuating systems 
• Programming experience on microcontrollers with a demonstrated ability to work at the hardware/software interface 
• Track record of successfully working with embedded hardware in real-world settings, whether through coursework, personal projects, clubs, or prior internships 
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug across hardware and software boundaries 

Preferred Requirements 

• Experience with Rust programming language (strongly preferred) 
• Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN bus, SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet in embedded contexts 
• Experience with embedded Linux or RTOS environments 
• Exposure to hardware-in-the-loop testing, devkit bring-up, or prototype vehicle integration 
• Experience gained through hands-on extracurricular engineering teams (e.g., FSAE, RoboCup, autonomous vehicle clubs, or similar) 

Compensation: 

• The expected hourly rate for this role is $50/hr.