Autonomous Systems Internship Jobs in California

Who we are 

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We're changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI- real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don't just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you'll do

Atoms is looking for a Robotics Engineer who thrives at system-level debugging and end-to-end feature delivery-taking autonomy capabilities from prototype to reliable performance on real vehicles. You'll develop, test, and deploy features for our autonomous trucks, and you'll serve as a technical lead during deployments, owning bring-up, triage, and cross-team coordination in mission-critical environments.

• Develop, integrate, and validate autonomy features (software + tests) for real-world autonomous vehicle operation.
• Own system-level debugging: diagnose issues across sensors, compute, networking, controls, and software stacks using logs, metrics, and on-vehicle tools.
• Lead technical execution for deployments: drive bring-up plans, communicate technical requirements, identify risks, and coordinate fixes with engineering and operations.
• Support field deployments in mission-critical environments, including periodic travel to customer sites and hands-on on-vehicle debugging.
• Bring up and integrate new truck platforms: work with hardware and integration teams to add sensors and vehicle signals, calibrate systems, and tune performance.
• Collaborate across disciplines (hardware, operations, safety, product) to deliver robust, safe, and maintainable autonomy behavior.
• Travel note: This role requires periodic travel to customer sites (up to 10%)
• Schedule note: Some schedule flexibility may be required during deployments

What we're looking for

• 5+ years of professional (non-internship) software development experience.
• Strong programming skills in at least one modern language (Python, C++, Java, or C#); experience with object-oriented design and building maintainable systems.
• Proven robotics engineering experience with evidence of system-level ownership (e.g., integration, debugging, performance tuning, field support, or deployments).
• Ability to design and debug software systems with strong diagnostics (structured logging/metrics, fault isolation, testability) that scale beyond a single vehicle.
• Working knowledge of core robotics concepts and math (e.g., state estimation/Kalman filtering, localization, planning, controls).
• Comfort operating in ambiguity-able to define scope, interfaces, milestones, and success criteria to drive a problem to completion.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to explain technical trade-offs to non-technical partners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects through planning, execution, and deployment.
• Experience deploying autonomy/robotics systems in the field (on-call or deployment rotations, safety-critical troubleshooting, or customer-site support).
• Experience with any of: sensor fusion, safety systems, camera pipelines, ML for perception, vehicle interfaces (CAN), calibration workflows.
• Familiarity with robotics tooling and infrastructure (Linux, Git, CI/CD, simulation/test harnesses).

Why join us 

operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don't just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you'll do

Atoms is looking for a Robotics Systems Engineer who thrives at system-level debugging and end-to-end delivery of autonomy capabilities on real vehicles. You'll develop, integrate, test, and deploy features for our autonomous vehicle fleet, helping bring autonomy capabilities from prototype to reliable real-world performance.

This role may be hired at multiple levels, depending on experience and demonstrated scope of ownership. At more senior levels, this role will include greater ownership of autonomy features, production readiness, system-level validation, release gates, and cross-functional technical leadership.

Responsibilities include

• Develop, integrate, and validate autonomy features, including production software, tests, diagnostics, and deployment support.
• Debug system-level issues across sensors, compute, networking, controls, vehicle interfaces, and autonomy software using logs, metrics, and on-vehicle tools.
• Support or lead technical execution for vehicle bring-up and deployments, including planning, risk identification, validation, issue triage, and coordination across teams.
• Define and improve diagnostics, validation criteria, release gates, and metrics for production readiness.
• Support field and track testing, including hands-on vehicle debugging and periodic travel to test facilities or deployment hubs.
• Bring up and integrate new platforms by working with hardware and integration teams on sensors, vehicle signals, calibration, and performance tuning.
• Collaborate with hardware, operations, safety, and product teams to deliver robust, safe, and maintainable autonomy behavior.
• At senior levels, serve as a technical owner for production readiness of major autonomy capabilities or vehicle deployments, including cross-team validation and mentoring other engineers.

Travel note: This role requires periodic travel to test sites or regional deployment hubs (up to 15%).
Schedule note: Some schedule flexibility may be required during deployments

What we're looking for

• 3+ years of professional, non-internship software development or robotics engineering experience; 3+ years or equivalent demonstrated scope for senior-level consideration.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• Experience designing, building, testing, and debugging maintainable software for real-time or robotics systems.
• Proven robotics engineering experience with system-level ownership, such as integration, debugging, performance tuning, field testing, deployments, or platform bring-up.
• Ability to diagnose issues across software, hardware, sensors, networking, vehicle interfaces, controls, or autonomy stacks.
• Experience building or using diagnostics such as structured logging, metrics, fault isolation tools, test harnesses, or fleet-level monitoring.
• Working familiarity with core robotics concepts such as localization, state estimation, planning, controls, calibration, or sensor fusion.
• Ability to operate in ambiguous technical environments by clarifying scope, interfaces, milestones, risks, and success criteria.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to explain technical trade-offs to technical and non-technical partners.
• Demonstrated ability to drive technical work through planning, implementation, testing, validation, and deployment.
• For senior-level candidates, demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, define release or validation criteria, coordinate cross-functional execution, and mentor other engineers.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience deploying autonomy or robotics systems in the field, including deployment rotations, on-call support, safety-critical troubleshooting, or customer-site support.
• Experience with one or more of the following: sensor fusion, safety systems, camera pipelines, ML-based perception, CAN or other vehicle interfaces, calibration workflows, or autonomy validation.
• Experience defining release gates, validation metrics, or production-readiness criteria for safety-critical robotics or autonomy systems.
• Experience managing technical triage for distributed robots, vehicles, or fielded systems.
• Familiarity with robotics development infrastructure such as Linux, Git, CI/CD, simulation, test harnesses, or automated validation pipelines.

Why join us 

At Atoms, you'll work on one of the defining challenges of our time-bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what's known and building what doesn't yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it's grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team-so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know 

This role is based in our San Francisco office location. As a company driven by innovation and continuous change, close collaboration is essential. We're constantly reimagining our industry, creating new products, and refining our processes, and we do our best work together. That's why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week. 

The base salary range for this role is $145,000 - $180,000 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance-based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees):

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account / Health Savings Account Options
• 401(k)
• Equity
• Sick Time, Unlimited Flexible Time Off, and Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave 
• Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit Plan
• Team lunch in our SoMa office every Tuesday and Thursday

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion.
Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others? 

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