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Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in Berkeley, CA

Kargo

Software Engineer, Edge

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Experience * 1 to 2 years of professional, internship, or research experience in software engineering. * Strong programming skills in C++ and python. * Familiarity with Linux development environments.

Roblox

Senior Software Engineer - Bot Defense

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$139K - $183K/yr

... defense products, focusing on the user experience for bot detection and mitigation You Have: * 4+ years of experience as a Fullstack Software Engineer. * 2+ years of experience in front-end ...

Retell AI

Software Engineer (New Grad)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$83K - $104K/yr

Have 2+ internships where you built real software. * Enjoy building from scratch instead of maintaining legacy systems. * Want to work directly with founders and experienced engineers. * Learn ...

Chariot Defense

Software Engineer, Systems

San Bruno, CA · On-site

$130K - $180K/yr

... years building software across multiple layers of the stack. * Strong systems programming ... Background in automotive, aerospace, defense, robotics, or energy. Role Requirements * This ...

Valeo

Software Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$96K - $156K/yr

Mentoring of team members and interns What You Should Have: * Bachelor's degree in Electrical ... software engineering, ideally in the automotive industry. * Strong experience in Software ...

Valeo

Software Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$96K - $156K/yr

Mentoring of team members and interns What You Should Have: * Bachelor's degree in Electrical ... software engineering, ideally in the automotive industry. * Strong experience in Software ...

Broccoli AI

Software Engineer, Growth

San Francisco, CA · On-site

We partner with plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors, the hardworking businesses that keep ... About the role We're looking for a Software Engineer, Growth to build the systems, experiments, and ...

Nava

Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

We ask the right questions to help civil servants and other contractors work effectively on complex ... This is a great opportunity for engineers who enjoy software archaeology. If you care deeply about ...

Nava

Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

We ask the right questions to help civil servants and other contractors work effectively on complex ... This is a great opportunity for engineers who enjoy software archaeology. If you care deeply about ...

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All JobsDefense Contractor Software Engineer JobsInternship Defense Contractor Software Engineer JobsInternship Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in Berkeley, CA

Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer information

See Berkeley, CA salary details

$16

$31

$47

How much do internship defense contractor software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for internship defense contractor software engineer in Berkeley, CA is $31.12, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $25.29 and $35.34 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of projects might I work on as an internship defense contractor software engineer?

As an intern software engineer at a defense contractor, you can expect to work on a variety of projects ranging from developing and testing embedded systems to supporting simulation tools and software used in defense applications. Interns often collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including engineers, analysts, and project managers, to contribute to real-world solutions such as cybersecurity, radar systems, or mission planning software. The work environment is typically fast-paced and emphasizes security protocols, so you'll also gain experience working within strict compliance and documentation standards. These experiences not only build technical skills but also provide insight into how large, complex projects are managed in the defense industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship defense contractor software engineer?

To thrive as an Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer, you should have a strong foundation in computer science principles, programming languages (such as C++ or Java), and be enrolled in or have completed relevant coursework. Familiarity with secure software development practices, integrated development environments (IDEs), and version control systems like Git is typically expected. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, teamwork, and effective communication are essential soft skills in this setting. These competencies are crucial for developing high-quality, secure software that meets stringent defense industry standards while collaborating effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

What does an internship defense contractor software engineer do?

An Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer assists in developing, testing, and maintaining software systems for defense-related projects under the guidance of experienced engineers. Interns may work on tasks such as coding, debugging, software integration, and documentation, often focusing on secure and reliable solutions for military or government applications. They typically collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support the development of technologies like radar systems, communications software, or cybersecurity tools. This role provides valuable hands-on experience in a highly regulated and impactful industry.
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Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings in Berkeley, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $64,732 per year, or $31.1 per hour.

Software Engineer, Embedded Linux

Chariot Defense

San Bruno, CA • On-site

$130K - $180K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

About Us
Chariot Defense is a defense technology company that designs and manufactures a family of power products for the U.S. military and its allies. We believe that credible deterrence of armed conflict and winning if deterrence fails, requires more than just the best drones, sensors, weapons, electronic warfare systems, and command & control capabilities. Those critical components will require sustained electric power in austere and resource-constrained environments. Moreover, military units must be able to turn off the trucks and generators that generate this power to hide and survive. In other words, power generation must be decoupled from power consumption. Chariot Defense's products enable exactly this capability, allowing U.S. and allied militaries to be more lethal and survivable. We hope you will join us on this mission.
About the Role
We're looking for an Embedded Linux Engineer to own that software platform from the ground up, taking a bare, custom-built board and getting Linux to boot and run reliably on it, then keeping that stack maintainable as we ship and update units in the field. You'll be the engineer responsible for embedded platforms are built, deployed, and updated across Amphora and future products. Our team comes from Tesla, Anduril, Apple, Archer, and the U.S. military, and we're already fielded across DoD exercises. This is a high-ownership, hands-on role that sits right at the hardware-software boundary.
Key Responsibilities
  • Board bring-up: Take freshly fabricated carrier boards from freshly assembled to reliably booting - methodically proving out power, memory, and communication interfaces, hands-on with hardware on the bench.
  • Bootloader & kernel configuration: Stand up the bootloader and configure the Linux kernel so it correctly recognizes and drives our specific hardware.
  • Device drivers & device tree: Describe our custom hardware to Linux and integrate the drivers needed to talk to peripherals that aren't found in any standard catalog.
  • Build & deploy with Nix / NixOS: Own our operating system defined as code - producing reproducible, identical images and building safe update and rollback paths for fielded units.
  • Networking & system services: Configure on-device networking and the system services our higher-level software depends on.
  • Reliability & maintainability: Build the platform so it stays robust and serviceable across the product's life, under the conditions a defense product actually faces.
  • Cross-functional integration: Partner closely with the firmware and hardware teams, sitting at the seam between low-level hardware and the software that runs on top of it.
What We're Looking For
  • Top-notch engineering intuition and first principles thinking toward designing complex products that function seamlessly for your customer, taking both an engineering/ technical, and product/ customer approach, to strike the optimal balance.
  • Able to independently identify critical information or priority gaps and apply effort toward closing those gaps.
  • Undaunted by imperfect, incomplete or absent datasets or information, and capable of making sound, comprehensive, and swift first-principled decisions to achieve a product end-state that meets and/or exceeds the need of the hour.
  • Not satisfied by superficial explanations of a problem or "band-aid engineering"; seeks persistently to find the specific root cause through data-driven methods, and resolve failures or recurring issues, so they can be mitigated to prevent future such instances.
  • Gratified by helping your peers succeed, building a robust team culture, and propagation deep camaraderie amongst your peers; seeks to break down information silos by collaborating rigorously with others to solve problems, share knowledge, and provide input.
Qualifications
Required:
  • BS in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
  • 3+ years building and shipping embedded Linux on custom hardware.
  • Proven board bring-up experience, from powered-off to reliably booting.
  • Hands-on with the boot chain: bootloader, kernel configuration, drivers, and device tree.
  • Fluent in C/C++ and the embedded Linux toolchain (cross-compilation, JTAG, serial debug).
  • Exposure to embedded communication interfaces (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART) at the OS and driver level.
Preferred:
  • Experience with Nix/NixOS.
  • Experience with OS configuration as code, Yocto, Ansible.
  • Production Rust experience.
  • Familiarity with ARM SoCs/SoMs on custom carrier boards.
  • Background in automotive, aerospace, defense, robotics, or energy.
Role Requirements
  • This position is an onsite role based in Chariot Defense's San Bruno, CA, office.
  • Willingness to support 10% travel, domestically and internationally, as well as work extended and weekend hours, when necessary.

A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $130,000-$180,000 annually. Compensation packages also include early-stage equity and access to company-sponsored benefit plans.
Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.
All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Chariot Defense are considered property of Chariot Defense and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

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