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Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in Riverside, CA

Software Engineer, Robotics

Irvine, CA · On-site

$191K - $253K/yr

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...

Software Engineer, Robotics

Irvine, CA · On-site

$166K - $282K/yr

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...

Software Engineer

Claremont, CA · Remote

$100K - $125K/yr

Software Engineer Flash Biometrics | Hybrid/Remote - Claremont, CA Salary Range: $100,000-$125,000 ... What We're Looking For Core Qualifications * 1+ year of professional (non-internship) software ...

Software Engineer

Claremont, CA · On-site

$100K - $125K/yr

Software Engineer Flash Biometrics | Hybrid/Remote - Claremont, CA Salary Range: $100,000-$125,000 ... What We're Looking For Core Qualifications * 1+ year of professional (non-internship) software ...

Showing results 21-40

Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer information

See Riverside, CA salary details

$14

$26

$40

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

As of Sep 13, 2026, the average hourly pay for internship defense contractor software engineer in Riverside, CA is $26.52, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.59 and $30.10 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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.

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 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.

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Infographic showing various Internship Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings in Riverside, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $55,154 per year, or $26.5 per hour.

Software Engineer, Robotics

Irvine, CA

Anduril Industries
Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing • 501 - 1,000 employees

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago


Anduril rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the sky. At a time when air superiority can no longer be taken for granted, the Air Defense Team provides mission critical capabilities to warfighters. From detection to tracking, identification, deterrence, and defeat, our family of networked sensors and effectors enables our customers to rapidly close the kill chain against a broad range of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) threats. Working across product, engineering, sales, logistics, operations, and mission success, the Air Defense team develops, tests, deploys, and sustains the Anduril Air Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide.


ABOUT THE ROLE

We're looking for a Senior Software Engineer specializing in Robotics to join our growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Software Engineer on the Air Defense team, you will solve a wide variety of problems involving autonomy, systems integration, robotics, networking, and more, while making pragmatic engineering tradeoffs along the way. Your efforts will ensure that Anduril products seamlessly work together to achieve a variety of critical outcomes. Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind and making sound engineering decisions to deliver successful outcomes correctly, on-time, and with high quality.

WHAT YOU'LL DO
  • Write and maintain core libraries and services that perform critical functions for collaborative teams of robots - for example, frame transformations, targeting and guidance, etc.
  • Own major feature development and rollout of large, complex features for our products. This includes systems analysis, sensor selection and integration, perception architecture and implementation, motion planning, health management, behavior analysis, simulation and test infrastructure, and interfaces with lower- and higher-level systems.
  • Implement scalable sub-systems including sensor processing, perception, tracking, motion planning, health management, anomaly detection, simulation, testing fixtures, and vehicle interfaces
  • Work closely with Anduril and 3rd party robotic platform hardware teams, as well as operational subject matter experts to align on requirements during product development and iterate towards a final design.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Robotics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics.
  • 3+ years of C++ or Rust experience in a Linux development environment
  • Demonstrated experience leading projects or teams with the ability to inspire, mentor, and grow other engineers.
  • Proven understanding of data structures, algorithms, concurrency, and code optimization
  • Experience troubleshooting and analyzing remotely deployed software systems
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • MS, ideally in areas/fields such as Robotics, Computer Science, Software Engineering
  • Experience programming for embedded and physical devices
  • Experience in one or more of the following: motion planning, perception, localization, mapping, controls, and related system performance metrics.
  • Understanding of systems software (kernel, device drivers, system calls) and optimizing for limited resources
  • Experience with sensor characterization and analysis

Working at Anduril

About Anduril, in their own words

From Anduril

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.


What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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