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Internship Kernel Developer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Previous internship experience in hardware or low-level software engineering * Experience with C, C ... Linux kernel and driver programming * Robotics, Telecommunications, or High Speed Networking

Previous internship experience in hardware or low-level software engineering * Experience with C, C ... Linux kernel and driver programming * Robotics, Telecommunications, or High Speed Networking

Internship Kernel Developer information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$11

$23

$40

How much do internship kernel developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for internship kernel developer in Chicago, IL is $23.58, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.09 and $25.00 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much do internship kernel developers make?

Internship kernel developers typically earn between $15 and $30 per hour, depending on the location, company, and level of experience. Compensation may also include stipends or academic credit, and internships often require familiarity with C programming and Linux kernel development tools.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship kernel developer?

To thrive as an Internship Kernel Developer, you need a solid understanding of operating systems, C programming, and computer architecture, often supported by coursework or projects in systems programming. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, Linux kernel development tools, and debugging utilities is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn from feedback distinguish successful candidates. These skills ensure you can contribute effectively to kernel development tasks, quickly adapt to complex system environments, and collaborate with experienced engineers.

What does an internship kernel developer do?

As an Internship Kernel Developer, you will typically assist with tasks such as debugging kernel modules, developing or improving device drivers, and contributing to the implementation of new kernel features. You may also be involved in writing and reviewing code patches, participating in code reviews, and collaborating with senior developers on performance optimization. Interns often work closely with other software engineers and may interact with hardware teams to ensure kernel compatibility and stability. This hands-on experience is invaluable for understanding low-level system operations and can serve as a foundation for advanced roles in systems programming.

Are Linux kernel developers in demand?

Linux kernel developers are in high demand due to the widespread use of Linux in servers, cloud infrastructure, and embedded systems. Skills in C programming, kernel architecture, and experience with open-source projects increase employability in this specialized field.

What is an internship kernel developer?

Internship Kernel Developers are students or entry-level professionals who work on the core components of an operating system, known as the kernel, during an internship. Their responsibilities often include debugging, writing, and optimizing low-level code that communicates directly with hardware. These internships are typically offered by companies or organizations involved in operating system development, and they provide hands-on experience with system programming, device drivers, and kernel modules. This role is valuable for those looking to build a career in systems software, embedded systems, or operating system development.

What is the difference between Internship Kernel Developer vs Software Engineer Intern?

AspectInternship Kernel DeveloperSoftware Engineer Intern
Required CredentialsBasic programming skills, understanding of OS concepts, possibly some coursework in computer scienceSimilar; often includes programming, data structures, and software development fundamentals
Work EnvironmentHands-on kernel development, low-level programming, working closely with OS componentsApplication development, testing, and debugging in various software projects
Industry UsagePrimarily in OS, hardware, and systems software companiesAcross tech, finance, startups, and software firms

Internship Kernel Developer roles focus on low-level OS and kernel programming, requiring knowledge of system internals. Software Engineer Intern positions are broader, covering application-level development. Both roles are valuable entry points but differ in technical depth and focus area.

What are the most commonly searched types of Kernel Developer jobs in Chicago, IL? The most popular types of Kernel Developer jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What job categories do people searching Internship Kernel Developer jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Internship Kernel Developer jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Internship Kernel Developer jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Internship Kernel Developer job openings:
Infographic showing various Internship Kernel Developer job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 20% Internship, 77% Full Time, and 3% Temporary. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $49,056 per year, or $23.6 per hour.

Campus FPGA Engineer (Intern)

Jump Trading

Chicago, IL

$250K/yr

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago


Job description

Jump Trading Group is committed to world class research. We empower exceptional talents in Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science to seek scientific boundaries, push through them, and apply cutting edge research to global financial markets. Our culture is unique. Constant innovation requires fearlessness, creativity, intellectual honesty, and a relentless competitive streak. We believe in winning together and unlocking unique individual talent by incenting collaboration and mutual respect. At Jump, research outcomes drive more than superior risk adjusted returns. We design, develop, and deploy technologies that change our world, fund start-ups across industries, and partner with leading global research organizations and universities to solve problems.

Core Development is a global team of technologists who lean into the cutting edge of agentic development to architect, build and maintain our world-class trading platform From optimizing our core trading engine to building custom hardware, we leverage the latest agentic tools to deliver the infrastructure that drives our trading and business needs.

What You'll Do:

We're looking for engineers to join our FPGA team that is building next-generation, ultra-low-latency systems to power trading with machine learning and other algorithms on a global scale.

This is an opportunity to work on complex problems around networking, high performance computing, and real-time acceleration where we can't just use off-the-shelf hardware.

You'll work alongside a small team of experienced engineers who came to Jump from leading companies in FPGAs, semiconductors, networking cards, and more... as well as PhDs from top FPGA research labs around the world.

Other duties as assigned or needed

Skills You'll Need:

  • Undergraduate or Graduate concentration in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related areas
  • Experience with FPGA or other hardware/systems design and development
  • Experience with RTL (SystemVerilog/Verilog/VHDL)
  • Previous internship experience in hardware or low-level software engineering
  • Experience with C, C++, or Python
  • Passion for solving complex problems and ability to draw upon knowledge and experience from a variety of technical areas to produce extremely high-performance solutions
  • Reliable and predictable availability

Also Helpful, but Not Required:

  • lowRISC or RISC-V
  • CocoTB, Chisel, Opencore, or Bluespec
  • HLS or OpenCL
  • Any programming close to the metal with CPU, GPU, microprocessors, etc.
  • Linux kernel and driver programming
  • Robotics, Telecommunications, or High Speed Networking
  • Raspberry Pi or Arduino
  • Excellent marks in courses such as computer architecture, digital design, design verification
  • No finance or economics study or work experience required

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS are encouraged to apply. We accept students eligible for CPT/OPT and we sponsor work visas for full-time positions.

The estimated base salary for this role is $250,000 per year.