Internship R&D Software Engineer Jobs in Fairfax, VA

A World-Changing Company

Palantir builds the world's leading software for data-driven decisions and operations. By bringing the right data to the people who need it, our platforms empower our partners to develop lifesaving drugs, forecast supply chain disruptions, locate missing children, and more.

Palantir Year

We've had surging demand from undergrads who want to get into the arena faster. You've told us you can't sit in lectures while the biggest story of our lifetime is written around you. It's clearer every day, it's being written faster than ever.

If that's your spirit, you'll feel right at home here. Come join us for a year. Do real, critical work with the engineers and customers building the future. Many of our interns find they want to stay - perhaps you will too.

The Role

Build software and deliver customer outcomes. You'll work on real problems: helping customers deploy AI-powered solutions, building the software platforms of the future, and transforming how organizations operate. You'll be held to the same performance standards as any Palantir engineer, and your career progression will be based purely on merit and impact. Every incentive we have points toward putting our best people in the highest-leverage positions, as fast as possible.

You'll have the rare opportunity to gain deep insight into and directly influence some of the world's most critical industries and institutions. By building on Palantir's powerful platforms leveraging integrated cutting-edge AI, you'll help organizations unlock the full potential of their data to make smarter, faster decisions.

Core Responsibilities

You have two internship role options.

Forward Deployed Software Engineer:

At Palantir, the Forward Deployed Software Engineer (FDSE) role isn't just a job title: it's the blueprint. We pioneered this unique position, embedding talented engineers directly with our customers to tackle their most pressing challenges head-on. As an FDSE, you'll be at the intersection of world-changing problems and impactful technology, shaping solutions where they matter most.

FDSEs work side by side with our customers, rapidly understanding their toughest issues; architecting and building solutions that leverage business-critical data and the latest advancements in AI to solve them. Whether it's How do we predict and mitigate wildfire risks to optimize power grids? or How can we analyze and adapt a global food supply chain to deliver life-saving aid on time?, you'll use your technical expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills to drive real-world impact.

As an FDSE Intern, you'll experience the autonomy of a startup, with the resources, mentorship, and stability of an established tech company. FDSE Interns are treated as full members of the engineering team, entrusted with significant freedom and ownership over meaningful projects. Your contributions will have a direct impact on our customers' missions and the real world. You'll work in small, agile teams and own the end-to-end execution and implementation of high-stakes projects.

Software Engineer:

Software Engineers at Palantir build software at scale to transform how organizations around the world use data. As a Software Engineer Intern, you'll have an opportunity to grow more quickly than you ever envisioned, as you contribute high-quality code directly to Palantir Gotham, Palantir Foundry, or Palantir Apollo: products that are deployed at some of the most important institutions across the public and private sectors. You'll create features used by research scientists, aerospace engineers, intelligence analysts, and economic forecasters, in countries around the world.

Palantir's Product Development organization is made up of small teams of Software Engineers, each focusing on a specific aspect of a product. For example, you might join a team that builds a Foundry front-end application, or a component of the Gotham release infrastructure. We encourage communication and collaboration among teams to share context, skills, and experience, so you'll learn about many different aspects of each product.

What We Value

Exceptional students who are willing to do work that matters. We care about how you think and what you can build, not just your resume.

• Familiarity with data structures, storage systems, cloud infrastructure, front-end frameworks, and other technical tools
• For USG: An active U.S. security clearance, or eligibility and willingness to obtain one, is required
• For all other roles: An active U.S. security clearance, or eligibility and willingness to obtain one, is a plus but not required

Note this opportunity is open to freshmen and sophomores, as well as juniors and seniors in college.

What We Require

• Pursuing or received a degree in Engineering, preferably in Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or Data Science
• Proficiency with one or more programming languages, such as Python, Java, C++, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar
• Hands-on experience applying AI (whether through coursework, personal projects, internships, or relevant extracurricular activities)

Salary

The salary range for this position is estimated to be $5,900 - $10,500/month. Further note that total compensation for this position will be determined by each individual's relevant qualifications, work experience, skills, and other factors. This estimate excludes the value of any benefits offered; and the potential future value of any long-term incentives.

Please note that you will never be asked to submit a payment or share financial information to participate in our interview process. If you suspect that you've been contacted by a scammer, we recommend you cease all communication with the individual and consider reporting them to the relevant authorities, such as the US FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) .

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