Rust Developer Internship Jobs in Pensacola, FL (NOW HIRING)

Persona AI is developing and commercializing rugged, multi-purpose humanoid robots that perform real work. Persona's founding team has a decades-long history in humanoid robotics, bionics, and product development delivering robust hardware that has touched the stars, worked miles below the surface of the ocean, and even roamed Disney Parks. Our mission is focused squarely on shipping beautiful, reliable products at massive scale, while building a customer-focused team to achieve these aims.
Teleoperation Software Engineering Internship
Location: Houston, Texas or Pensacola, Florida
Duration: 12-16 weeks
The Mission
At Persona AI, the Teleoperation Team is the bridge between human intuition and artificial intelligence. We aren't just building a remote control; we are building a high-fidelity, low-latency "nervous system" for our humanoid fleet.
As a Teleoperation Intern, you will work across our entire hardware and software stack, integrating firmware, backend infrastructure, retargeting, and XR interfaces. You will solve the "unreliable transport" problem, ensuring our robots move fluidly even when the network doesn't want to cooperate. If you're obsessed with sub-millisecond latency, real-time rendering, and the future of robotics, we want you on the front lines.
What You'll Do

• Architect Immersive Interfaces: Help develop our primary XR application used by operators to control humanoid robots.
• Optimize Data Pipelines: Build and tune low-latency streaming protocols (Rust) that function over real-world WiFi, Wired and bluetooth networks.
• Bridge the Stack: Develop software that interfaces directly with hardware SDKs for robot sensing, motion capture, and control.
• Innovate in XR: Build frontend systems for AR devices (Android/Embedded Linux) using OpenXR and frameworks like StereoKit or Unity.
• Scale and Monitor: Use Python to build test harnesses and automation scripts, ensuring our fleet remains reliable as it grows.

What We're Looking For

• Education: Currently pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related technical field.
• Coding Prowess: Strong fundamentals in Rust and Python. Familiarity with C++ is a plus.
• 3D & Networking Fluency: A solid grasp of 3D geometry (kinematics) and networking basics (TCP/UDP, bandwidth optimization).
• Systems Thinker: Experience working in Linux environments and a passion for navigating complex open-source codebases.
• The "Builder" Mindset: You've built things-whether it's a game in XR, a custom drone, or a contribution to an open-source library.

Bonus Points

• Experience with Unreal Engine (Blueprints/C++) or OpenXR.
• Knowledge of custom shader writing or GPU profiling.
• Familiarity with modern build systems like Nix or Bazel.
• A history of contributing to open-source projects.

Program Details
We review applications on a rolling basis, so applying early is strongly recommended. Our internships are competitive, and early applicants often have the best chance to be matched with available projects.
Now reviewing applications for:

• Fall 2026 (August-December)
• Spring 2027 (January-May)

Why join Persona AI?

• You'll shape technology that's redefining the possibilities of robotics and human interaction.
• Work alongside passionate teammates who value diversity, creativity, and continuous learning.
• Enjoy full access to advanced prototyping tools, labs, and the freedom to experiment and innovate.
• We offer competitive compensation, excellent benefits, flexible work environment, and equity opportunities.

Persona AI embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We believe the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.