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Software Development Engineer Intern Jobs in Champaign, IL

Senior System Software Engineer

Champaign, IL ยท On-site

$122K - $161K/yr

NVIDIA is seeking a Sr. Systems Software Engineer for the Apache Spark Acceleration group. Over the ... Experience using AI tools in software development Your base salary will be determined based on your ...

NVIDIA is seeking a Sr. Systems Software Engineer for the Apache Spark Acceleration group. Over the ... software development 5+ years hands on experience with data platform development BS/MS/PhD in ...

Software Tutor

Champaign, IL ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Deep knowledge of software development methodologies, programming languages, version control, software architecture, testing strategies, debugging, database design, API development, and deployment ...

Showing results 21-40

Software Development Engineer Intern information

See Champaign, IL salary details

$13

$25

$38

How much do software development engineer intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for software development engineer intern in Champaign, IL is $25.45, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.72 and $28.89 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a software development engineer intern do?

A Software Development Engineer Intern assists in designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software applications under the guidance of experienced engineers. Interns typically work on real projects, write code, debug issues, and collaborate with team members to learn the software development lifecycle. This role helps interns gain practical experience, improve programming skills, and understand how software teams operate in a professional environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software development engineer intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Software Development Engineer Intern, you typically need proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Python, or C++, and a solid understanding of computer science fundamentals, often supported by coursework or personal projects. Familiarity with development tools like Git, integrated development environments (IDEs), and sometimes cloud platforms or version control systems is expected. Strong problem-solving abilities, eagerness to learn, and effective communication help interns collaborate and adapt quickly. These skills and qualities enable interns to contribute meaningfully to projects while growing their technical and teamwork abilities in a real-world environment.

What types of projects do software development engineer interns typically work on, and how much ownership do they have over their work?

As a Software Development Engineer Intern, you will often contribute to real-world projects that may range from feature development and bug fixes to prototyping new tools or improving existing systems. Interns are usually paired with a mentor and integrated into agile teams, where they are encouraged to take ownership of their assigned tasks and present their solutions. While guidance and code reviews are standard, interns are trusted to design, implement, and test their code, allowing for meaningful hands-on experience and a direct impact on product outcomes.

What is the difference between Software Development Engineer Intern vs Software Engineer?

AspectSoftware Development Engineer InternSoftware Engineer
CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or related fieldUsually holds a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science or related discipline
Work EnvironmentInternship programs, often part-time or summer roles within tech companiesFull-time employment in software development teams
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across tech companies, startups, and large corporations for entry-level rolesFull-time professional role in similar environments
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for entry-level experience and career progressionRepresents a standard professional role in software development

The main difference between a Software Development Engineer Intern and a Software Engineer is the experience level and employment status. Interns are typically students gaining practical experience, while Software Engineers are full-time professionals responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software products.

What cities near Champaign, IL are hiring for Software Development Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities near Champaign, IL with the most Software Development Engineer Intern job openings:

Infographic showing various Software Development Engineer Intern job openings in Champaign, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 27% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $52,944 per year, or $25.5 per hour.

Principal Systems Software Engineer - NVIDIA

Experience Champaign Urbana

Champaign, IL โ€ข On-site

$250/hr

Other

Posted 8 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Develop Java, Scala, and CUDA/C++ libraries to accelerate DataFrames and I/O operations on common file formats such as Parquet, ORC, and JSON.

  • Work with open source communities to enhance libraries like NVIDIA cuDF, CCCL, and UCX through technical discussion and code contributions.

  • Collaborate with distributed systems teams to craft solutions to distributed processing problems at large scale.


Job description

NVIDIA is a global leader in accelerated computing. It designs graphics processing units (GPUs) and chip units for mobile computing, automotive, gaming, and professional markets.


NVIDIAโ€™s invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI โ€” the next era of computing โ€” with the GPU acting as the brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can perceive and understand the world.


Please see the Research Park Tenant Directory for more information. NVIDIA โ€“ Research Park


About the role


NVIDIA is seeking a Sr. Systems Software Engineer for the Apache Spark Acceleration group. Over the past five years GPU accelerated data processing has moved from proof of concept to production deployments. Many enterprises are now recognizing the needs of accelerated computing to handle their large data processing needs. Multi-node GPU deployments will reduce cloud computing costs and lower latency batch ETL workloads.


At NVIDIA, we have been invested in accelerating Apache Spark, providing an open source plugin for Apache Spark. Apache Spark is the most popular data processing engine in data centers. We strive to accelerate Spark applications on GPUs without any code changes. We are passionate about working on hard problems that have an impact. You will need to have strong programming skills, a deep understanding of software development related to C++. You will work with a team that is using open source libraries like RAPIDS to accelerate reading, writing and batch data operations in Spark.


Requirements

  • BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or closely related field (or equivalent experience)

  • 15+ years of work experience in software development

  • Outstanding technical skills in designing and implementing high-quality distributed systems

  • Excellent programming skills in C++, Java, and/or Scala

  • Ability to work with teams across organizational boundaries and geographies

  • Familiarity with the open source data platform ecosystem (Apache Spark, Velox, Presto, Apache Arrow, Apache DataFusion, etc.). Meaningful contributions to the OSS community a plus.

  • Highly motivated with strong interpersonal skills

  • Database query optimization is a strong plus


Responsibilities

  • Develop Java, Scala and CUDA/C++ libraries to accelerate DataFrames and I/O operations on common file formats such as Parquet, ORC and JSON

  • Enable interoperability with table formats such as Apache Iceberg and Delta Lake, and metastores such as Unity Catalog

  • Work with open source communities to enhance libraries like NVIDIA cuDF, CCCL and UCX through technical discussion and code contributions

  • Collaborate with distributed systems teams to craft solutions to distributed processing problems challenges at large scale

  • Provide recommendations and feedback to teams regarding decisions surrounding topics such as infrastructure, continuous integration and testing strategy

  • Build, test and optimize CUDA/C++ libraries across different platforms


Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 272,000 USD โ€“ 431,250 USD.


You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.


Applications for this job will be accepted at least until July 19, 2026.

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