... robot capabilities ... As a research intern, you will work at the intersection of reinforcement learning, locomotion ...
... robot capabilities ... As a research intern, you will work at the intersection of reinforcement learning, locomotion ...
Robotics Research Internship-Locomotion & Planning (Summer 2026)
Irvine, CA · On-site
$45 - $60/hr
... robot capabilities ... As a research intern, you will work at the intersection of reinforcement learning, locomotion ...
Robotics Research Internship-Locomotion & Planning (Summer 2026)
Irvine, CA · On-site
$45 - $60/hr
... robot capabilities ... As a research intern, you will work at the intersection of reinforcement learning, locomotion ...
Summer Intern Robotics information
See Riverside, CA salary details
$9.28 - $10.65
1% of jobs
$10.65 - $12.01
1% of jobs
$12.01 - $13.38
11% of jobs
$13.38 - $14.75
9% of jobs
$14.97 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$14.75 - $16.12
23% of jobs
The median wage is $16.46 / hr.
$16.12 - $17.49
21% of jobs
$18.17 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$17.49 - $18.85
18% of jobs
$18.85 - $20.22
7% of jobs
$20.22 - $21.59
5% of jobs
$21.59 - $22.96
2% of jobs
$22.96 - $24.33
1% of jobs
$9
$17
$24
How much do summer intern robotics jobs pay per hour?
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Summer Intern in Robotics, and why are they important?
What does a Summer Intern in Robotics do?
What is the difference between Summer Intern Robotics vs Summer Intern Mechanical Engineering?
| Aspect | Summer Intern Robotics | Summer Intern Mechanical Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Required Credentials | Enrolled in Robotics, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering programs | Enrolled in Mechanical Engineering or related programs |
| Work Environment | Robotics labs, automation projects, software development | Mechanical labs, design projects, manufacturing processes |
| Industry Usage | Robotics companies, automation firms, tech startups | Manufacturing, automotive, aerospace industries |
| Common Search/Comparison | Yes | Yes |
Summer Intern Robotics typically focuses on automation, robotics hardware, and software development, often within tech or automation companies. In contrast, Summer Intern Mechanical Engineering emphasizes mechanical design, manufacturing, and systems, usually in manufacturing or aerospace sectors. Both roles require engineering coursework but differ in their technical focus and work environment.
What types of projects and tasks can a Summer Intern in Robotics expect to work on during their internship?
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$45 - $60/hr
Other
Posted 2 days ago
Job description
- Design, implement, and evaluate reinforcement learning pipelines that tightly integrate locomotion control with learning-based planning.
- Explore how learned planners can inform and adapt locomotion behaviors across varied terrain and dynamic conditions.
- Contribute to research projects from early-stage ideas through simulation experiments and on-robot validation.
- Develop and refine sim-to-real transfer strategies, including domain randomization, system identification, and adaptive methods, for integrated locomotion-planning systems.
- Build and leverage GPU-accelerated simulation environments (Isaac Gym, Isaac Lab, MuJoCo) for scalable training and evaluation.
- Test and iterate on policies using real legged robot platforms in unstructured environments.
- Translate research concepts into working robotic systems tested on real hardware.
- Develop experimental setups and tooling to support data collection, evaluation, and reproducibility.
- Help ensure locomotion and planning systems are robust, field-relevant, and ready for iterative improvement.
- Work closely with systems engineers, perception experts, and embedded teams to close the loop between learning and execution.
- Incorporate real-world telemetry and field data to refine models and improve generalization.
- Engage with researchers and engineers across the team to align experiments with broader autonomy goals.
- Prototype quickly, run experiments in simulation and on hardware, and analyze results rigorously.
- Balance exploratory research with concrete deliverables over the course of the internship.
- Debug system-level issues spanning simulation, software, hardware, and learning.
- Current PhD student in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, AI/ML, or a closely related field.
- Research experience in reinforcement learning for continuous control, locomotion, or learning-based planning.
- Strong foundation in contact dynamics, control theory, and kinematics.
- Proficiency in Python and/or C++, with experience using robotics or ML tooling.
- Familiarity with physics-based simulators such as Isaac Gym, Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, or PyBullet.
- Experience designing experiments and evaluating results on robotic systems (simulation or hardware).
- Curiosity, initiative, and a strong interest in building autonomous systems that operate in the real world.
- Hands-on experience with legged robot platforms (quadrupeds, wheeled-quadrupeds, bipedal systems, or exoskeletons).
- Experience with sim-to-real transfer for locomotion or planning policies.
- Background in learning-based planning, motion planning, or terrain-adaptive control.
- Familiarity with ROS or ROS2.
- Publications, preprints, or open-source contributions in locomotion, RL, planning, or control.
- Experience deploying neural network controllers on resource-constrained or real-time robotic platforms.
- Interest in bridging cutting-edge research with practical, field-ready robotic systems.