Software Engineer Intern

About the role

This internship is centered on the Routing Efficiency team, which is responsible for navigation and ETA services across Grab's transport and delivery ecosystems. You will engage with large-scale datasets to elevate system performance and directly impact core business metrics through your contributions. The role emphasizes designing reliable distributed microservices that power critical routing workflows. You will refine navigation and ETA performance to enhance the user experience for millions of daily interactions. Collaboration with product managers, designers, and data analysts will be central to delivering robust features end to end. You will participate in design and code reviews to uphold engineering quality and consistency. The position requires a balance of technical rigor and curiosity to solve real-world routing challenges in a dynamic environment.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design and build reliable distributed microservices that integrate with Grab's routing infrastructure.
• Refine navigation and ETA performance to improve user experience and operational efficiency.
• Manage the stability and operational costs of critical online services to ensure high reliability.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and data analysts to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Take part in design and code reviews to uphold engineering quality and share knowledge across the team.
• Work with large-scale datasets to identify performance bottlenecks and drive optimization initiatives.
• Support the maintenance and evolution of systems that power navigation and estimated time of arrival features.
• Implement monitoring and observability practices to gain insights into service behavior and user impact.
• Troubleshoot issues in production environments to minimize downtime and maintain service integrity.
• Contribute to technical documentation to ensure clarity and continuity for future development efforts.
• Assist in prototyping new routing-related features using modern development practices and tools.
• Engage with cutting-edge technologies related to geospatial data processing and real-time decisioning.
• Support the execution of tests and experiments to validate improvements before full deployment.
• Act as an active participant in an agile delivery cycle, contributing to sprint goals and team outcomes.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor or Master degree program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Geographic Information Systems, or a related field.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as Go, Python, or Java.
• Solid understanding of computer science fundamentals including algorithms, data structures, databases, operating systems, and computer networks.
• Familiarity with SQL and core database concepts to interact with relational data stores effectively.
• Basic knowledge of data pipelines, data cleaning, or data parsing to support analytics and system improvements.
• Experience using AI tools like Cursor, Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude Code for development, documentation, or analysis, with the ability to verify AI-generated output.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills to work effectively in a cross-functional environment.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies while maintaining attention to detail and code quality.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize work in a fast-paced team focused on critical routing services.

Nice to have

• Prior experience with MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, or Elasticsearch.
• 5+ years of software engineering experience in distributed systems.
• Experience developing and maintaining large-scale microservices.
• Proficiency in Golang for backend service implementation.
• Ability to analyze large-scale source code and decompose business logic efficiently.
• Experience troubleshooting or optimizing complex systems like MQ or Redis.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms like Azure or AWS for deploying and managing services.
• Strong English communication skills to facilitate clear collaboration with global teams.

Skills & tools

• Go
• Python
• Java
• SQL
• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• Redis
• Elasticsearch
• AWS
• Azure
• AI development tools (Cursor, Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude Code)

Practical notes

• Grab operates as a superapp across Southeast Asia focused on transport, food delivery, and financial services.
• The role requires a balance of technical rigor and curiosity to solve real-world routing challenges.
• This internship is based in Beijing, China, and is offered as an engagement with a defined scope of work in the Routing Efficiency team.
• The position involves interaction with complex systems that require precise, robust, and scalable solutions.
• Interns are expected to demonstrate ownership of their work and contribute meaningfully to team objectives.
• The environment values collaboration, continuous learning, and proactive problem identification.
• No specific working hours are outlined, but the role assumes engagement during standard operational periods.
• Travel within the Beijing location is expected as part of daily responsibilities.
• No visa information is provided in this description, and interns should confirm requirements based on personal circumstances.
• Deadlines for application or onboarding are not specified, and interested candidates should reach out through appropriate internal channels.