Electrical Engineer Intern

About the role

This opportunity places you directly within the Electrical Engineering team where you will own the complete development lifecycle of critical hardware components for autonomous flying sensors. You will be responsible for prototyping, validating, and refining electrical systems that form the backbone of next-generation aerial platforms. The role requires you to tackle multifaceted engineering challenges with a high degree of ownership and collaboration alongside seasoned experts in the field. You will work on the intersection of computing, sensing, and power systems, ensuring they meet stringent reliability and performance standards. This position is designed for individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, iterative environment and are passionate about seeing their hardware succeed in real-world conditions. Your contributions will directly influence the capabilities and robustness of Skydio's core autonomous flight technology. By the end of this internship, you will have a deep, practical understanding of how theoretical electrical engineering concepts translate into deployable sensor hardware.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the development of low-voltage electronic hardware, from initial specification to PCB layout and fabrication, ensuring designs meet functional and performance targets.
• Conduct hands-on assembly, bring-up, and debugging of custom circuit boards to validate functionality and identify root causes of issues during testing.
• Collaborate with mechanical, firmware, reliability, software, and other electrical teams to design, build, and maintain reliable test systems for new products and concepts.
• Design and test Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) for a diverse range of critical subsystems, including power distribution, battery management, sensing modules, motor control, and computing platforms.
• Actively participate in design reviews of schematics, layouts, and Bills of Material, providing constructive and technically sound feedback to improve circuit integrity and manufacturability.
• Support system integration and testing efforts by executing test plans, performing troubleshooting, and conducting failure analysis to drive product improvements.
• Develop and execute validation procedures to confirm that prototypes meet electrical requirements, timing constraints, and environmental tolerances before mass production.
• Create and maintain detailed documentation for designs, test procedures, and results to ensure knowledge transfer and reproducibility across the team.
• Utilize version control and hardware description methodologies to manage design iterations and track changes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Mentor and guide fellow students or junior engineers by sharing knowledge gained through hands-on experience with complex hardware challenges.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in an Electrical Engineering degree program or a closely related field of study with a planned graduation date.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of core electrical engineering principles, including but not limited to circuit analysis, electromagnetism, and digital logic.
• Possess familiarity with standard electrical engineering lab equipment, such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, power supplies, and multimeters, and know how to use them safely and effectively.
• Have experience with scripting or programming in at least one high-level language, such as Python or C, to automate tests or control measurement equipment.
• Show some background in specialized areas of electronics, including power electronics (e.g., motor drivers, switch-mode power supplies), digital electronics (e.g., MCUs, FPGAs, Ethernet, USB, SPI, I2C), or analog electronics (e.g., filters, ADCs/DACs).
• Have prior internship experience working on electronic products in a professional or academic setting, demonstrating practical application of engineering theory.
• Be familiar with at least one EDA software suite, with a preference for Cadence Allegro, to create and modify schematics and PCB layouts.
• Exhibit the capability to rapidly prototype solutions, build proof-of-concept circuits, and demonstrate their functionality to stakeholders.
• Possess the ability to work independently with minimal supervision, managing time and tasks effectively in a dynamic project environment.
• Must be able to obtain FAA Part 107 certification within 30 days of starting, if required for the specific duties of the role.
• Be authorized to work in the United States and not require work authorization sponsorship for this position at the time of application.
• Commit to working the scheduled hours in the San Mateo office location as defined by the hybrid work policy.

Nice to have

• Experience with soldering and assembling surface-mount technology (SMT) components by hand.
• Basic knowledge of radio frequency (RF) principles and test equipment used in wireless communication systems.
• Understanding of battery technologies and safety considerations for lithium-ion battery systems used in portable electronics.

Practical notes

Interns receive paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay, and access to a 401K savings plan. Compensation varies based on skill, knowledge, and experience. Skydio uses E-Verify for employment eligibility confirmation.