Robotic Software Intern/Co-op (Spring or Summer 2027)
Rugged Robotics
Salary undisclosed
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Description
Rugged Robotics is on a mission to empower the construction industry to build better by innovating new approaches to tough problems using automation. We are a fast-paced start-up environment where every employee takes on multiple roles and wears many hats. To help our customers to build better, we need to build the best team.
Join the dynamic software team at Rugged Robotics, where we bring cutting-edge automation to life for construction layout robots! As a Robotics Software Intern at a start-up, you'll tackle real-world challenges, enhance the performance of existing products, and help design groundbreaking solutions for the next generation of robotic systems. This is your chance to make a tangible impact and shape the future of robotics in construction!
Internship / Coop Term: Spring 2027 and/or Summer 2027
Location: Onsite in Houston, TX
The Role
- Iteratively prototype and test software directly on hardware platforms in our labs and on our customer’s jobsites.
- Write the code that improves the speed, precision, and reliability of our current robotic platform by investigating, modifying and refining existing system kinematics, algorithms, and software features.
- Quickly generate prototypes and proof-of-concept algorithms while collaborating with team-members in the field to troubleshoot, diagnose, determine the root-cause, and implement solutions to issues discovered on deployment.
- Make informed & objective engineering decisions by creating simulations, methodically running experiments, and conducting analyses with a range of techniques.
You Are
- Experienced working with software and electromechanical systems from a prior internship, extra-curricular project, or lab research.
- Knowledgeable with relevant areas of robotics & control such as kinematics, sensor fusion, path planning, perception, calibration algorithms, and firmware development.
- Comfortable with development on hardware systems including ROS, Python, C++ and familiar with common coding practices including revision control and CI/CM
- Hands-on with deploying code on physical hardware and root causing bugs related to mechanical, electrical, and software issues.
- Enthusiastic about learning new techniques & technologies and are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
Rugged Robotics is headquartered in Houston, TX in the vibrant neighborhood of East Downtown. This role requires close collaboration with teammates, and we value the interactions that come from working together around the robots in the lab.
Interested in Rugged Robotics but don't tick all the boxes? Don't see a role that meets your skills? Reach out, let us know how you think you can contribute to the team, and define your own position.
Rugged Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at our company. All qualified candidates will receive consideration regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or other protected legal status.
About this role
Rugged Robotics is seeking a software intern to work on real robotic systems deployed in construction environments. You'll spend your time prototyping and testing code directly on hardware in the lab and at customer jobsites, writing software that improves the speed, precision, and reliability of their robotic platform. The work involves investigating and refining existing kinematics, algorithms, and features; collaborating with field teams to diagnose and fix issues; and running experiments to validate engineering decisions.
This role suits someone with prior hands-on experience in software and electromechanical systems—whether from a previous internship, project, or lab work. You should have working knowledge of robotics fundamentals like kinematics, sensor fusion, path planning, and perception, plus comfort with ROS, Python, and C++ in a hardware development context. The ability to deploy code on physical systems, troubleshoot across mechanical and electrical layers, and root cause problems is essential. The position is based in Houston and requires in-person collaboration; you'll be working in a fast-paced startup environment where you're expected to learn quickly and adapt.
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Pay for this role
The employer didn't post a pay range for this role. That usually means pay is set in negotiation, which favors whoever arrives with numbers. Check ranges on comparable Robotic Software Intern/Co-op (Spring or Summer 2027) postings in Houston, and analyze any offer before you accept it.
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