UIUC Research Park Intern - Hardware Systems Engineering, Summer 2026

Description du poste:

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive's next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we're addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we'll map a new way forward. Working together, we'll create a future that's more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.
Role Summary

As a Hardware Systems Performance Intern, you will assist efforts within the Hardware Systems Architecture team to characterize performance of low-voltage electrical (LVE) systems in next-gen vehicles, with the aim to influence hardware architecture decision-making in early development stages, and to validate designs in later stages of the development cycle.

This role spans the characterization of wireless, network, compute, and power related performance dimensions of various LVE subsystems, including telematics, wireless connectivity, networking, passive/keyless entry, and more.
Responsibilities

* Facilitate collaboration between hardware architecture, hardware design and software application teams to build out comprehensive plans that surface key performance metrics, provide insight into system bottlenecks and chokepoints, reveal over-/under-design scenarios, and validate system performance relative to system requirements.
* Support the design, integration and automation efforts related to characterization and validation activities on various hardware testing configurations, including early prototypes boards, bench-top sub-system mock-ups, lab cars, mules, and other HIL infrastructure.
* Support the end-to-end implementation for systems performance characterization ranging from development of requirements to identification of solutions and their implementation with automation, including integration of h/w and s/w, establishment of control and data acquisition pipelines, and development of downstream data processing infrastructure.
Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
* Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
* Proficient in Hardware Engineering fundamentals.
Preferred Qualifications:
* Actively pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Design Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field with the intent to return to school following completion of internship.
* Familiarity with wireless technologies for ranging, localization and/or radar applications, including UWB, and BLE channel sounding, and their performance evaluation at the RF, and systems level
* Hands-on coding experience related to some combination of embedded platform bring-up, system software / applications development, or system-level hardware performance instrumentation, and related test automation / scripting.
* Exposure to RF and electrical engineering fundamentals, and hands-on familiarity with related test and measurement equipment, e.g., logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, DMMs, network analyzers, etc.
* Familiarity with embedded computing platforms, and the methods for quantifying performance of their processors, memory / storage systems, and peripheral interfaces.
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies internships & co-ops are experiences optimized for student candidates. To be eligible, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited program during the entire internship or co-op term. If you are not pursuing a degree, please see our full-time positions at https://rivianvw.tech/#careers. Note that if your university has specific requirements for internship programs, it is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements.

Pay Disclosure

US Hourly Rate for Internships:
Hourly Rate for Illinois applicants: $33 - $40 USD.

The posted salary represents the lowest and highest ranges RV Tech reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position. Any posted salary range pertains only to the estimated starting pay for the role. Actual starting pay is based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate's experience, skillset, qualifications, specific competencies, relevant education, and location.

Internship positions are not eligible for retirement benefits.

Total Rewards

Total compensation packages for this position include base salary, eligibility for an annual performance bonus, and eligibility for equity.

In addition, our benefits package has been designed to support the health and wellness of our employees. Benefit offerings include Flex Time Off, retirement savings plans as well as medical, vision and dental coverage. For more information on RV Tech's comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees, check out our Global Benefits Site.

External candidates can apply for this role through the RV Tech Careers site (https://rivianvw.tech/#careers). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board (https://internal-careers-rivian.icims.com/).
Equal Opportunity
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
Candidate Data Privacy
Rivian and VW Group Technologies ("Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies") may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes ("Candidate Personal Data"). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies' service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

Please note this job posting represents an open, active vacancy. Additionally, we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.

* Facilitate collaboration between hardware architecture, hardware design and software application teams to build out comprehensive plans that surface key performance metrics, provide insight into system bottlenecks and chokepoints, reveal over-/under-design scenarios, and validate system performance relative to system requirements.
* Support the design, integration and automation efforts related to characterization and validation activities on various hardware testing configurations, including early prototypes boards, bench-top sub-system mock-ups, lab cars, mules, and other HIL infrastructure.
* Support the end-to-end implementation for systems performance characterization ranging from development of requirements to identification of solutions and their implementation with automation, including integration of h/w and s/w, establishment of control and data acquisition pipelines, and development of downstream data processing infrastructure

Profil requis du candidat:

Minimum Qualifications:
* Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
* Proficient in Hardware Engineering fundamentals.
Preferred Qualifications:
* Actively pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Design Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field with the intent to return to school following completion of internship.
* Familiarity with wireless technologies for ranging, localization and/or radar applications, including UWB, and BLE channel sounding, and their performance evaluation at the RF, and systems level
* Hands-on coding experience related to some combination of embedded platform bring-up, system software / applications development, or system-level hardware performance instrumentation, and related test automation / scripting.
* Exposure to RF and electrical engineering fundamentals, and hands-on familiarity with related test and measurement equipment, e.g., logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, DMMs, network analyzers, etc.
* Familiarity with embedded computing platforms, and the methods for quantifying performance of their processors, memory / storage systems, and peripheral interfaces.
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies internships & co-ops are experiences optimized for student candidates. To be eligible, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited program during the entire internship or co-op term. If you are not pursuing a degree, please see our full-time positions at https://rivianvw.tech/#careers. Note that if your university has specific requirements for internship programs, it is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements