Vehicle Software Engineering Intern at Parallel in Los Angeles, CA

Summary: Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. The Vehicle Software Engineering Intern will contribute directly to the development and bring-up of software for the Mk3 vehicle platform, focusing on various subsystems and following a structured engineering lifecycle. Responsibilities: - Contribute directly to the development and bring-up of software for the Mk3 vehicle platform - Write device drivers, communications interfaces, and business logic that runs on the vehicle's embedded computers - Own a specific Mk3 vehicle subsystem end-to-end, carrying it from system design through integrated testing on prototype hardware - Developing and validating the control logic, sensor interfaces, and safety-critical communication protocols for the Mk3 pneumatic and electronic braking subsystem - Writing device drivers and control algorithms for powertrain components including motor controllers, inverters, and gearbox sensor integration - Implementing the software interface between the vehicle computers and the DC fast charging hardware, including protocol handling, state machine design, and fault management - Building and testing inter-node communication interfaces (CAN, Ethernet, serial) that connect the Mk3's distributed computing architecture - Developing drivers and data pipelines for onboard sensors used in vehicle health monitoring, telemetry, and operational decision-making - Follow a structured engineering lifecycle: requirements gathering, concept review, critical design review, implementation, test plan development, and full-up integrated testing on prototype hardware - Onboarding, Mk3 vehicle architecture deep-dive, codebase orientation, development environment setup (devkits, testbeds), and pairing with a VSW engineer on an initial integration task - Subsystem assignment, requirements gathering, system design documentation, and concept review with the engineering team - Critical design review, implementation in Rust, unit testing on devkits and testbed hardware, and iterative code review with the team - Integration onto Mk3 prototype hardware, system-level testing, debugging, and performance validation against requirements - Final integrated test on prototype vehicle, documentation of results and recommended next steps, and presentation of outcomes to the broader engineering team Required Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related field (rising junior, senior, or graduate student) - Hands-on experience with real-world embedded systems such as robotics platforms, ground or air vehicle projects, or other sensing and actuating systems - Programming experience on microcontrollers with a demonstrated ability to work at the hardware/software interface - Track record of successfully working with embedded hardware in real-world settings, whether through coursework, personal projects, clubs, or prior internships - Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug across hardware and software boundaries Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with Rust programming language (strongly preferred) - Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN bus, SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet in embedded contexts - Experience with embedded Linux or RTOS environments - Exposure to hardware-in-the-loop testing, devkit bring-up, or prototype vehicle integration - Experience gained through hands-on extracurricular engineering teams (e.g., FSAE, RoboCup, autonomous vehicle clubs, or similar) Required Skills: Rust, Embedded systems, Device drivers Important Skills: Communication protocols, Embedded Linux Nice-to-Have Skills: Debugging