PhD Autonomy Engineer Internship, Skydio

Deep Learning / Computer Vision, 2027

Salary not provided

Compensation Range: The hourly rate for this position is $47/hr for Undergrad, $53/hr for Masters, and $70/hr for PhD students

Python

C++

San Francisco Bay Area

Office located in San Mateo, CA

Autonomous drones for DFR, inspection, and national security

Be an early applicant

Autonomous drones for DFR, inspection, and national security

501-1000 employees

B2BArtificial IntelligenceManufacturingDrones

Be an early applicant

Salary not provided

Compensation Range: The hourly rate for this position is $47/hr for Undergrad, $53/hr for Masters, and $70/hr for PhD students

Python

C++

San Francisco Bay Area

Office located in San Mateo, CA

501-1000 employees

B2BArtificial IntelligenceManufacturingDrones

Company mission

To make the world more productive, creative, and safe with autonomous flight.

Job

Company

Role

Who you are

High proficiency in C++ and/or Python
Demonstrated enthusiasm for one or more of the following: computer vision, deep learning, motion planning, dynamics and controls, 3D graphics, embedded software/firmware, distributed systems, tools/infrastructure, mobile
Solid software engineering foundation and a commitment to writing clean, well-architected code
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, small team environment

What the job involves

The core of our system is the computer vision algorithms that allow drones to understand the world around them. You will architect and implement the algorithms that run on every drone powered by Skydio as part of a world class computer vision team with researchers who have pushed the state of the art in academia and industry
As a PhD Research Intern, you will be paired up with one or more members of our core software development team, assuming direct ownership of a project that meaningfully advances the capabilities of our team and products
If you have a strong foundation in math, theory, and software development with relevant research and you are interested in directly contributing to the development of the next generation of autonomy algorithms and pushing them into real products, we would love to hear from you
How you'll make an impact:
Enable rapid research and development of intelligent systems with advanced autonomous capabilities beyond anything that exists in the world today
Research, prototype, and generally assess the feasibility of new approaches
Imagine and then implement new features that unlock magic for our users
Characterize and quantify the performance of core components of the software and hardware stack

Our take

A leader in autonomous flight, Skydio builds drones that can track and film targets while avoiding obstacles. Its products have a wide range of applications, most notably for businesses that need to undertake inspections in unsafe places. The drones are also valuable to search and rescue efforts, police forces, and the US Army.

Backed by a range of top investors and strategic partners (including Andreesen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, and Next 47), Skydio sets itself apart from its competitors by marketing its products predominantly to businesses. With technology such as 3D scanning and a 360-degree superzoom mode, its drones have a wide range of applications and functionality.

The company raised funding in 2023, which has boosted its valuation to over $2B. It has since focussed on R&D, developing and launching the X10 model, which is designed for first responders and the military, as well as enhancing its remote control and thermal imaging capabilities. On top of this, it's also been awarded two contracts to expand the use of advanced autonomous drones across key operational units by the US Air Force. As the largest American drone company, there is no reason Skydio shouldn't remain a key industry actor for years to come.

Kirsty

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Insights

Top investors

24% employee growth in 12 months

Glassdoor (3.8)

Company

Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)

Apr 2026

$110m

SERIES F

Nov 2024

$170m

SERIES E

Total funding: $851m

Company HQ

Western Hills, San Mateo, CA

Leadership

Adam Bry

(Co-Founder & CEO)

Having studied at MIT, they spent a year and a half at Google as a Software Engineer. They left this position in February 2014 to co-found Skydio.

Abraham Bachrach

(Co-Founder & CTO)

Earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, and was a Software Engineer for Google's Project Wing.

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