Role Overview

Are you a college student interested in robotics, applied AI, and working at a startup in San Francisco? Come join us as a Robotics Intern for the 2026 summer! You’ll gain hands-on experience building cutting-edge robotics and vision systems while working alongside our core team.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to AI-driven defect detection projects and help test vision models
• Prototype and optimize components of computer vision and deep learning pipelines
• Write and debug robotics software in Python (bonus if you’ve tried Rust or C++)
• Assist with deploying models to edge AI hardware (Jetson, cameras, sensors)
• Run experiments, collect results, and present findings to the team

Required Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or related field
• Programming experience in Python (coursework or projects)
• Familiarity with computer vision or machine learning concepts
• Interest in robotics systems, embedded platforms, or real-time AI
• Strong problem-solving skills and curiosity to learn in a fast-moving environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with PyTorch or another deep learning framework
• Exposure to Nvidia Jetson, CUDA, or embedded systems
• Coursework or projects in object detection, pose estimation, or tracking
• Prior robotics competition, research lab, or maker project experience

What We Offer

• Hourly pay: $25–$50/hr (depending on experience)
• Direct mentorship from engineers who have scaled autonomy at Argo AI, Uber ATG, and Stack AV
• Real-world exposure to customer and Air Force projects
• A small, collaborative team where your work has visible impact
• The chance to work on real robotics and vision systems that are shaping the future of manufacturing

Our Values

• Innovation First: We push the boundaries of what's possible in robotics
• Ownership Mentality: We take responsibility and act like founders
• Collaborative Spirit: We work together to solve complex challenges
• Continuous Learning: We're always growing and improving

Bucket Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We’re looking for students excited to learn and contribute to cutting-edge robotics and vision systems. Our process is quick, human, and designed to highlight curiosity, problem-solving, and growth potential.

1. Intro Call (15 minutes)

A short chat with our founder:

• Share what we’re building at Bucket Robotics
• Learn about your background, interests, and goals
• Answer your questions

This is mostly about mutual fit and excitement.

2. Take-Home Challenge (~1 hour, due in 3 days)

We’ll send you a small robotics/vision-related problem that mirrors the kind of thinking we do. Examples:

• Sketch how you’d test a simple defect detection model on new parts
• Write pseudocode for processing images from a camera feed
• Outline how you’d debug a flaky sensor

We’re not grading polish—we just want to see how you think.

3. Technical Conversation (30 minutes)

A friendly deep dive with one of our engineers:

• Walk through your mini challenge
• Talk about projects you’ve done in school, labs, or clubs
• Explore what you’d like to learn with us

4. Culture Chat (30 minutes)

Conversation with our founder about:

• How you like to learn and work on teams
• How you handle ambiguity, new tools, or things breaking
• What excites you about robotics and applied AI

5. Decision & Feedback

We move quickly—typically within a week. You’ll get clear feedback either way.