Controls/Robotics Intern

Company Description Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise. Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond. We’re assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it. What to to Expect We’re seeking a robot controls and machine learning specialist to develop algorithms that give our robotic systems adaptive, intelligent behavior. You’ll design and tune controllers, build dynamic models, and integrate them with perception and sensor data. This is a chance to bridge classical control with modern machine learning to shape how machines move through the Earth. Key Responsibilities * Develop and tune controllers (PID, MPC, optimal/robust control) for dynamic, nonlinear systems. * Build and validate physical models for simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and autonomy. * Train and deploy ML models for perception, planning, or adaptive control (supervised or RL). * Integrate algorithms with firmware and cloud teams, ensuring real-time safety and stability. * Profile, optimize, and verify performance under latency, jitter, and compute constraints * Comfortable with the pace and intensity of early-stage startup life, including long days, 6-day workweeks, and extended field hours * Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or related field * U.S. permanent residency required Preferred Skills and Experience * Python/C++ with PyTorch/JAX * MPC/OSQP/CasADi * EKF/UKF/factor graphs * System ID, RL (PPO/SAC) with safety shields * ROS2, ONNX/TensorRT * Latency and jitter profiling * PCB and embedded systems design skills are a huge bonus Ideal Archetype * Have worked on large complex robotic systems - various sensors, multiple motors/robots, reinforcement learning based on robot data * Maker background - love building stuff, work is fun to you * Coming from a startup environment - high ownership, fast paced environment

Company Description Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise. Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond. We’re assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it. What to to Expect Terranova seeks a embedded systems engineering intern to join our core engineering team. The ideal candidate has a passion for their craft and can go deep on design and analysis while maintaining a systems-level view across electrical, embedded, and controls disciplines. This person thrives in a startup environment - owning problems end-to-end, moving fast, and building machines that survive the real world. You’ll lead projects from concept through field deployment: designing, analyzing, fabricating, and testing large-scale robotic systems that operate in the most demanding environments on Earth. Expect to be hands-on, spend long hours in the factory and in the field working alongside technicians and operators. Key Responsibilities * Own aspects of electrical design, firmware, controls integration, and PCB design * Develop and debug embedded firmware in C/C++ for STM32/ESP32/RP2040 or similar * Design and review mixed-signal PCBs using KiCad/Altium. * Integrate sensors, radios, and power electronics with reliable, low-latency interfaces (I²C, SPI, UART, CAN). * Characterize and optimize power budgets, EMI performance, and manufacturability. * Bring-up, test, and validate hardware prototypes through DFM/DFT cycles. * Support system integration and field debugging of deployed robotic platforms. * Understand high power systems (150+ kW) and ensure safe design * Collaborate closely with electrical, controls, and field teams to deliver integrated, field-ready systems * Drive failure analysis, testing, and iterative improvement based on real-world data Preferred Skills and Experience * Hands-on prototyping skills - you enjoy working in the shop - have built hobby projects - are a maker * LiDAR and Sensors * Experience in electromechanical controls - VFDs * Experience in high voltage AC power conversion systems and lithium batteries * STM32/ESP32/RP2040 * C/C++ with FreeRTOS/Zephyr * KiCad/Altium PCB Design * Mixed-signal and power design * PCB and embedded systems design skills (Altium or equivalent) * Comfortable with the pace and intensity of early-stage startup life, including long days, 6-day workweeks, and extended field hours * Working towards a bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related field * U.S. permanent residency required Nice to Have Skills * CAD proficiency (OnShape, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or NX) * Familiarity with C++, Python, or similar for controls or simulation * Proven project management capabilities with multiple concurrent workstreams * Experience with compliance, HAZOP, and FMEA tools for machine safety Compensation and Timeline * $25-35/hr + relocation + company perks * Fall Internship from August-December depending on your school schedule