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Nominal builds software that lets hardware teams test, iterate, and deploy as fast as software teams.
The Role
Support hardware-software integration for test stands, instrumentation systems, and live control environments. Develop Python or Rust software using instrumentation protocols and vendor SDKs, automate data collection and control, contribute drivers to an open-source instrumentation library, troubleshoot integrations on-site, and complete a scoped hardware integration project.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Nominal
Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation defense programs. Our platform gives hardware engineering teams a single place to ingest data, analyze performance, automate test execution, and collaborate across every phase of development, so they can move faster without sacrificing safety or precision. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.
We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers, from autonomy leaders like Anduril and Shield AI to next-generation aerospace teams like Hermeus and REGENT, and performance engineering teams like Pratt Miller Motorsports, alongside mission partners within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force on programs where failure isn’t an option. We’re backed by Sequoia, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Lightspeed. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence.
We're looking for students with solid engineering fundamentals who are interested in a 12-week Summer 2027 internship and on track to graduate in Summer 2028 or sooner.
As an Instrumentation intern at Nominal, you'll work at the boundary between software and physical test hardware, helping integrate Nominal solutions in real test stands, hardware instrumentation stacks, and live control systems. You'll write code that talks directly to hardware in the field, whether that's a test stand, a clean room, or an industrial setup, and see your work show up in customer test campaigns within weeks.
🚀 What you'll do
- Write reliable and performant Python and/or Rust-based software to interface with customer hardware using PyVISA, broad-base industrial protocols, and proprietary vendor SDKs (NI-DAQmx, LabJack, Dewesoft), etc.
- Help automate data collection and control processes across hardware test environments
- Contribute new drivers and instruments to our open-source instrumentation library (instro)
- Work shoulder-to-shoulder with engineers on-site to get test setups running and troubleshoot hardware-software integrations live
- Take ownership of a scoped hardware ↔ software integration project from start to finish, with mentorship from our instrumentation and product teams
🎯 Reach out if…
- You're on track to graduate by Summer 2028 and are open to a full-time role afterward
- You've worked hands-on with data acquisition systems, test instruments (power supplies, eLoads, DMMs, oscilloscopes), embedded hardware, or industrial controllers, whether through coursework, research, or a team like solar car, formula racing, or robotics
- You have strong Python and/or Rust fundamentals, are comfortable reading hardware manuals and communication protocol specs, and have prior experience contributing to open source or building hardware abstraction layers
- You have strong interest in developing software that dictates how high-impact electro-mechanical systems behave in the real world
- Your peers would describe you as ambitious, resourceful, resilient, and persistent when something isn't working
✨ Benefits/Perks
- Receive mentorship from our world-class team
- Trips to co-locate with the team across our different offices
- Free lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks
- A beginning-of-internship swag bag and an end-of-internship intern gift
- In-office hardware lab with a $250 project stipend
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Skills Required
- Currently enrolled student on track to graduate in Summer 2028 or sooner
- Strong engineering fundamentals
- Hands-on experience with data acquisition systems, test instruments, embedded hardware, or industrial controllers
- Strong Python and/or Rust programming fundamentals
- Ability to read hardware manuals and communication protocol specifications
- Prior experience contributing to open source or building hardware abstraction layers
- Interest in developing software for electro-mechanical systems
- Must satisfy applicable ITAR eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain required authorizations
Nominal Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nominal and has not been reviewed or approved by Nominal.
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Healthcare Strength — 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage is repeatedly described as covering both employees and dependents, indicating unusually strong healthcare provisioning. Additional mentions of “Platinum” coverage reinforce the sense of a high-tier plan offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Unlimited PTO and paid holidays/sick time are presented as part of the core package, suggesting broad time-off benefits on paper. Parental leave is also framed as fully paid in several places, reinforcing overall leave breadth.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellness stipends, daily gourmet lunch (and sometimes dinner), and periodic retreats are consistently highlighted as meaningful lifestyle perks. Learning/development and other small stipends further round out a perks-heavy total rewards posture.
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The Company
What We Do
Nominal builds the essential software stack that enables hardware teams to test and iterate as rapidly as software teams. Nominal empowers engineers to continuously monitor, validate, and deploy innovations, transforming how mission-critical hardware is built and operated.
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