Intern, Backend Development

About Us

At Cast & Crew, we’ve empowered creativity and supported the global entertainment industry for decades. Together with our family of brands - Backstage, CAPS, Checks & Balances, Final Draft, Media Services, Sargent-Disc, and The TEAM Companies – we operate as a combined entertainment technology and services provider offering industry standard screenwriting accounting software, digital payroll products, data & reporting, and a host of creative tools.  The industry continues to move faster than ever, and the need for our expertise, our technology, and our people has never been greater.  We are a production’s best ally every step of the way. #OneCastOneCrew

Cast & Crew is seeking a UX & AI Engineering Intern to join our Technology & Product team for the summer. This internship provides hands-on experience building modern user experiences using React, AI-assisted development tools, and emerging agentic frameworks. You will work alongside experienced engineers and product designers to develop frontend interfaces, experiment with AI-powered development workflows using Claude Code and explore Model Context Protocol (MCP) agents for data modeling, automation, and developer productivity. This role offers exposure to the intersection of UX design, frontend engineering, and AI-assisted software development, helping build tools and experiences used across Cast & Crew’s digital platform for the entertainment industry.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement complex integration tests for backend .NET services, covering data flows, edge cases, and cross-system behavior to protect existing functionality and validate new changes
• Contribute to backend .NET development, implementing well-scoped features and bug fixes within established architecture patterns and coding standards
• Work with relational databases (PostgreSQL) — writing, analyzing, and optimizing queries as part of feature and testing work.
• Own your deliverables end-to-end: scope, implement, test, document, and deliver within sprint cycles without requiring heavy day-to-day guidance
• Participate in code reviews, both giving and receiving feedback, with a focus on correctness, maintainability, and test coverage

What We’re Looking For

• Currently enrolled in a graduate program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field
• Solid .NET / C# skills — you have built something real with it, not just completed coursework
• Strong relational database knowledge — comfortable writing complex queries, understanding indexes, and reasoning about data integrity
• Foundational understanding of system design — distributed systems concepts, service boundaries, data flow, and trade-offs between approaches
• Demonstrated ability to work independently: you research, debug, and unblock yourself before pulling others in
• Strong problem-solving instincts — you identify root causes, not just symptoms, and propose solutions that fit the existing system rather than reinventing it
• A mindset that values stability and correctness: you make targeted, well-understood changes and don't modify what isn't broken
• Working knowledge and experience with correct and efficient use of GenAI for Software Development

Nice to Have

• Experience with automated system and integration testing; ideally in Python and/or Robot Framework
• Familiarity with DevOps practices — CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker), or infrastructure-as-code
• Hands-on experience using Generative AI tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT) as part of a real development workflow — we actively embrace AI-assisted development here
• Exposure to microservices architecture or event-driven systems
• Prior internship or project experience in a production software environment

Why Join Us

• Cast & Crew has been the backbone of entertainment payroll and production management for over 45 years, supporting productions ranging from independent films to major Hollywood studios. Our engineering team operates at the intersection of complex legacy systems and modern architecture — a uniquely demanding and rewarding environment where good engineers grow fast.
• As an intern here, you won't be writing tutorial-level code or sitting through endless onboarding. You'll be trusted with real work on systems that matter, mentored by engineers who care about craft, and given the space to demonstrate what you can do. The experience you gain — navigating production-grade .NET systems, writing meaningful integration tests, and working with complex data pipelines — will set you apart when you enter the full-time market. You will also gain working experience in using Gen AI for Software Development or Testing and, possibly, even in development of AI Agents.
• We offer a collaborative, low-bureaucracy engineering culture, competitive internship compensation, and the opportunity to convert to a full-time role for the right candidate.

Special Work Conditions 

• Sedentary – Involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Some positions may entail exerting up to 15 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, or pull.

Benefits 

Cast & Crew provides a comprehensive package of employee benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, health and wellness programs, employee discounts, and more! Note: Cast & Crew benefits are subject to eligibility requirements.

Cast & Crew is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on job-related qualifications and ability to perform a job, without regard to age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, citizenship or marital status, and to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds.

CA residents
Your personal information may be collected in connection with certain services provided by Cast & Crew or its affiliated companies.  A summary of your California privacy rights can be found at: https://www.castandcrew.com/privacy-policy/

Compensation is commensurate with various factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, qualifications, skills, training, licensure, certifications, geographic cost of labor, and other business and organizational needs. Compensation range for candidates in other locations may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. The compensation range for this position is: $30.00 - $35.00 per hour.