Software Engineering Intern

At Sift, we’re redefining how modern machines are built, tested, and operated. Our platform gives engineers real-time observability into high-frequency telemetry—eliminating bottlenecks and enabling faster, more reliable development.

Sift was born from our work at SpaceX on Dragon, Falcon, Starlink, and Starship—where scaling telemetry, debugging flight systems, and ensuring mission reliability demanded new infrastructure. Founded by a team from SpaceX, Google, and Palantir, Sift is built for mission-critical systems where precision and scalability are non-negotiable.

As a Software Engineering Intern, you’ll gain hands-on experience working on real features that impact our customers. You’ll be paired with mentors who will help you learn modern engineering practices while contributing to our core product.

In This Role, You’ll

• Build and test new product features alongside experienced engineers

• Learn how to design reliable, efficient systems for real-time data processing and visualization

• Participate in code reviews, design discussions, and team demos

• Work on projects that will be used by real customers

• Grow your skills in distributed systems, data engineering, and modern frontend/backend technologies

The Skillset You’ll Bring

• Actively pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, or another STEM field

• Coursework in programming, data structures, and algorithms

• Excitement to learn new technologies and apply them in real-world settings

• Team-oriented, curious, and proactive in asking questions

Bonus Points

• School, internship, or side projects involving data-intensive or distributed systems

• Familiarity with React, TypeScript, or similar frontend frameworks

• Exposure to cloud or DevOps tools (AWS, Docker, GitHub Actions, Kubernetes)

Engineering At Sift:

You'll have the opportunity to help evolve and scale our platform because we're still in the early stages of building the product. Relevant technologies include:

• Web frontend & backend: ECharts, Go, gRPC, PostgreSQL, Protobuf, Radix, React, Redux, and TypeScript

• Data: Rust, Arrow, DataFusion, Kafka, Flink, Parquet

• Infrastructure: Docker, AWS, Kubernetes, Linux, Grafana

Location:

Sift’s headquarters is in El Segundo, CA. We collaborate in person twice a week—on Mondays and Thursdays—and come together for a full week every two months. We’re open to relocating candidates to LA for the right candidate.

Salary range: $45 - $65 per hour.

Eligibility:

US Person Required: Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card Holder due to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) / EAR (Export Administration Regulations) compliance requirements.