About the role#
Intel is seeking students to join an AI Hardware Engineering internship focused on the future of AI inference and infrastructure. This role approaches AI infrastructure as a hardware-software co-design challenge. You will analyze how model architecture, inference behavior, memory movement, and software stacks influence end-to-end outcomes like latency, throughput, and total cost of ownership. You will work within a technical team of researchers and engineers to address complex hardware and infrastructure challenges.
What you'll do#
- Conduct technical research on next-generation AI infrastructure, including CPUs, GPUs, accelerators, and memory systems.
- Analyze GenAI and agentic AI workloads to understand their hardware implications.
- Evaluate the hardware behavior of AI inference pipelines, including prompt processing and token generation.
- Identify product and system gaps that limit Intel's ability to serve AI customers.
- Support Silicon HW programs through multiple phases of the silicon lifecycle.
- Develop technical recommendations for what Intel should build, optimize, or partner on.
- Benchmark and compare AI hardware and infrastructure approaches.
- Develop technical models, simulations, or prototypes to evaluate hardware-software trade-offs.
- Investigate system bottlenecks across compute, memory, networking, and storage.
- Work with internal teams and external ISVs to collect data on model requirements.
- Engage with AI software ecosystem partners to understand how their stacks interact with hardware.
- Present findings through architecture diagrams, benchmark analyses, and technical reports.
What you'll need#
- Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, AI/ML, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Strong foundation in computer architecture, operating systems, distributed systems, parallel computing, or systems software.
- Familiarity with generative AI models and inference concepts, including transformers, quantization, batching, and KV cache.
- Experience programming in C, C++, Rust, CUDA, SYCL, OpenCL, or a comparable low-level language.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Location & details#
- This is a full-time, paid internship.
- The role is based in Santa Clara, California, or Folsom, California.
- The position follows a hybrid work model.
- This is a rolling term position.
About Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation designs and manufactures semiconductors. The company focuses on artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and non-volatile memory solutions. It operates as a public company with over 110,000 employees. The headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, with major office locations across the United States, Israel, France, Singapore, and Poland.
How to get in at Intel Corporation
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