---
title: 'Software Engineering Intern (Embedded, Backend, Fullstack) at Parallel Systems'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineering-intern-embedded-backend-fullstack-parallel-systems-los-zz7jpmypyrqr'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-07'
---

# Software Engineering Intern (Embedded, Backend, Fullstack) at Parallel Systems

- **Company:** Parallel Systems
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Compensation:** $50/hr
- **Posted:** 2026-10-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-07
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/parallel/jobs/5275690007?gh_jid=5275690007

## Job description

Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. Our innovative technology offers cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics solutions. Join our dynamic team and help shape a smarter, greener future for global freight.

Software Engineering Interns

Parallel Systems is seeking Software Engineering Interns to help build the software that runs our vehicles and the platform behind our fleet. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants to ship real work. Your code will run on prototype vehicles, on test benches, or in the services and tools our team and operators rely on every day.

Interns are placed on a vehicle software or backend/full-stack project based on their background and team priorities. You will own a scoped project from requirements through delivery, work closely with a mentor, and see your work tested on real hardware or used by real users.

The right person is curious beyond their own layer. Whether you are writing firmware, building a service, or shipping an internal tool, you will learn how software, hardware, and vehicle data fit together, and you will be comfortable debugging across those boundaries.

## What You Will Work On

You will contribute to a specific project scoped to team priorities. Example areas include:

- Vehicle control software: writing and testing code for braking, drivetrain, actuators, and power systems on microcontrollers or embedded Linux
- Vehicle communications: developing and validating interfaces across CAN, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, or UART, including bench debugging
- Sensor and diagnostics integration: bringing up onboard sensors and devices used for telemetry, health monitoring, and vehicle operation
- Fleet and telemetry services: building services and data pipelines that ingest, store, and serve data from vehicles in the field
- Fleet operations tools: building APIs and web applications used to monitor, dispatch, and manage vehicles
- Developer and test infrastructure: improving CI/CD, simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, deployment, and observability for the software team

Regardless of project, you will work through a structured engineering lifecycle: requirements review, design, implementation, testing, and documentation of results.

What to Expect

- Weeks 1-2: Onboarding, vehicle and software platform architecture overview, development environment setup, lab and shop orientation, codebase familiarization, and a first starter task
- Weeks 3-4: Project assignment, review of requirements and interfaces, and initial design and debugging work with your mentor
- Weeks 5-7: Core implementation, testing on the bench or in staging, and iteration through code and design reviews
- Weeks 8-10: Integration onto prototype vehicles or into production systems, test execution, issue investigation, and participation in team design reviews
- Weeks 11-12: Final validation and handoff, documentation of findings and recommended next steps, and a presentation of results to the broader engineering team

Progress will be tracked through weekly check-ins with your mentor, design and code reviews, and feedback from the broader engineering team.

## Basic Requirements

- Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or a related field
- Hands-on software experience through internships, student teams, research, coursework, or personal projects
- Strong programming skills in at least one language such as Rust, C, C++, Python, Go, or TypeScript
- A track record of building software that works in the real world, not only in class assignments or simulation
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug issues across system boundaries
- Clear communication, and comfort asking questions and sharing progress early
- Excitement about working in a hands-on, hard-tech environment where software meets physical vehicles

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with Rust, C, or C++ on microcontrollers or embedded Linux
- Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet
- Experience building APIs, distributed services, data pipelines, or full-stack web applications
- Familiarity with databases, cloud infrastructure, containers, or CI/CD
- Exposure to RTOS environments, simulation, or hardware-in-the-loop testing
- Experience bringing up sensors, actuators, motor controllers, or other real electromechanical systems
- Experience from hands-on extracurricular engineering teams such as Formula SAE, Baja SAE, robotics, rocket club, solar car, autonomous systems teams, or similar
- Strong documentation habits and attention to detail

Please note the hourly range in the job posting reflects the new hire hourly range across levels that would be applicable to the position. Final compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s final level. Also, this range represents base compensation only and does not include equity or benefits, if applicable.

Target Hourly Range: $50—$50 USD

Parallel Systems is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any discriminatory factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. We work to build an inclusive environment in which all people can come to do their best work.

Parallel Systems is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Parallel Systems will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact your recruiter.

## About Parallel Systems

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Parallel Systems develops autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles to convert freight from truck to rail, enabling railroads to serve new markets with a cleaner, more flexible, and cost-effective alternative to short-haul trucking.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B)
- **Headquarters**: Los Angeles, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2020
- **Founders**: Matt Soule (Founder and CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Railroad Equipment Manufacturing, Autonomous Freight, Clean Logistics
- **Target Customers**: Railroads, freight operators, ports, distribution centers, and logistics companies (B2B, Enterprise)
- **Mission/Purpose**: To provide a safer, more efficient, and sustainable alternative to short-haul trucking by seamlessly integrating autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles with existing rail operations, decongesting highways, and reducing shipping costs and pollution.

## Products & Services
- **[Autonomous, Battery-Electric Rail System](https://moveparallel.com/product/)**: A fleet of self-propelled, autonomous rail vehicles designed to haul intermodal containers up to 500 miles on a single charge. Key features include:
  - **No couplers**: Vehicles self-sort and assemble into platoons, eliminating manual coupling and enabling instant rerouting.
  - **Platooning & Aerodynamics**: Patented technology yields unprecedented range and energy efficiency.
  - **Advanced Braking**: Self-contained, adaptive braking with automatic parking brakes for shorter stopping distances.
  - **Integrated Systems**: Software platform seamlessly integrates with existing railroad train control and business systems, providing real-time data via APIs.
- **Solutions for Rail**: New line hauls (city-to-city), port shuttles (reducing drayage), and direct-to-customer service (small-footprint terminals at warehouses).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding – **USD 91,349,995** ([LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/parallelsystems))
- **Funding History**:
  - Seed Round (June 2020): $3.8M – led by Congruent Ventures
  - Series A (Jan 2022): $49.5M – led by Anthos Capital
  - Series B (May 2025): $38.0M – led by Anthos Capital
- **Notable Investors**: Anthos Capital, Congruent Ventures
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Employee headcount grew **44.7% year-over-year** to 45 employees (as of mid-2025)
  - **First commercial pilot** launched in April 2025 after receiving Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approval ([Pulse 2.0](https://www.linkedin.com/company/parallelsystems))
  - Currently in **second phase of testing on Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) in Georgia** ([Railway Age, July 2025](https://www.moveparallel.com/))
  - **14 active job postings** as of July 2025, with 75% year-over-year growth in listings

## Competitive Advantages
- **Autonomous, battery-electric technology** purpose-built for rail, offering a direct alternative to short-haul trucking (a massive market consuming 45 billion gallons of diesel annually).
- **No couplers** – enables instant, automated rerouting and packetized freight, greatly improving operational flexibility compared to traditional trains.
- **Long range (500 miles) on one hour of charge** via patented platooning aerodynamics.
- **Seamless integration** with existing railroad systems, reducing adoption barriers.
- **Small footprint** allows direct service to warehouse docks and small terminals, unlocking new low-density, short-haul lanes.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercial deployment**: Moving from testing to revenue-generating pilot operations with partner railroads.
- **Scaling manufacturing and operations**: Growing the team (especially engineering and sales) to support commercial expansion.
- **Expanding market share**: Target shorter and lower density routes currently dominated by trucking, while also enabling port shuttles and direct-to-customer rail service.
- **Sustainability-driven growth**: Position rail as a lower-emission, cost-competitive alternative to reduce the 7% of U.S. emissions from trucking.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: "A team of curious, committed problem-solvers" with a focus on inclusion, ownership, and technical excellence ([Greenhouse careers page](https://boards.greenhouse.io/parallel)).
- **Impact**: Directly influence the future of freight by building autonomous, clean rail technology that can decongest highways and cut pollution.
- **Engineering Focus**: 45% of employees are in technical roles (robotics, autonomy, ML, mechatronics) – a strong engineering-led environment.
- **Location**: Based in Los Angeles, CA (Factory Place), with a small presence in India.
- **Growth Trajectory**: Rapidly scaling (44.7% headcount growth, new Series B funding, commercial pilot underway) offering significant career development opportunities.
- **Notable alumni destinations**: SpaceX, Tesla, Vast, Rivian, Anduril – reflects a high-caliber talent pool.

## Sources
1. [Parallel Systems Website](https://www.moveparallel.com)
2. [Parallel Systems Careers (Greenhouse)](https://boards.greenhouse.io/parallel)
3. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/parallelsystems)
4. [Parallel Systems Product Page](https://moveparallel.com/product/)
5. [Pulse 2.0 on Series B](https://www.linkedin.com/company/parallelsystems)

## Other roles at Parallel Systems

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- [VP of Hardware](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-of-hardware-parallel-systems-los-angeles-rtbjzgcja43m) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Senior EHS Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-ehs-specialist-parallel-systems-los-angeles-7p3n28eyb08e) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Lead Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-electrical-engineer-parallel-systems-los-angeles-5thb7qzz5abf) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Product Management Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/product-management-intern-parallel-systems-los-angeles-rbgjknxc849k) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Hardware Engineering Intern (Mechanical & Electrical)](https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-engineering-intern-mechanical-electrical-parallel-systems-los-angeles-0wyv7hw1gwhn) — Los Angeles, CA
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- [Hardware Test Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-test-engineer-ii-parallel-systems-los-angeles-6s5g0qjphvpc) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Field Vehicle Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/field-vehicle-operations-specialist-parallel-systems-fillmore-60fc9cnhtfcp) — Fillmore, CA