AI Software Engineer Intern

Job Description

Westat's 11-week summer internship will be based at our Bethesda, Maryland office, with on‑site participation required at least three days per week. Our interns can expect to work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

The program will begin on Monday, June 1, 2026, and end by August 14, 2026. During the summer internship program, you will be assigned a project deliverable and will present about your experience during the final week of the program. You will also attend educational programs and networking events. We are looking for students who possess an interest in AI an d technology.

We invite candidates to apply who are excited to learn more about what it's like to work at Westat.

This is a U.S. based position; pay rate for this role is $22/hr.

We are seeking a motivated and curious AI Software Engineer Intern to join our team. In this role, you will support creating proofs of concept, development, testing, and deployment of AI solutions to improve efficiencies within the cancer clinical trial lifecycle for a large clinical trials system. This internship offers hands-on experience with modern AI frameworks and real-world application development. You will collaborate with senior engineers to turn ideas into working prototypes and production-ready features.

Job Responsibilities:

* Work with mentors to support development of proofs of concept and collaborate to explore new AI capabilities that directly improve clinical trial processes for a large system supporting cancer clinical trials.

* Collaborate with senior software engineers to learn design, implementation, and testing techniques.

* Develop foundational proficiency in AI technologies, Python, and other coding techniques to build straightforward solutions.

* Assist in integration of AI models into applications, APIs, or cloud services.

* Participate in code reviews, documentation, and collaborative development practices.

* Support experiments, assist with analyzing results, and collaborate to communicate findings with engineering teams.

* Build knowledge in emerging AI technologies, tools, and industry best practices.

Basic Qualifications:

* Currently enrolled in a bachelor's program in computer science, AI, Data Science, or related field.

* Relevant coursework/education of Python, Java, and/or other scripting language(s) relevant to AI.

Preferred Qualifications:

* Understanding of AI technologies and approaches.

* Familiarity with Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), or Large Language Models (LLMs).

* Demonstrated SQL skills for querying, data manipulation, and visualization.

* Completed a small, practical AI project that addresses a real-world, non-academic need

* Relevant coursework/education or experience with Git, APIs, or cloud platforms (AWS)

* Demonstrated problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

* Demonstrated communication and collaboration skills.

* Curiosity, eagerness to learn, adapt to innovative technologies, and open to feedback.

Any offer of employment may be contingent upon receipt of acceptable results from a post-offer background screening, if required for the specific position, which may include, for example, identity verification, employment history, motor vehicle driving record history, and criminal or sexual offender records history. Any background screening results will be evaluated through an individualized assessment based on the individual's specific record and the duties and requirements of the position.

This opportunity will be posted for a minimum of 5 days and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Employment Eligibility:
This is a U.S.

-based position. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Westat does not offer employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) for this role. Depending on project requirements, some positions may require employees to meet specific residency criteria.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other protected status under applicable law. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment.

An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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