PhD Systems & AI/ML Research Intern (Summer 2026)

Who you are

You are a PhD candidate in Computer Science or a related field, graduating between Winter 2026 and Spring 2028. You have proven experience in systems and infrastructure, as well as AI and machine learning, which you have demonstrated through prior publications or open-source contributions. You are comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy translating research insights into real-world product impact. Your familiarity with large-scale infrastructure and your passion for swiftly moving from idea to experiment make you an ideal fit for this role.

You thrive in collaborative environments and are eager to work closely with mentors to refine your approach and validate your results. You have a strong understanding of the challenges associated with distributed systems and are excited about the opportunity to contribute to meaningful infrastructure problems. Your ability to document your design and implementation processes, including assumptions and evaluation results, is a key strength.

Desirable

You have prior experience operating large-scale infrastructure and a keen interest in AI/ML workloads. Your background includes familiarity with building and running benchmarks using realistic workloads to measure performance, reliability, or security improvements. You are motivated by the prospect of preparing findings for internal adoption or external publication, showcasing your work to a broader audience.

What you'll do

As a PhD Systems & AI/ML Research Intern at Dropbox, you will execute a defined engineering and research project aligned with your academic research. Your primary responsibility will be to implement a prototype that addresses a concrete infrastructure or AI-systems challenge. You will collaborate with senior engineers to ensure that your project aligns with Dropbox's goals and contributes to the development of next-generation products.

You will build and run benchmarks using realistic workloads to measure performance, reliability, or security improvements. Documenting your design and implementation will be crucial, as you will need to include assumptions, architecture, tradeoffs, and evaluation results in your final artifact. This artifact will consist of a working prototype, reproducible results, a technical write-up, and an internal presentation to share your findings with the team.

Throughout your internship, you will collaborate closely with mentors who will guide you in refining your approach and validating your results. If appropriate, you will prepare your findings for internal adoption or external publication, contributing to the broader research community. Your work will play a significant role in defining and building the infrastructure layer for Dropbox's next-generation products.

What we offer

At Dropbox, you will have the opportunity to work in a supportive environment that values collaboration and innovation. You will be part of a team that is dedicated to solving complex infrastructure problems and advancing the field of AI/ML. The internship offers a unique chance to gain hands-on experience in a leading technology company while contributing to impactful projects.

You will receive mentorship from experienced engineers who are eager to share their knowledge and help you grow in your career. This internship is designed to provide you with valuable insights into the industry and the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge in a practical setting. You will also have the chance to network with professionals in the field and gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies.

The compensation for this internship is set at $12,500 for the summer, providing you with financial support as you gain experience in the tech industry. We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't match every requirement, as we value diverse perspectives and backgrounds.