The mission

European security is at a turning point. The war in Ukraine has shown that unmanned systems are the decisive factor on the modern battlefield. But these platforms are only as effective as the data links that control them. That is where we come in: we develop resilient, scalable SDR-based data links for UAVs — already deployed in Ukraine and in circulation with leading industry and defense primes. A product is only finished when it works flawlessly in the hands of the end user. We are looking for an intern who wants to get close to that standard — and build the engineering instincts to help us maintain it.

About the role

This is a hands-on internship/ werkstudenten role, in a real engineering environment. You will work alongside our engineering team, contribute to hardware testing and validation, and get your hands on actual SDR systems. You will not be writing reports about engineering — you will be doing it. The role is scoped for someone early in their studies or career, with plenty of room to learn and take on more responsibility over time. For the right person, this is a direct path into a full-time role as ZeroPhase grows.

What you will work on

Hardware testing & validation

• Support the execution of hardware testing and validation protocols for our SDR systems

• Assist in maintaining test documentation and structured records of hardware performance

• Learn what "field-ready" means in practice — and help us enforce that standard

Test automation & scripting

• Contribute to Python and Bash scripts that automate flash, configure, and validate cycles

• Help reduce manual steps in our hardware testing pipeline as we scale production

Field integration support

• Assist with on-site integration of our data links into customer and partner UAV platforms

• Support hardware diagnostics and troubleshooting alongside senior engineers

Engineering feedback

• Help document field observations, failure modes, and customer feedback

• Feed structured technical input back to the R&D team to inform the next hardware iteration

What we are looking for

• Currently studying electrical engineering, computer science, aerospace, or a related field

• Comfortable in a Linux environment — working in the terminal feels natural to you

• Basic scripting ability in Python or Bash — you can automate a repetitive task

• Foundational understanding of RF concepts: gain, SNR, interference, spectrum

• Hardware curiosity — you pick up a circuit board and want to understand what you are looking at

• Proactive and self-directed — you do not wait to be told what to do next

• Good English; German is a plus

Nice to have

• Any prior exposure to SDRs — GNU Radio, USRP, LimeSDR, or similar

• Familiarity with drone or UAS hardware at any level

• A lab project, hackathon, or side build that shows you work with real hardware outside of coursework

• Interest in defence, aerospace, or RF systems