Software Engineering Intern – Distributed Simulation Systems

About Astera Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward a better future. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive progress. We have committed a $3.5B endowment to that work and fit the form of our support to the function it serves: grants, investments, and in-house research programs. We accept meaningful risk in the research we back and expect some of it to fail because transformative ideas are rarely the ones already proven. Our projects, and the foundation itself, operate like high-velocity startups, with a high performance bar and competitive compensation to match. We are searching for leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving high-impact change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming at astera.org/vision . Position Summary Astera Institute is seeking a Software Engineering Intern to help build infrastructure for large-scale distributed simulation systems, including biological systems and physics-based environments. This internship is ideal for someone excited about systems programming, simulation, distributed computing, or scientific infrastructure. You’ll work closely with experienced engineers on real technical problems spanning simulation, networking, orchestration, and performance optimization. You do not need prior professional experience in all of these areas — we care most about strong technical fundamentals, curiosity, and a willingness to learn quickly. Areas you may work on include: Distributed computing systems High-performance C++ infrastructure Biological system simulation 3D physics simulation environments Networking and communication systems Simulation tooling and visualization Responsibilities Contribute to distributed simulation infrastructure and tooling Help build networking and communication systems for multi-node simulations Assist with development of MuJoCo-based or other 3D simulation environments Work on systems for large-scale biological simulations Improve simulation throughput and system reliability Debug and profile performance bottlenecks Build internal tools for orchestration, visualization, and developer workflows Collaborate with researchers and engineers across simulation and infrastructure projects Qualifications and Experience Strong programming fundamentals Experience with C++, Python, or similar systems languages Familiarity with Linux development environments Understanding of data structures, algorithms, and concurrency fundamentals Interest in distributed systems, simulation, or systems engineering Ability to learn quickly and work independently on technical problems Nice to Have Experience with C++ projects Familiarity with networking or distributed systems concepts Experience with physics simulators such as MuJoCo, Unity, or Unreal Experience with Python, PyTorch, or scientific computing Familiarity with GPU programming or CUDA Open-source, research, robotics, or simulation project experience Interest in biology, neuroscience, or scientific infrastructure Location This position is hybrid at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may occasionally be required for collaboration and team events. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future. Compensation The posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, commensurate with their experience and location. Cultural Alignment Surprising problem-solver – you love finding unexpected solutions to problems we don't even know we have, and see options w