Robotics Engineering Intern (UAV Autonomy - UAV Autonomy - Perception & State Estimation) Paid Internship

Robotics Engineering Intern (UAV Autonomy - UAV Autonomy - Perception & State Estimation) Paid Internship
Caldas da Rainha
Caldas da Rainha, Leiria, Portugal

About the job (EU RESIDENTS ONLY)

Job Title: Robotics Engineering Intern (UAV Autonomy - Perception & State Estimation)

Location: Caldas da Rainha, Portugal (On-site)

Type: Paid Internship (3-6 Months) with Full-Time potential

? The Mission

Hertel Robotics is a stealth‑mode startup branch (besides Hertel. Aerials and Hertel. Pictures, est. 2021) in Caldas da Rainha building autonomous drone systems for the world’s harshest maritime environments. We believe if it doesn't fly (and land) comfortably in +45 knots and 5 meter waves, it doesn't work reliable enough to actually help in high stakes ocean operations.

We are looking for a Robotics Intern to support our autonomy stack, focusing on state estimation, perception, and sensor fusion. You’ll work on real hardware and contribute directly to
- critical systems.

⚡ What You Will Do

• State Estimation: Contribute to UAV pose estimation and sensor fusion algorithms (combining IMU, GPS, Li
  DAR, and vision).
• Perception: Support computer vision pipelines for marker detection and semantic cues, integrating camera data into the autonomy stack.
• Integration: Use ROS2 to connect perception outputs with control modules, ensuring reliable interface contracts.
• Testing: Participate in flight tests and perform log analysis to validate and refine algorithms.

? Required Skills

• Background: BSc or MSc student in Robotics, Aerospace, CS, Electrical Engineering or similar.
• Computer Vision: Familiarity with CV techniques (feature extraction, optical flow, marker detection) and libraries such as Open
  CV or Py
  Torch.
• State Estimation: Understanding of sensor fusion methods (e. g. , EKF, VIO, SLAM) and their practical limitations.
• Coding: Comfortable with Python and/or C++.
• ROS2: Basic understanding of nodes, topics, and messages.
• Linux: Confident working in Ubuntu terminal.
• Attitude: Proactive communicator, eager to solve problems.

? Bonus Skills

• Experience with PX4 or Ardu
  Pilot.
• Familiarity with sensor fusion techniques (e. g. , Kalman filters).
• Hands-on experience with drones or robotics projects.
• Experience with machine learning

? Why Join Us?

• Career Launchpad: We hire our best interns. This is a direct path to a
  - time contract.
• Mentorship: Learn directly from senior engineers and Ph
  D-level experts in computer vision and control.
• The Culture: An "Ubuntu" mindset—we win together. A flat hierarchy where the best idea wins, not the loudest voice.