About Tempo
Based in San Diego, California, Tempo develops thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems designed for energy-intensive industries. The platform enables industrial operators to shift energy use over time by sourcing power when it is most cost-effective and enables the electrification of high-temperature industrial heat at a cost advantage to using fossil fuels. By storing electricity thermochemically, the system delivers a continuous stream of combustion-free, high-temperature air at up to 1,200°C.
Tempo is backed by leading climate and energy investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Prelude Ventures.
For more information, visit www.tempoenergy.com.
About Tempo
Based in San Diego, California, Tempo develops thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems designed for energy-intensive industries. The platform enables industrial operators to shift energy use over time by sourcing power when it is most cost-effective and enables the electrification of high-temperature industrial heat at a cost advantage to using fossil fuels. By storing electricity thermochemically, the system delivers a continuous stream of combustion-free, high-temperature air at up to 1,200°C.
Tempo is backed by leading climate and energy investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Prelude Ventures.
For more information, visit www.tempoenergy.com.
Job Description
We are seeking a highly motivated Platform Software Engineering Intern to join our team and contribute to the development of our next-generation IoT infrastructure. The overarching goal of this internship is to help create a full-stack development model for an edge device, spanning the bringup of custom hardware and the establishment of secure, resilient cloud connectivity for command, control, and telemetry data. As an intern, your primary mission will be to ensure the reliability and robustness of this new architecture, building rigorous verification and test cases with a heavy emphasis on negative testing and edge-case validation, and using simulation, Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) regression frameworks to prove out the system’s operational integrity.
Key Responsibilities
- Test Engineering & Verification: Design, construct, and execute verification and test cases to ensure the appropriate operation of the edge device and its cloud integrations
- Negative Testing Focus: Actively break the system by developing test suites focused on negative testing, fault injection, and error handling to ensure system resilience
- Coverage Analysis: Conduct thorough coverage analysis to track and guarantee functional completion of the project requirements
- Framework Integration: Implement and automate tests using simulation, Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), or Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) regression frameworks, scoping the work appropriately to the internship’s time constraints
- Full-Stack Collaboration: Work alongside senior engineers on a full-stack edge development model, gaining exposure to hardware bringup and cloud telemetry pipelines
Technical Environment & Exposure
During this internship, you will work hands-on with a modern IoT stack, gaining exposure to and utilizing the following technologies:
- Embedded Systems: Embedded Linux controller bringup and custom distribution build environments (e.g., Yocto, Buildroot)
- Containerization: Edge workload deployment and development using Balena and Docker containers
- Languages: Polyglot development environment utilizing Rust, C, Python, and Go
- IoT Networking: Network programming for resource-constrained environments using Pub/Sub architectures, specifically MQTT, CoAP, and HTTP
- Security Implementations: Verification of verified boot, signed firmware images, and mutual authentication for TLS
Requirements/Qualifications
- Currently pursuing a BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in at least one of our core programming languages (C, Python, Rust, or Go) and a willingness to learn the others
- Solid foundational understanding of software testing methodologies, particularly automated testing and regression frameworks
- Basic familiarity with Linux operating system administration and command-line interfaces
- Strong analytical problem-solving skills and a methodical approach to uncovering system vulnerabilities
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior academic or personal project experience with embedded systems, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or similar microcontrollers/edge devices
- Introductory knowledge of containerization (Docker) and networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, HTTP)
- Familiarity with IoT protocols like MQTT or CoAP
- Experience with hardware/software integration or SIL/HIL testing environments
Physical Demands
- Sitting and standing: Extended periods at a desk performing computer-based design, simulation, and documentation work, balanced with time at a lab bench or in the shop during hardware build and testing
- Lifting and carrying : Lift and carry equipment, test fixtures, or hardware assemblies up to 50 lbs.; heavier items handled with mechanical assistance or team lift
- Hand dexterity: Frequent use of hands for assembly, fabrication, instrumentation hookup, and operation of test and shop equipment
- Visual acuity: Ability to read engineering drawings, inspect hardware, and identify dimensional and surface quality features during fabrication and testing
- PPE compliance: Ability to wear and work effectively in required personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, heat-resistant gloves, safety shoes, and other appropriate gear in high-temperature lab and shop environments
- Safety acumen: Demonstrated understanding of lab and shop safety protocols, including hazard recognition and risk mitigation in environments involving high-temperature equipment, energized systems, and fabrication machinery
- Travel: Occasional travel (estimated <5%) for tool or material pickup
Working at Tempo
Tempo is a lean organization working on exciting challenges, and the people who thrive here share a few things in common beyond their technical skills.
- Clear, direct communication: You professionally say what you mean, lead with empathy, use tact, ask when you're unsure, and keep the people around you informed without being asked. At a company our size, communication gaps are expensive, and good communicators add to success and efficiency!
- Low-ego helpfulness: You're willing to jump in on work that isn't strictly yours, whether that's helping a teammate debug something, lending a hand in the shop, or flagging an issue you noticed outside your lane. No one here succeeds in a silo.
- Intellectual curiosity: You're genuinely interested in how things work, not just your piece of it, but the broader system. Tempo sits at the intersection of chemistry, mechanical engineering, power electronics, and software; the more you understand about the whole, the more valuable you become.
- Business awareness: You understand that your work exists in a business context. You think about cost, timeline, and tradeoffs—not just technical elegance—and you make decisions accordingly.
- Comfort with ambiguity: Processes here are still being built. You can make progress without a perfect playbook, and you know when to ask for direction versus when to use your judgment and move forward.
- Accountability: You own your outcomes, including the misses. When something goes sideways, the instinct here is to fix it and learn from it, not to explain why it wasn't your fault.
This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Tempo reserves the right to modify, add, or remove responsibilities as business needs evolve. Employees may be asked to perform duties outside of those listed above from time to time.
Tempo is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Tempo participates in E-Verify. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check including employment and education check.
California Privacy Notice (CCPA) - In connection with your application, Tempo collects personal information that you voluntarily provide, such as your name, contact information, employment history, and other information relevant to your candidacy. This information is collected and used solely for the purpose of evaluating your application and administering the hiring process. Tempo does not sell applicants' personal information. For more information about your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), please contact HR.
Tempo does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles from external recruiters, staffing agencies, or third-party search firms. Submission of unsolicited resumes by any external agency — whether to a Tempo employee, hiring manager, or any other representative — does not constitute or imply an agreement for placement fees, and Tempo will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited submissions under any circumstances. Any candidate submitted without a prior, fully executed, written fee agreement between the agency and Tempo's Human Resources department will be deemed the sole property of Tempo. Tempo reserves the right to pursue and hire such candidates without obligation to the submitting agency.