Waabi Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

Waabi, the Toronto self-driving company founded by Raquel Urtasun in 2021, raised a $750 million Series C plus a $250 million milestone-based commitment from Uber in January 2026, and it pays US research interns $40 to $55 an hour (undergraduate and master's) and $60 an hour (PhD), per the pay lines on its own postings. Two research internships are open to US candidates right now, both rolling, in Pittsburgh, San Francisco or remote in the US. In plain words: you can apply to the research roles during 2026 and intern in summer 2027, while Waabi's season-labelled summer 2027 roles, such as product management, are expected around December 2026 to February 2027.

Quick Facts

Two US-eligible research internships are open now with no deadline. Seasonal summer roles post separately, about four months before a May or June start.

Externships are short, remote projects you finish for a real company, useful if your research record is thin. The Wayfair n8n AI Agent Engineering Externship gives you applied AI engineering work to show, and the Pfizer AI-Powered Document Insights Externship adds a model-and-pipeline project to your portfolio. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Waabi Internship?

A Waabi internship is a paid research or product placement at Waabi, the physical AI company building self-driving trucks and, with Uber, robotaxis. Research interns join mixed teams of research scientists and engineers and lead or contribute to a project in perception, prediction, motion planning, controls, simulation, mapping, localization or core AI, according to Waabi's postings. The postings also encourage interns to publish at venues such as NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML and CVPR, post to the company blog and release open-source work. Waabi's founder, Raquel Urtasun, previously led Uber's self-driving research lab and is a computer science professor at the University of Toronto. US interns are paid through Waabi US Inc.

When Do Waabi Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

Waabi runs two kinds of intern roles on two clocks. Its research roles are evergreen: the Research Internship/Co-op and the PhD Research Scientist Intern were both created on 18 December 2025 and are still accepting applications, with no season in the body even though the PhD title still says "2026". Its season-labelled roles post about four months ahead: the summer 2026 Product Management Internship/Co-op appeared around 30 January 2026 for a May or June start. That points to applications for summer 2027 seasonal roles around December 2026 to February 2027, a low-to-medium confidence estimate from one prior cycle.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

Waabi's research roles are rolling. Both have been open since December 2025 with no deadline, which means seats are filled as strong candidates arrive, not on a fixed review date. The PhD role has carried a year in its title for at least two cycles (a "2025" version was circulating in September 2024), so Waabi refreshes it rather than closing a window you can plan around. Seasonal roles are the other risk: the summer 2026 product management role appeared in late January and was gone by September, and a single posting per role means one hiring decision, so apply in the first week you see one.

Which Waabi Internship Programs Should You Target?

Waabi's intern roles fall into two groups: evergreen research roles and seasonal roles posted for a specific summer.

See every open role at waabi.ai/careers. Waabi also has a Dallas office, but no intern role there has been posted.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

Requirements come from the two live research postings:

• Degree: bachelor's, MS or PhD in computer science, engineering, AI, machine learning, computer vision, robotics or similar. The PhD role requires a PhD in progress.

• Experience: research or software engineering experience shown through internships, work, coding competitions, or research projects and papers.

• Coding and math: proficient in Python and/or C++, with strong linear algebra, calculus and probability.

• Publication (PhD role): at least one paper at a top machine learning, computer vision or robotics conference.

• Documents: your most recent academic transcripts alongside your resume.

• GPA and sponsorship: neither is stated in the postings.

Do Undergraduates Have a Shot?

Yes, on the Research Internship/Co-op, which explicitly lists bachelor's degrees. The bar is evidence rather than class year: the posting accepts prior internships, coding competitions or research projects as proof. An undergraduate with a strong ML project, a competition result or a co-authored paper fits what Waabi asks for. The PhD role is different, and its publication requirement rules out most undergraduates.

What Skills Does Waabi Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Waabi's skill asks come from its two live research postings and two summer 2026 seasonal postings. Three themes repeat. Coding: Python appears in three of the four, and C++ in both research roles. Math and ML research: linear algebra, calculus, probability and work in ML, vision or robotics anchor the research roles. Evidence of output: both research postings ask for proof through internships, competitions, projects or papers, and the PhD role needs a publication. The safety role added SQL and dashboards, and the product role added cross-functional coordination.

How Is Demand for Research Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each skill maps to a remote Externship that adds output you can point to.

None of these replaces a research paper, but each gives you a finished, documented project that counts as the "research projects" evidence Waabi's postings accept.

What Is the Waabi Application and Interview Process Like?

Waabi doesn't publish its intern interview steps, and we found no first-hand account we could verify. What the postings tell you:

1. Apply on Lever. Choose the research role that matches your degree level and city.

2. Attach transcripts. Both research postings ask for your most recent academic transcripts with your resume.

3. Interviews. Not published. Expect questions on your research or projects and on the math the postings name.

4. Seasonal roles. Watch Lever from December for summer 2027 product, safety or engineering roles.

Pick your location deliberately: Pittsburgh is onsite for the PhD role, and only the Research Internship/Co-op offers Remote US.

What We Found on Reddit

We searched Reddit on 28 September and again on 3 October 2026 and found no first-hand thread from a Waabi intern or applicant, only automated job reposts and general autonomous-driving threads, so we're not padding this section with off-topic posts. The clearest first-hand line is the former intern quoted on Waabi's careers page, who says they started as an intern and now build their career there.

How Do You Stand Out for a Waabi Internship?

Three moves. Lead with a research artifact. A paper, an open-source repo or a competition result is exactly the evidence both postings name; put it at the top of your resume. Match a research area. Waabi lists perception, prediction, motion planning, controls, simulation, mapping, localization and core AI; say which one your work fits and why. Don't forget the transcript. Both postings ask for it, and an application without one is incomplete. Waabi doesn't publish applicant counts or a conversion rate, but its careers page features a former intern who stayed on.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

These autonomous-driving and mobility companies hire research and engineering interns too.

Our AI and ML internships summer 2027 guide covers more research-heavy employers.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Waabi internship?

No. Waabi's summer 2026 seasonal roles, such as product management, have closed. What's open now are two rolling research roles, the Research Internship/Co-op and the PhD Research Scientist Intern, which state no season. Seasonal summer 2027 roles are expected around December 2026 to February 2027.

Does Waabi hire US interns?

Yes. Waabi is based in Toronto, but both of its open internships list US locations, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Remote US, and publish US hourly pay paid through Waabi US Inc. The Research Internship/Co-op is the only one that offers Remote US; the PhD role is onsite in Pittsburgh or San Francisco.

Are Waabi internships open right now?

Yes. The Research Internship/Co-op and the PhD Research Scientist Intern were both open on 3 October 2026 with no stated deadline. The PhD title still says "2026", but the posting states no season and is still accepting applications. Season-labelled summer 2027 roles are expected around December 2026 to February 2027.

How much do Waabi interns make?

Waabi's own postings list $40 to $55 an hour in the US for the Research Internship/Co-op and $60 an hour for the PhD Research Scientist Intern. Canadian ranges are listed separately. The summer 2026 product management internship listed $35 to $55 an hour.

Who can apply for a Waabi research internship?

Bachelor's, master's or PhD students in computer science, engineering, AI, machine learning, computer vision or robotics who have research or software experience from internships, competitions, projects or papers. You'll need Python and/or C++ and solid math. The PhD role also requires a top-conference publication.

What do I need to submit to Waabi?

Your resume and your most recent academic transcripts. Both research postings ask for transcripts alongside the resume, so an application without them is incomplete. It also helps to link a paper, open-source repository or competition result, since those are the kinds of evidence the postings say they accept.

How long is a Waabi summer internship?

Waabi's summer 2026 seasonal roles ran full time, 40 hours a week, from May or June to August or September, according to the postings. The two research roles open now don't state a fixed length, so ask the recruiter about start dates and duration once you're in the process.

Can Waabi research interns publish their work?

Yes. Both research postings say interns are encouraged to submit and publish work at top machine learning, computer vision and robotics conferences, such as NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML and CVPR, to post on the company blog and to release open-source projects. That's unusual for an industry internship.

Waabi's research roles are open and rolling. If your record is light on output, a remote Externship gives you a finished AI project to point to before the seasonal roles post.