Software Engineering Intern

At Acorn PLMS, we’re on a mission to shake up the corporate learning space — making it easier for organisations to connect learning with real performance outcomes. We're currently looking for interns to join our team and contribute to this mission! Start Date: Mid to late January Requirements: Third year and up BSc Computer Science or related courses Commitment: 3 months (minimum, option to extend beyond 3 months is possible) Work Arrangement: Part-time (2–3 days per week) in our lovely Sydney CBD office, with flexibility to accommodate university studies. As an intern, you will gain hands-on experience within a growing SaaS company, working closely with experienced professionals. The role offers: *Direct mentorship from senior engineers *Structured professional training and exposure to real-world projects *Practical insight into software development within a commercial SaaS environment *An opportunity to build industry-relevant skills while balancing academic commitments This internship is designed to complement your studies while providing meaningful professional development. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply promptly (Résumé + Cover Letter) to the following email: internships@acorn.works. Role Overview: The Engineering Intern is an early-career developer who supports the design, development, and maintenance of software features across the Acorn platform. Working under the guidance of experienced engineers, you’ll learn modern development practices, contribute to real product work, and gain exposure to the full software development lifecycle. You’ll collaborate with Product, Design, QA and Engineering teammates to turn ideas into working software, while building foundational skills in coding, problem solving, and professional engineering workflows. This role is designed to help you grow your technical abilities in a supportive environment, contribute meaningful work, and develop the capabilities required for a future career in software engineering. Key Responsibilities: · Contribute to the development of features and improvements within the Acorn platform under supervision. · Write clean, maintainable code following established engineering standards. · Assist in debugging, testing, and documenting software components. · Collaborate with Product and Design teams to understand user requirements and translate them into technical tasks. · Participate in code reviews and learn from feedback provided by senior engineers. · Support the team in maintaining and improving development tools, processes, and documentation. · Build foundational knowledge of Acorn’s architecture, tooling, and engineering best practices. · Stay curious and explore emerging technologies relevant to your work. Skill Requirements · Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, or similar). · Familiarity with modern development frameworks or tools (e.g., React, Node.js) is helpful, but not essential. · Understanding of core software engineering concepts such as version control, APIs, and debugging. · Willingness to learn, take feedback constructively, and grow technical skills. · Strong problem-solving mindset and attention to detail. · Ability to collaborate effectively within a team environment. Nice to have: · Experience using AI-assisted coding tools (e.g. Cursor, Codex, Claude, CodeWhisperer, or similar) to support development and learning · Experience with personal or academic projects using cloud services, frontend frameworks, or backend development. · Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, or DevOps concepts. 5 Key Capabilities: Technical Foundations - Ability to apply core engineering principles, write basic maintainable code, follow documentation standards, understand testing fundamentals, and operate with awareness of security and compliance requirements. Solution Development & Delivery - Ability to contribute to feature development by breaking down tasks, understanding design direction, and balancing delivery speed with quality under guidance. Collaboration & Communication - Ability to communicate clearly, participate in team rituals, ask good questions, offer support to peers, and contribute positively to team culture. Customer & Product Awareness - Understanding how engineering work impacts users, using data to inform decisions, and staying focused on outcomes that support product and organisational goals. Growth & Emerging Leadership - Early demonstration of curiosity, initiative, and willingness to explore specialised areas, share learning, and contribute fresh perspectives as skills develop. Our recruitment process: Acorn is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We aim to ensure that our recruitment process is fair and accessible to everyone and encourage candidates to request any accommodations needed during the application or interview stages.