Silicon Intern

Duration: 12 weeksSalary: £2500 per monthStart date: June 2027 Application deadline: Midnight 29th November We encourage you to apply early, as we may close applications before the advertised deadline.

The Internship Programme at Graphcore

Explore a career at Graphcore through a 12-week summer internship, gaining hands-on experience on real projects. You’ll bring fresh ideas, put your learning into practice and help shape what we’re creating. Along the way, you’ll tackle challenging problems with a team who welcome your questions and support you as you build your skills and confidence.

What you’ll work on

Bring your curiosity, bright ideas and problem-solving skills to the chips behind tomorrow’s AI systems.

As a Silicon summer intern, you’ll join one of our four specialist Silicon teams: logical design, verification, physical design or design for test (DFT). You’ll contribute to real chip development, learning from experienced colleagues and building your understanding of how advanced AI chips are designed, verified and prepared for manufacture.

Depending on your team, you’ll work on areas such as register-transfer level (RTL) design, SOC integration, verification methods, physical implementation or the critical role of DFT. You’ll use industry-standard electronic design automation (EDA) tools and take ownership of clear tasks, with support from experienced engineers.

How you’ll learn and grow

During the 12-week programme you’ll develop practical silicon engineering skills in the team you join, building on the fundamentals you’ve learned through your studies and projects.

Hands-on tasks will help you learn modern design techniques and use industry-standard EDA tools. You’ll build skills in areas such as RTL, verification, timing or physical design, depending on your team’s focus.

Feedback from reviews and practical problem solving will help you develop your technical judgement, explain your approach and understand how your work fits into the wider chip development process. Bring your curiosity and willingness to learn; we’ll support you as you build your knowledge and confidence.

What we're looking for

• Working towards a degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, or a related subject such as Physics or Maths. 
• Technical skills in C, C++ or Python, demonstrated through study, projects, hobbies or practical experience
• An interest in AI compute and silicon design, including ASICs, verification, logical design, DFT or physical design, with motivation to learn EDA tools and modern design techniques
• A curious, self-starting approach, with examples from activities or hobbies beyond your studies, plus clear communication and the ability to work well with others

You don’t need an engineering background to join us. If you’re curious, motivated and enjoy solving problems, we’ll teach you the skills you need.

Previous industry experience is not required. Tell us what you built or investigated through coursework, personal or team projects, hobbies or other relevant experience, how you approached it and what you learned.

Benefits

• Flexible working: Find a balance between your internship and life outside work
• 5 days of annual leave: Take time to rest and recharge during your 12-week internship
• Life in the office: Get to know your colleagues in spaces designed for collaboration, with free food, a great selection of ice cream and an on-site barista
• Learning and development: Build your skills and explore your interests with access to O’Reilly, our online learning platform

We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone can do their best work.

We’re an equal opportunity employer and recognise that everyone brings different strengths and perspectives. If you need any adjustments during the interview process, just let us know - we’re happy to support you.

Sponsorship

Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme, without requiring visa sponsorship. We are unable to sponsor work visas for our Early Careers opportunities.

Introduction to Graphcore

At Graphcore, we’re building next generation AI compute: From semiconductors and software to systems at datacentre scale. We are proud to be owned by SoftBank Group and work with other companies in the SoftBank family to deliver AI compute to customers working at the AI frontier.

An internship at Graphcore gives you the chance to explore where your interests and skills could take you. You’ll work alongside people with different backgrounds and expertise, from AI researchers to chip designers and software engineers. Together, you’ll share ideas and solve challenging problems, building experience and confidence to help you decide what comes next.

How to apply and what to expect

To apply, answer the application questions below and upload your CV and cover letter. We’ll let you know the outcome of your application by early December at the latest. If successful, you’ll be invited to complete a technical assessment. Candidates who reach the final stage will then be invited to attend in-person assessments in early spring.

Curious about where your skills could take you? Apply for a summer internship at Graphcore and help us build what comes next.