Junior Design Engineer (Summer Intern)

Te Tūranga - The Role

Join our Terminals Engineering team this summer and work on a project focused on improving how Voice Annunciation files are transferred and stored within our products. You'll investigate and prototype speech compression technologies such as Ogg Vorbis and Opus, with the goal of significantly reducing file sizes and programming times, which can currently take up to an hour for some devices.

This project will provide an opportunity to explore the balance between audio quality, memory usage, and processing performance in resource-constrained embedded systems. You'll evaluate whether compressed audio can be decompressed in real time and help assess the technical trade-offs involved. Depending on project progress and interests, you may also investigate enhancements to the data transfer path and emerging Text-to-Speech technologies that could influence future generations of Tait products.

This is a great opportunity to apply your technical knowledge in a practical environment, contribute to meaningful engineering outcomes, and learn from experienced professionals in the field.

Ō pūkenga - About You

We're looking for a curious and motivated student who enjoys solving technical problems and exploring how technology works in practice.

You may be studying Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline, and have an interest in working with embedded systems. We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience or exposure to embedded C/C++ development.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate, test, and compare different technical solutions.
• A hands-on approach to building prototypes and validating ideas through experimentation.
• The ability to communicate technical concepts, findings, and trade-offs clearly to others.
• A willingness to learn and take on new technical challenges.

Exposure to audio processing, speech compression, digital signal processing (DSP), or signal analysis would be advantageous, but it is not essential. More importantly, you're enthusiastic about learning, enjoy working collaboratively, and are keen to apply your knowledge to real-world engineering challenges.

Ngā painga - What's in it for You?

We are an employer that is committed to making a difference for families and communities and supporting people to build rewarding careers. We achieve this through employing people who connect with our Values (Commitment to Listen. Courage to Act and Integrity to Deliver) that underpin our way of working together. We are committed to investing in our people, developing both individuals and teams to support a high-performance culture.

By undertaking a Summer Internship with us, you will be joining a global leader with over 50 years' experience in critical communications. You will get the chance to learn from experienced engineers, whilst working on projects with real world significance, using cutting edge technology at the forefront of technical innovation. As well as developing your technical skills through on-the-job learning, we'll also support you in developing the necessary soft skills to become a valued team member.

If you are passionate about problem solving, able to work autonomously and as part of a team, and can take initiative and communicate effectively, then we want to hear from you! We have a variety of exciting projects for you to choose from, covering a range of engineering, service management and technological functions.

To apply, please include a cover letter addressing the following questions:

• Why does this internship appeal to you, and how does it align with your future career goals?
• Describe a project, achievement, or experience you are most proud of. What was your contribution, and what did you learn from the experience?
• What do you hope to achieve or gain from completing this internship?
• What is your current level of study, and when do you expect to graduate?

Please note: Your cover letter will be used as part of the assessment process, so we encourage you to provide specific examples and insights into your experiences, aspirations, and suitability for the internship, maximum 200 words per question. Applications will close Sunday 6th September.