R&D Assistant Intern

Your Title: R&D Assistant Intern

Job Location: Christchurch, NZ

Our Departments: Field Systems (Geospatial)

Application Window: 9 June 2025 - 22 June 2025

Recruitment Timeline: Interviewing in June/July, offer by early August

Internship Period: 17th November 2025 to 13th February 2026

Number of Positions: 2

Spend this summer helping transform one of our key industry sectors using cutting-edge technologies with an industry-leading organisation!

What You Will Do

As an R&D Assistant Intern at Trimble, you will assist with research and development activities working closely with our lead researcher, including, but not limited to contribution to the development, testing, and reporting on technologies and systems associated with some of the following: mobile computing, geospatial positioning, orientation sensing, optical sensors, photogrammetry and similar. These technologies may include laser distance measurement devices, camera and Lidar sensors, GNSS receivers, and inertial measurement units. This role may also include other relevant activities as required by the research projects, on the same topic, or other concepts. 

These positions are for working over the summer period, starting in November 2025. We have one internship opportunity with our Geospatial hardware group, and one within our Mobile Computing Systems (MCS) group.

This will have you doing the following, in various capacities:

• Make or use existing hardware and software prototypes for running multiple field experiments while logging sensors and field data

• Contribute to the calibration of sensors and systems

• Test and report on different sensors and devices

• Assist with research activities by working closely with our lead researcher.

You will gain valuable hands-on experience and be provided with challenging, meaningful tasks that will give you insight into what it's like working full-time as a valued member of a team. 

Our internships are designed to prepare you for your career journey while growing as a professional through lunch and learns, team-building activities, and social networking events with other interns. Over the course of your internship, we want you to feel like you belong, innovate, and grow personally and professionally. Join Trimble’s community to have a global impact where we value you, your experience, and your skills to propel your career forward.

What you'll bring?

As an intern, we expect you’ll bring a natural willingness to learn, persistence, and inquisitiveness. You’ll enjoy working with new and emerging technology, be a team player, with strong work prioritisation skills, and have a collaborative communication and working style. You should also possess these skills:

• Currently pursuing a degree in Electronics, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or other related field

• Organised, persistent, and not afraid of field work

• Ability to think critically and work independently or collaborate with a team

• A wide degree of creativity, openness, and latitude when approaching problems.

Additional desirable skills that may be advantageous include:

• familiarity with accelerometer and gyroscope sensors

• knowledge of Python and C# programming languages

• Embedded systems experience

• Android and WebApp development experience

• Machine Learning experience.

Please note: Only applicants who are students and legally entitled to work in New Zealand will be considered.

About Your Location

Based at Trimble’s NZ headquarters in Christchurch, enjoy free parking, an onsite gym, an active social club, and a great team environment where people love working with leading technology solutions.

At Trimble, you'll find the inspiration and opportunity to be yourself and thrive. The global community of Team Trimble, including more than 400 people in New Zealand, is passionate about bringing new ideas and innovations to life and building a better, more sustainable future.

About Our Geospatial & MCS Groups (part of Trimble Field Systems)

Trimble Geospatial provides solutions to industry using high-quality, productive workflows and information exchange, driving value for a global and diverse customer base of surveyors, engineering, and GIS service companies, governments, utilities, and transportation authorities. Trimble’s innovative technologies include integrated sensors, field applications, real-time communications, and office software for processing, modeling, and data analytics.

Mobile Computing Solutions (MCS) is a group that creates mobile devices so workers in challenging environments can seamlessly connect the physical and digital worlds. Our team works with internal Trimble solution partners to provide mobile devices paired with their software, sensors, and services to deliver a complete workflow solution. 

Trimble’s Inclusiveness Commitment

We believe in celebrating our differences. That is why our diversity is our strength. To us, that means actively participating in opportunities to be inclusive. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have guided our current success while also moving our desire to improve. We actively seek to add members to our community who represent our customers and the places we live and work.

We have programs in place to ensure our people are seen, heard, and welcomed, and most importantly, that they know they belong, no matter who they are or where they are coming from.

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