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# PhD Intern, Software Engineer - Interaction Design (2027)

- **Company:** Figma, Inc.
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA, United States
- **Experience:** Internship
- **Contract:** Internship / Graduate position
- **Skills:** Computer Animation, Artificial Intelligence, Software Code Optimization, Software Debugging, Video Game Development, Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, Machine Learning, Screen Reader, GitHub Copilot, Information Technology, Figma, Claude, GPT
- **Published:** November 8, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.thejobnetwork.com/job/85285fce-7c9a-49f0-87b5-9bd54f264200/phd-intern-software-engineer-interaction-design-

## About the Role

- Current enrollment as a 4th or 5th year senior PhD student pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related field
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex research concepts into practical, scalable solutions
- A track record of rigorous problem-solving through academic or applied research
- Proficiency in at least one general purpose coding language
, - A creative portfolio of work consisting of time-based media, animation, game development, digital illustration, or another creative field.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience collaborating across functions
- Experience using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude) to write, debug, and optimize code
- Applied engineering skills via industry experience, prior internships or similar experience
- First-author publications in top academic conferences related to our team's focus areas


## Description

As a PhD intern, you'll combine HCI research with hands-on-engineering to help define the next generation of interactive experience design tooling. You'll work closely with a mentor and teammates and get to learn, contribute, and grow in a supportive environment, while applying your research background to drive real-world impact.

This 12 or 16-week internship for Summer 2027 will be based out of our San Francisco or New York hub.

#### **What you'll do at Figma:**

- Be fully embedded onto a Figma team working on problems that intersect with your research area
- Drive projects that apply research insights to meaningful product challenges
- Collaborate with engineers, PMs, designers, and researchers to scope and execute your work
- Develop, validate, and document solutions from prototypes to production-ready systems
- Share your expertise through presentations, design reviews, and cross-functional collaboration
- Deliver a project with real impact by the end of your internship

#### **We'd love to hear from you if you have:**

, disability, gender identity/expression, veteran status **,** or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

We will work to ensure individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to apply for a role, participate in the interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. If you require accommodation, please reach out to [accommodations-ext@figma.com](mailto:accommodations-ext@figma.com). These modifications enable an individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity not only to get a job, but successfully perform their job tasks to the same extent as people without disabilities.

Examples of accommodations include but are not limited to:

  - Holding interviews in an accessible location
  - Enabling closed captioning on video conferencing
  - Ensuring all written communication be compatible with screen readers
  - Changing the mode or format of interviews 

To ensure the integrity of our hiring process and facilitate a more personal connection, we require all candidates keep their cameras on during video interviews. Additionally, if hired you will be required to attend in person onboarding.

By applying for this job, the candidate acknowledges and agrees that any personal data contained in their application or supporting materials will be processed in accordance with [Figma's Candidate Privacy Notice](https://www.figma.com/legal/candidate-privacy-notice/).

**Application limits:** To help candidates focus on the opportunities most relevant to their skills and experience, Figma limits the number and frequency of applications. These limits apply to all roles:

  - Candidates may submit up to 5 applications during any rolling 30-day period.
  - Candidates may not reapply to the same role while an application is active or within 90 days of receiving a rejection.

Once the applicable days has passed, candidates are welcome to apply again.