Firmware/Hardware Design Student

When you work at Daktronics, you’ll be part of something amazing. We design, engineer, manufacture and support bold, eye-catching digital LED display technology and audio systems.

Our products bring excitement to professional, college and high school games. They attract customers for businesses around the world, and even provide direction for people as they travel, work and play.

As part of the Daktronics team, you’ll have interesting, impactful work with flexible opportunities. You can learn and grow at a company that provides competitive compensation and meaningful benefits – and the people are second to none.

Learn more About Daktronics!

Where is this opportunity located?  

Position is at the Brookings, SD Daktronics campus. This position is open to candidates eligible to work in the U.S. 

What will work look like for me?   

At Daktronics, our student program provides students with an opportunity to gain valuable work experience while earning a degree. You will experience challenging and meaningful work; you’ll have a mentor who will challenge you to find solutions, take initiative, and develop a strong understanding of Daktronics products, practices, and procedures. We will make sure you have the knowledge needed to be successful, but you will hit the ground running!   We will do our best to prepare you for full-time employment, so we can confidently encourage you to apply for our positions after graduation.   

We will expose you to multiple facets of the embedded world. You will experience a professional business environment where you can sharpen your problem solving and testing skills and grow in your design abilities and processes. With your academic growth in the classroom, we seek to provide multiple experiences during your student career at Daktronics, which may mean rotating to different job responsibilities.    

• Troubleshoot existing designs.  
• Assist in manual testing of hardware and software. 
• Prototype verification, such as:  
  • Determine circuit parameters (i.e. ohms).  
  • Taking measurements with a multi-meter and high-speed oscilloscope. 
• Create test reports.  
• Characterize video source components (i.e. cable length). 
• Signal integrity testing.   
• Documentation to support designs, fixtures, and procedures. 
• Develop and support applications using C, C#, C++, VHDL/Verilog, and/or Tera Term programming languages.  
• Design and implement test fixtures and procedures. 
• Complete quality work in a timely manner.  
• Regularly and reliably work scheduled hours. 
• Perform other projects and duties as needed to meet customer expectations.  

Check out our Daktronics Student Career Video.   

What is the pay and perks?
The typical hiring range for this position is $24.00 to $26.00 per hour based on the location of Brookings, SD. The actual offer will consider a wide range of factors, including relevant education, experiences, location, and applicable local legislation.

Students with GPA of 3.5 and above may be eligible for a $500 Academic Excellence Reward for each spring and fall semester completed while employed.  Additional conditions may apply.

This position is eligible for a subset of our company benefits including, employee discount program, employee assistance program, community donation program, unpaid time off, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, leaves, disability and accommodations. Information about Daktronics benefits can be found on our Career Opportunities (daktronics.com). This information is intended to be a general overview and may be modified by Daktronics at any time.

Academic Requirements: 

• Candidate must be enrolled as a student and registered for at least 12 credits. 
• Preferred candidate would be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering degree.
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced calculus across multiple semesters.
• Demonstrated proficiency in a calculus based physics.
• Preferred applicant would be in their sophomore or junior year of school.  
• Only strong academic performers will be considered. Must maintain an acceptable GPA, preference to 3.0 GPA or greater.
• Unofficial transcripts or web transcripts must be submitted with application to be considered.

Preferred Experiences: 

• Programming knowledge in C, C++, Python, and/or VHDL/Verilog.  
• Familiarity with a multi-meter and high-speed oscilloscope. 
• Good oral and written communication skills, ability to communicate complex technical concepts. 
• Shown ability to work collaboratively on projects or with a partner/team. 

Other Requirements: 

• Applicants should be available to work approximately 15 hours per week (maximum of 20 hours per week) during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week during the summer.  
• Good oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, self-motivation.  
• Good problem solving and critical thinking skills.   
• Ability to work with odors (solder/coating).  
• Follow company policies.   
• Work with little supervision.  
• Fluent in English, written and verbal.  
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. 
• Daktronics does not sponsor, renew, or extend immigration visas for this position. 

Daktronics is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetics, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or citizenship status. If you would like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please click here.