Wireless Software Engineer Review

I have worked on pathfinding for future Intel Architecture, focusing on wireless Layer 1 algorithms. I have enjoyed every day of my work. Not a single negative thought has passed my mind when going to work. I've had the chance to work on and make contributions to cutting-edge technology. The placement consisted of equal part learning and practice. The two were connected and the immediate application of knowledge in practice was rewarding and extremely motivating.

I was treated as an equal member of the team. My work was valued and I felt that I was making a contribution to Intel. This was also confirmed by the previous years' interns' that were in my team. Their work was often mentioned and used by the team, even after their placement has finished. My team colleagues were always ready to help and took an interest in my development. I also felt valued by the company as a whole. Interns at Intel have the same status as full-time employees. They have access to the same benefits. If you're working with someone from a different team, they don't have a clue you're an intern unless you tell them yourself.

My manager and supervisor were great. In the beginning, there were many tutorials and discussions to make sure I was progressing in the right direction. As a few months passed, my work was more and more autonomous. Although, I still had regular check-ins with my supervisor. I could always consult my supervisor if I had doubts or questions about a particular project, without having the feeling of hand-holding. And I had regular 1:1 with my manager.

As busy as I decided to be. I was lucky to be part of an R&D team, with very limited interaction with clients. Our work was more result-focused. There were no set working times that I had to adhere to, beyond showing up to meetings. There were a few instances when a piece of work had to be better done at a given deadline, but these were rare. Generally, I worked on a given problem until exhaustive results were obtained, positive or negative.

Surprisingly many. I mentioned that I was treated as an equal part of the team and this also goes for the responsibilities. The work performed has real-world impact. I worked on projects which eventually ended up being presented to higher-up Intel executives and customers. The responsibilities were not imposed upon me, it was a conscious choice. Once you've settled in the placement, you're responsible for the knowledge you want to gain and the projects you want to do.

I've had the chance to improve many skills and also gain new ones, whilst on the placement. The nature of an R&D team is that one is working on novel technologies. This often requires seeking out answers to novel questions. I think this is a very useful skill to have, especially in academia. Technical skills are something you will be responsible for. All I can say is that there is every opportunity in Intel to get technical training, if you know what you want and are ready to put the work into it.

There were two days in the week when the whole team (7 people, 2 interns + 5 full-timers) were in the office. The rest of the days, there were usually 4 people present. Interns are expected to come into the office every day, although if you have a good reason you can work from home. The atmosphere in the office was good. There were no barriers to collaborate or ask questions. We also had many whiteboard sessions, thrashing out ideas or learning about a given topic.

The Intel office I ended up at hires around 40-50 interns every year. The placement year lasts 13 months, with a 1-month overlap between 2 generations of interns. The one month handover period is to let the retiring interns introduce the new ones to their role. This gives you an idea about how organised the whole placement is, from start to finish. My previous year intern did an excellent job introducing me to the technology I would be working within the next few months.

There are many opportunities to learn when you're at Intel. You have access to online learning platforms for free and there are many training sessions inside of Intel. Also, Intel has much inside technology documentation which are good resources to learn. There is also the immense expertise of your colleagues, who are always willing to share their knowledge. Overall, I felt that I had every opportunity I would want to learn and develop my skills, both technical and non-technical.

I have enjoyed the time inside of my team very much. It was a time of immense learning. However, I don't see myself returning to the role anytime soon. For one, the R&D nature of the work requires a big amount of knowledge, which I don't think I would have after just 4 years of study. Another reason is that I think I will stay in academia after I graduate (masters or PhD). That said, I would be very happy to join Intel at some point in the future. I think it's a great company to work for, with an amazing history and many interesting technologies.

There were many events ran by various intern committees almost every week (pub quizzes, bowling, etc.) You definitely don't get to feel lonely. I was lucky to have another intern on my team. This is rather an exception than a rule. The number of social events is even larger during the handover period. This makes it easy to get to know your peers at the beginning of the placement. I should also mention that you're not forced to socialise and you don't have to participate in the events if you don't want to.

I paid £550pcm with all bills for a studio flat in Swindon. I cycled to work and didn't use public transport. Socialising and groceries are typical cost compared to other towns, I think. I know there are many pubs with happy hours and/or student discounts. Swindon is not a student town, and I found the amount of available socialising opportunities limiting. That said, the intern community did a pretty good job to organise various events.

I can't comment on the Nightlife. I'm more of an "in bed by 10 pm person". The amount of restaurants and cocktail bars is small, but present and I always found a place where I could spend the evening if needed.

Yes. There are many clubs you can join when working at Intel. The intern community also organises many events you can attend outside of work. Intel also offers programs like Intel Involved or Intel Inspire. You can take part in volunteering with Intel Involved, giving back to the local community. Or you can run STEM sessions for local kids with Intel Inspire. Both are great ways to get involved in activities outside of your main work.