Electronics & Software Intern (Year in Placement 2025/2026)

About the internship

Every year at Kinneir Dufort we select a number of brilliant students to join our team for a variety of work placements. Previous interns with KD have gone on to work in amazing careers, and many of them are part of the KD team now. This opportunity is for a 9-to-12-month placement (starting September 2025) working as a member of our Electronic & Software team on a variety of multi-disciplinary project teams.

Throughout the placement you’ll apply your skills to producing high quality work for our clients. You’ll be given the opportunity to gain valuable experience and a deeper understanding of the design process within an award-winning consultancy, and benefit from the support of a mentor within the very experienced KD team to help you on your way.

You’ll have the chance to develop expertise and business skills during your placement and can build relationships with influential and experienced KD staff.

About you

You will be partway through your degree (either Computer Science, Electronic, or Software based) and looking for industrial experience before completing your studies.

You’ll be enthusiastic, eager to learn and ready to apply your academic knowledge to real challenges.

Your skills and experience

The successful candidate will be/have:

• Working towards a degree in Computer Science, Electronics, Software (or similar)
• Enthusiasm to deliver high quality work on a range of projects
• Willingness to work independently (often remotely) on a project or task, seeking advice or support as needed
• Experience working to a brief and delivering work within specific timescales
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

We currently pay all our interns the National Living Wage.

Why work with us?

As part of your internship, we offer:

• Training/ coaching and development opportunities.

• Practical experience in a professional yet friendly culture.

• Flexible working approaches.

• Access to Udemy for your development.

• The opportunity to get involved with initiatives that impact the design industry, such as inclusion and sustainability.

• Secure in-building bike storage and shower.

• The opportunity to learn more about other projects being undertaken at KD.

• Become a part of our team. KD is a sociable place with many things for you to get involved with other than work. We organise KD runs and yoga sessions, plus monthly socials.

About us

Founded in 1977 by Ross Kinneir and Francis Dufort, the KD team are based in an iconic building in the vibrant city of Bristol. The characterful Grade 2 listed stone building was originally built as a sugar refinery around 1850. It’s now completely refitted, and houses all of our staff plus our workshops, labs, the design studio, an HF usability suite, as well as client meeting spaces. We are in a great central location: the local area is full of independent shops, and it is only a short walk up to Park Street, or over to the Harbourside and St Nick’s Markets, both of which have regular street food markets.

Our values underpin everything we do.

• See possibility: we explore the potential in everyone & everything and embrace change to create opportunities.

• Make a difference: we want to part of the solution and have courage to act, even when it isn’t easy.

• Stand together: we collaborate seamlessly, value difference and support each other.

We believe strongly in equality and fairness and try hard to do the right thing; we speak up for and support groups who are working to make a difference. Many of our team are also involved in, or run, events in their local communities, making a difference to those around them.

The team at KD are intelligent, hard-working, fun and collaborate brilliantly together to produce creative solutions. We work with some of the biggest, best and most interesting international clients that you’ll find anywhere. We’re a multi-disciplinary team, with experts in research, innovation, human factors, digital UX, 2D and 3D product & packaging design, engineering, prototyping, and electronics & software, all uniquely integrated within one great company.

Do we sound like a good match for you?

If you’d like to ask any questions about the opportunity, please email (using Electronics & Software Intern 2025) joinus@kinneirdufort.com.

Please note the deadline for this vacancy is Monday 4 November, and we anticipate interviews to take place in December. We look forward to hearing from you!

At KD we consciously embrace diversity and proactively encourage this with our recruitment process. We welcome applications to this position from anyone meeting the skills criteria, from any background.