Performance Engineering Intern - Poughkeepsie

Introduction

At IBM, work is more than a job - it's a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you've never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world's most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.

Your role and responsibilities

The IBM Z Performance and Architecture organization helps design and optimize the technologies behind IBM Z, IBM's flagship enterprise computing platform. IBM Z powers some of the world's most demanding business applications, processing massive volumes of transactions while delivering high levels of reliability, security, and performance.

What makes IBM Z unique is that IBM engineers the entire system stack, including processor architecture, hardware, firmware, operating systems, virtualization technologies, middleware, applications, and performance tooling. This end-to-end ownership allows our teams to solve complex problems across the full computing stack and deliver highly integrated solutions for mission-critical enterprise workloads.

Our work spans computer architecture, operating systems, performance engineering, data analytics, automation, workload analysis, and applied AI.

As an intern, you may work on projects involving:

Analyzing real-world enterprise workloads at scale to understand system behavior and uncover performance opportunities using processor, memory, I/O, operating system, and application-level performance data

Building and using models to evaluate processor and system performance

Developing performance tests, benchmarks, tools, and automation

Supporting computer architecture, performance tracing, modeling, and workload characterization

Exploring AI and Generative AI to improve performance analysis and engineering productivity

Collaborating with architects, hardware designers, software developers, and performance engineers

This role provides an opportunity to apply classroom concepts to real-world enterprise systems and contribute to the development and performance of future IBM Z technologies.

Required technical and professional expertise

Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field

Fundamental understanding of computer architecture, operating systems, software development, or digital systems

Programming experience in one or more languages such as C, C++, Python, Java, or Assembly

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Strong communication and teamwork skills

Preferred technical and professional experience

Computer Architecture and Processor Design

Operating Systems and Systems Programming

System Performance Engineering, Analysis, or Optimization

Processor, Memory, and I/O Architecture

Performance Modeling, Benchmarking, or Workload Analysis

Probability and Statistics or Operations Research

C/C++, Python, Assembly, or SystemVerilog

Linux/Unix or RISC-V

Multi-Core Systems or Digital Logic Design

Data Analysis and Automation

AI, Machine Learning, or Generative AI

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.