Figma
PhD Intern, Software Engineer - Graphics (2027)
San Francisco, CA • New York, NY +1 · Internship · Posted Oct 13, 2026
- Location
- San Francisco, CA • New York, NY
US - Education
- Currently enrolled as a 4th- or 5th-year senior PhD student pursuing a PhD in Computer Graphics, Media Processing, or a related field.
About the job
Own a high-impact graphics, rendering, or media project, applying research insights to improve Figma’s visual platform from prototype through production.
What you'll do
- Collaborate with engineers, product managers, designers, researchers, and partner teams to scope and deliver a project.
- Develop, validate, and document solutions, including shaders, anti-aliasing, media processing, or animation improvements.
- Apply research insights to product challenges and contribute to the Rendering & Animation team.
What they ask for
- Currently enrolled as a 4th- or 5th-year PhD student in Computer Graphics, Media Processing, or a related field.
- Experience with OpenGL, WebGL, WebGPU, Vulkan, Metal, their shader languages (GLSL, WGSL), or other low-level graphics APIs.
- Proficiency in either C++ or Rust.
- Track record of rigorous problem-solving through academic or applied research, considering both use cases and low-level technology.
Nice to have
- Publications at graphics conferences such as SIGGRAPH, Eurographics, High Performance Graphics, NVIDIA GTC, or Pacific Graphics.
- Proficiency in WebAssembly, web graphics, 2D graphics, performance optimization, animation, geometry, or media; interest in art and design applications; or experience using AI coding tools.
Pay
$74 — $74 USD per hour (base pay)
Tools
OpenGL, WebGL, WebGPU, Vulkan, Metal, GLSL, WGSL, C++
AI focus
AI tools are a preferred aid for writing, debugging, and optimizing code; the role does not otherwise specify AI work.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative