Eligibility criteria

We welcome applications from students who:

• Are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree program and will remain enrolled until the end of the internship
• Have a background in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, computer science, physics, materials science, or a related area)
• Can communicate and work in English

We strongly encourage applications from individuals traditionally underrepresented in robotics and AI research institutions and from candidates with diverse educational, national, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Internship duration

RIGI internships may last up to 90 days. All interns are required to be present in July, the program’s core month, when most events and community activities occur. The exact start and end dates will depend on the candidate’s availability and the chosen project. 

Research areas

RIGI interns join leading departments, research groups, or central scientific facilities at MPI-IS in Stuttgart, contributing to research projects in a variety of cutting-edge areas, such as:

• Biomechanics
• Control Systems and Optimization
• Haptics & Human-Computer Interaction
• Material Science
• Machine Learning
• Micro- & Nano-Robotics
• Robotics & Human-Robot Interaction
• Soft Robotics & Materials

Interns apply directly to specific research projects and are asked to submit a motivation statement explaining their interest in the project. Once selected, interns join the hosting lab and contribute to hands-on work, which may involve lab experiments, coding, simulations, or data analysis, depending on the project.

Mentoring and activities

Every intern has a day-to-day mentor who supports their scientific and professional development throughout the program. Mentors are members of the hosting lab who guide the intern’s project, provide feedback, and collaborate with them in their research. Interns also have a supervisor, who can be a department director, research group leader, or central scientific facility head, overseeing the project at a higher level.

In addition to research, RIGI includes:

• Weekly scientific talks and lab tours
• Workshops on research tools, soft skills, career options, and more
• Social events to connect with peers, researchers, and coordinators
• Final internship presentations, where interns present their research to the community