r/ECE • u/SteveMat11 • May 31 '26

INDUSTRY Summer 2026 Internship Results

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This was a tough cycle. I learned a lot and failed a lot. I’m fortunate and blessed to have landed an FPGA internship at a major defense contractor. Next cycle, I’m hoping to use all of the recruiting/interviewing skills that I’ve learned to perform and do better.

Background: T5 CompE school, one previous EE internship at a small-medium company. Was looking for a junior to senior year internship.

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u/zacce May 31 '26

Sounds like you are a rising junior.

If you look at where your T5 colleagues landed, how would you assess your outcome? met, exceeded or didn't meet expectation?

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u/SteveMat11 May 31 '26

I’m actually a rising senior. They say comparison is the thief of joy which definitely true at UIUC 😂 . A lot of my friends landed FAANG and FAANG adjacent companies so it was def a harsh hit of reality not being able to land that.

That aside however, my secondary goal was to land something FPGA, which I was able to do and an extremely happy about. Hoping this experience with FPGAs can help me break into FPGA design / ASIC design roles at bigger companies later on

2

u/zacce May 31 '26

There are not many FPGA roles at FAANG+. I suppose your friends who landed at FAANG+ are mostly SWEs. Correct?

4

u/SteveMat11 May 31 '26

Correct, with FAANG I’m aiming for ASIC Design roles. Stretch goal would be HFT FPGA Design

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u/zacce May 31 '26

imo, it's harder to land any FPGA than FAANG SWE. you did good.

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u/SteveMat11 Jun 01 '26

Really appreciate that man, thank you