Immersion Program

About

Annually since 2014, Autodesk has sponsored the Synthesis Immersion Program for FIRST robotics students to collaborate on developing and building Synthesis. Since then, it has maintained its initial goal to create a streamlined environment for simulating and prototyping 3D CAD models. Made by students for students, Synthesis also aims to introduce students to 3D modeling software early on and jumpstart their knowledge of professional-grade technology.

Details

The program is a 10 week paid work experience at the Portland, Oregon Autodesk offices from June 16th to August 22nd. The team typically consists of around 10 interns every summer of varying talents and abilities. Interns assume a full-time work schedule from Monday to Friday at around 40 hours at a week. Work is done in small teams and interns have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other Autodesk employees.

Why join Synthesis?

The Synthesis immersion program allows you to gain access to a large wealth of knowledge and experience that most high school level work experiences cannot provide. While working on Synthesis, you'll be able to meet and network with industry professionals within Autodesk and gain practical skills vital for the workplace. Synthesis makes for a great entry on your resume, in addition to contacts and references for university applications and future endeavors. Beyond just credibility, you'll also be able to learn from your peers and improve your skills in your desired field.

Applicant Information

An ideal applicant should fulfill all of the following requirements. Exceptions may be granted, but should be communicated clearly in the application.

• At least 16 years of age.
• Been a member of a FIRST Robotics team for at least one full season.
• Willing to work in-person at the Portland Autodesk office Tuesday through Thursday.

For out of state or international applicants, please be sure to apply as early as possible to ensure enough time to address any potential obstacles.

Positions

The following are typical positions within the team, but new positions are sometimes considered. If an applicant believes they have a different skill to offer to the team, they are welcome to communicate that on their application. These roles are not mutually exclusive; some people may, for example, be hired on to do a mix of marketing and development.

• Development Developers make up most of the team, and are responsible for programming Synthesis. Recommended qualifications are experience with GitHub or version control software, and experience in at least one of the following programming languages: JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, C++. Interpersonal skills include ability to communicate and work as a team.
• Quality Assurance (QA) A very critical component of any team or product, QA's are responsible for ensuring the code is functional and meets programming standards, along with reporting bugs or problems. QA's do not necessarily have to be as technical as developers, however, they do work closely together to track and solve issues.
• User Experience (UX) UX pioneers visual design and organization of Synthesis as a whole, constantly ensuring it is friendly to new users and simple to use. Other roles include working with users to gather data on potential improvements.
• Marketing Marketing means reaching out and creating new audiences to utilize Synthesis. Responsibilities include running social media accounts, content creation, and general promotion of the product. Recommended qualifications include photo/video editing skills, public speaking abilities, and graphic design experience.

Application

Applications will open January, 2027.