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Roku

Applied Science Intern, PhD

Hybrid

Cambridge, United kingdom

Fresher

Internship

19-02-2026

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Skills

Communication Teamwork Leadership Python Data Visualization Problem-solving Presentation Skills Machine Learning PyTorch TensorFlow Computer Vision Organization Analytical Skills Langchain Mathematics

Job Specifications

Teamwork makes the stream work.

 

Roku is changing how the world watches TV

Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.

From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.

 

About the team 

Roku continues a long-term trajectory of supporting summer internship roles within the organization, to provide applicants with experience of our enthusiasm, expertise and company culture.  

The Advanced Development, AI @ Roku (Roku’s internal AI productivity suite), Content, and Edge AI team within the Engineering organization has been granted 4 summer internships in 2026. These internships are only available to postgraduate students who are currently studying for a PhD or have recently successfully completed a PhD.

 

About the role 

The purpose of the internship is to involve each student in the work of the AI @ Roku, Content, and Edge AI team. Each student will be assigned a supervisor among the senior members of the team. This supervision aims to ensure that the intern finishes their contract with a clear view of what permanent employment within the AI @ Roku, Content, and Edge AI team would be like.  

All the intern projects will be clearly defined at the outset, easy to get started and challenging to complete, and relevant to the AI @ Roku, Content, and Edge AI team’s Q3 and Q4 2026 goals.  

Project outlines: 

Multi-modal AI: Building new experiences for TVs with Vision-Language Models, focusing on multi-modal understanding and natural language interaction. 
Developing multimedia content generation techniques 
Content understanding and analysis for episodic and cinematic videos 
Deploying and optimizing AI algorithms to the edge 

 

What you'll be doing 
Define, agree, and track the meaningful measures (KPIs) of success in the project.  
Collaborate effectively with other members of the project team to achieve goals.  
Contribute meaningfully to the implementation and delivery of the project.  
Identify and communicate key learnings within and across project teams.  
Actively partner with experts in the project field in Cambridge, and internationally.  
Conduct feasibility studies to determine if 'new-to-the-world' ideas are viable for long-term integration into the Roku OS. 
Present findings and prototypes to the broader engineering and product leadership to influence Roku’s long-term innovation roadmap. 

 

We’re excited if you have 
PhD in STEM discipline (current or recent)  
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills 
Excellent communication and presentation skills 
Proficient in data visualization and interpretation 
High-level proficiency in Python 
Background in mathematics, statistics, and CS 
Ability to design and implement machine learning models 
Familiarity with machine learning frameworks (PyTorch, Tensorflow) 
Understanding of machine learning and computer vision algorithms and techniques 
Experience with modern LLM orchestration frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LlamaIndex, LangFuse) is a plus. 

 

Our Hybrid Work Approach

Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy.

 

Benefits

Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Our employees can take time off work for vacation and other personal reasons to balance their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.

 

Accommodations

Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to EmployeeRelations@Roku.com.

 

The Roku Culture

About the Company

With the #1 platform for streaming television in the U.S., Roku wants to revolutionize the way the world watches TV. Our Roku-branded TVs, Roku TV models, Smart Home system, streaming players, audio equipment, and the purpose-built operating system that powers it all can turn any home into a home theater, with seamless integration of hardware and software. Our commitment to our users extends to our brand studio, which creates innovative Roku Originals exclusively for The Roku Channel, a free channel that reaches approximat... Know more