What to Expect
Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), in person
Duration: Minimum 12 weeks
Location: Kirkland, WA
Start Dates: May 18, 2026, or June 22, 2026
Visa Sponsorship: Not available for this role (H1B, TN, OPT, etc.)
About PACCAR
PACCAR, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company established in 1905 and is recognized as a global leader in the commercial vehicle, financial, and customer service fields. PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture, and customer support of high-quality light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks under its internationally recognized brands Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines and provides customized financial services, information technology and truck parts related to its principal business.
About Global PACCAR Electronics
GPE organization, which serves Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF transforming the way control systems and software are developed for commercial vehicle applications. This includes developing the latest vehicle controls, display technology, and autonomous truck solutions that exceed customer expectations. You will collaborate with an international, cross-functional team focused on driving superior technical solutions
The Software Release Engineer Intern plays a key role in ensuring that PACCAR’s embedded software is packaged, validated, and released successfully for production vehicles. You will collaborate with engineering teams, manufacturing plants, and suppliers to deliver high‑quality software launches while learning PACCAR release processes, tools, and product development workflows.
This role is ideal for candidates who are proactive, technically curious, organized, and eager to work in a fast‑paced embedded systems environment.
Job Responsibilities
Assist with releasing embedded software components, calibration parameters, and vehicle configuration data under guidance from senior engineers.
Help create, organize, and update engineering documentation such as software part numbers, calibration definitions, and release drawings.
Support the preparation and routing of engineering change notices (ECNs) for software and parameter updates.
Help maintain software and calibration structures used for variant coding and vehicle option configurations.
Participate in improving tools and processes related to software selection, configuration, and integration.
Assist in converting product or customer requirements into initial parameter settings for internal rules engines.
Track release activities and compile status updates (e.g., sales tool changes, programming tool updates, logic adjustments, testing progress).
Support software launch activities at PACCAR assembly plants, including basic troubleshooting with engineering support.
Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, systems) to ensure high‑quality software delivery.
Assist with communication to suppliers regarding software delivery timing and formatting requirements.
Qualifications
Interest in embedded systems, automotive technology, or software development for hardware products.
Ability to work in a fast‑paced, collaborative engineering environment.
Strong communication, teamwork, and organizational skills.
Proficiency with office productivity tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Ability to learn new tools, processes, and technical concepts quickly.
Analytical mindset with the ability to break down technical problems.
Commitment to quality, accuracy, and continuous improvement.
Preferred Skills & Experience
Coursework or project experience in automotive or commercial vehicle systems (software, ECUs, HMIs, control systems).
Familiarity with programming languages such as MATLAB, C++, Python, or C#.
Basic understanding of vehicle regulations or standards related to emissions, safety, or diagnostics.
General understanding of vehicle architectures, ECUs, or electronic systems.
Introductory knowledge of communication protocols such as J1939, UDS, or Automotive Ethernet.
Interest or experience in one or more areas:
Automotive HMI / Instrumentation / Driver Controls
Diesel or alternative powertrain systems
Vehicle controls or dynamics
Electric vehicle or battery systems
Autonomous or ADAS technologies
Automotive Ethernet or in‑vehicle networks
Paccar Benefits
The pay range for this position is $25.00 - $30.00/hour (pay varies by undergraduate and graduate degree)
SIP 401k with up to a 5% company match
Paid Holidays (work-location scheduled)
Sick Leave (WA only)
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) / Health Savings Account (HSA)
Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance EAP services include wellness plans, estate planning, financial counseling, and more
Additional Job Board Information
PACCAR promotes equal employment opportunities by implementing policies and practices that ensure employees and applicants are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status or other legally protected status. This applies to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, termination, rates of pay, and other conditions of employment.

PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of premium light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services, information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.
Kenworth Truck Company builds premium commercial vehicles for sale in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia and for export throughout the world. Peterbilt Motors also designs, manufactures and distributes premium commercial vehicles in the US and Canada. DAF Trucks manufactures trucks in the Netherlands, Belgium, Brasil and the United Kingdom for sale throughout Western and Eastern Europe, and export to Asia, Africa, North and South America.
PACCAR Parts operates a network of parts distribution centers offering aftermarket support to Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF dealers and customers around the world. Aftermarket support includes customer call centers operating 24 hours a day throughout the year and technologically advanced systems to enhance inventory control and expedite order processing.
PACCAR Financial Services provides finance, lease and insurance services to dealers and customers in more than 100 countries including a portfolio of more than 175,000 trucks and trailers and total assets in excess of $12 billion. The group includes PACCAR Leasing, a major full-service truck leasing company in North America, with a fleet of over 39,000 vehicles.
Environmental responsibility is one of PACCAR’s core values. The company regularly develops new programs to help protect and preserve the environment and PACCAR has established ambitious goals to further reduce emissions and enhance fuel efficiency in its truck models.