Breaking into the tech world as a software engineer often means sifting through countless internship postings that promise “real-world experience” but end up with interns fixing bugs or writing documentation. Gale, a Y Combinator–backed startup, is setting out to change that. The company is offering a Software Engineer Internship (January–April 2026) where interns will not only write code but also take ownership of features from idea to production. With a monthly stipend of $5,500–$6,100 CAD, this role stands out as one of the most compelling opportunities for engineering students and recent graduates looking to make a real impact.
In a world where immigration policies and processes can be daunting for both businesses and employees, Gale is applying artificial intelligence to solve a billion-dollar problem. This makes the internship not just a career-building opportunity, but a chance to contribute to a mission that helps people live and work where they’re needed most.
About Gale
Founded in 2024 and incubated in Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 batch, Gale is an AI-powered immigration platform based in San Francisco. The company is disrupting the $10B immigration services industry, starting with the notoriously complex U.S. H-1B visa process. By transforming lengthy paperwork into a simple web form, integrating compliance checks directly into HR systems, and automating repetitive legal workflows, Gale empowers immigration lawyers to work faster and more efficiently.
What makes Gale unique is its ability to combine legal expertise with AI automation. This blend ensures visa applications are not only accurate and compliant but also processed at a fraction of the cost and time compared to traditional law firms. With only three co-founders – all University of Waterloo alumni with an impressive 23 internships between them – Gale is small but mighty, and the team is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of engineers.
Role Overview
As Gale’s first software engineering intern, you won’t be sitting on the sidelines. Instead, you’ll dive into the entire product development cycle, building internal AI-powered tools for immigration lawyers and seeing your work deployed into production. From scoping out features to implementing them and iterating based on feedback, you’ll gain the full experience of what it’s like to work in a fast-moving startup.
This isn’t just a coding role. It’s a chance to learn how products are shaped from scratch, collaborate directly with founders, and solve problems that directly affect clients’ lives and businesses. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the journey of taking a product from 0 to 1, this internship offers exactly that.
The internship is 16 weeks long (January–April 2026) with flexible start and end dates. It’s fully remote across the U.S. and Canada, though applicants must already have work authorization in either country. Canadian interns will work as contractors and handle their own tax withholdings, with guidance available from the company.
Key Responsibilities
Interns at Gale will be treated like core contributors. Your responsibilities will likely include:
- Building AI-driven internal tools used by lawyers for immigration cases.
- Managing the end-to-end development of features, from planning to deployment.
- Writing production-ready code and iterating based on real user feedback.
- Collaborating with founders on product direction and engineering decisions.
The emphasis is on outcomes rather than checklists. Gale expects interns to ship features to production, ensuring their work has measurable impact.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To excel in this role, candidates should be comfortable working across the full stack. The company’s tech stack includes:
- TypeScript
- Postgres
- Fastify
- Effect
- React
Applicants should have strong experience with web technologies, especially TypeScript, and a proven record of shipping code to production. Gale is looking for interns who enjoy ownership, thrive on building products from scratch, and are excited about tackling technical challenges.
Bonus points if you’ve worked on LLM-powered products, or if you have a passion for functional programming languages like Haskell, Scala, or Rust.
For SEO discoverability: key skills include TypeScript, React, Postgres, Fastify, functional programming, AI-powered applications, full stack development.
Work Environment and Mentorship
Unlike larger companies where interns can get lost in the shuffle, Gale offers a tight-knit environment. You’ll work directly with all three founders, learning not just technical skills but also product design, user experience, and the realities of startup life. The founders’ collective experience of completing 23 internships ensures they understand what makes a placement valuable and fulfilling. Mentorship is built into the role, so interns can expect both support and responsibility.
Application Process
Applying is straightforward: candidates can apply directly through Gale’s listing on Y Combinator’s Work at a Startup platform. Be sure to also fill out the supplemental form linked in the job description to complete your application. Because this is a high-impact role at a YC-backed startup, early applications are encouraged.
