Cryogenic Engineering Intern

Open Star Technologies Limited; Wellington; On-site; NZD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Open Star Technologies Limited is seeking a motivated engineering student to support the Cryogenics & Docking team in designing, modelling, and testing cryogenic systems. You will work with our subsystem engineers on hardware from thermal modelling to test rig support, gaining hands-on experience in a multidisciplinary environment.

Ideal candidates are enrolled in a Bachelor's degree (or higher) in mechanical, electrical, mechatronics, or related engineering/physics.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in Bachelor's degree (or higher) in mechanical, electrical, mechatronics, or related engineering/physics.

Responsibilities

• Thermal & Systems Engineering: support thermal modelling of cryogenic systems and components.
• Research & Literature Review: conduct literature reviews on cryogenic cooling methods to inform design decisions.
• Testing & Lab Support: assist with setup and operation of cryogenic test rigs and data collection.

Skills

Cryogenics

Thermal modelling

Independent work

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Multidisciplinary engineering

Education

Engineering/Physics degree

Job description

Support the Cryogenics & Docking team in designing, modelling, and testing the cryogenic systems

17th August, 2026

Equal Opportunity Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace.We believe that diversity strengthens our team and are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment.

Who We Are

OpenStarTechnologies is on a mission to repeat the feats of Māui and capture the power of the Sun. By mastering fusion - the process that powers the stars - we can generate safe, clean, carbon-free, base-load electricity in a way that is economically scalable to the challenge of mitigating climate disaster and giving birth to the next industrial revolution. Our team is made up of talented engineers and physicists, based in Wellington, New Zealand.

About the Role

Support the Cryogenics & Docking team in designing, modelling, and testing the cryogenic systems that keepOpenStar'sHTS magnets and levitated dipolereactorat operatingtemperature.You'llwork alongside oursubsystemsengineers on hardware, from thermal modelling through to test rig support.

Key Responsibilities

Thermal & Systems Engineering

• Support thermal modelling of cryogenic systems and components
• Help evaluate design trade-offs between different cryogenic systems/plants
• Assistwith design of thermal connections and cryogenic conveyance systems

Research & Literature Review

• Conduct literature reviews on cryogenic cooling methods (e.g.cryogenic loop heat pipes, cryocoolerselection) to inform design decisions
• Summarisefindings for the wider Cryogenics & Docking team

Testing & Lab Support

• Support setup and operation of cryogenic test rigs
• Help collect,analyse, and document test data

Key Relationships

• Cryogenics & Docking team engineers
• Subsystems team
• Magnet Engineering team

What We're Looking For

• Strong interest in cryogenics, superconductivity, or experimental plasma science
• Ability to work through and solve highly multidisciplinary engineering problems.
• Ability to take initiative, workindependentlyand as part of a team.
• Greatteammember with clear communication and collaboration skills.
• Innate desire to learn, innovate, and critique ideas including one's own.
• Currently enrolled in aBachelor'sdegree (or higher) in mechanical, electrical,mechatronicsor a related engineering/physics discipline

Join Us

This opportunity boils down to the chance to work on something truly meaningful. The scariest thing about the climate crisis today is that, forall ofour bluster and protest, there are very few of us whoactually havea chance to do meaningful work solving this problem. Carbon-free energy is an absolute necessity if we want to be able torecognisethe world that future generations inherit. Please join us in making this a reality.