Global Supply Manager MBA Spring Intern (Austin)

Protagonist Management LLC; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 22,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Exowatt in Austin is seeking a Global Supply Manager MBA Intern for the Spring 2027 term (Jan 12–Apr 16, 2027). The intern will join the Supply Chain & Manufacturing team to help source components and contract manufacturers for the P3 system.

This is an on-site, in-person role at our Austin facility. The internship offers hands-on responsibility: own a sourcing project end-to-end, join supplier negotiations, and present analyses to leadership.

Qualifications

• MBA student with focus on operations, supply chain or strategy.
• On-site availability in Austin, TX from Jan 12 to Apr 16, 2027.
• 2+ years pre-MBA work in supply chain, procurement, operations, engineering, manufacturing or consulting.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; build and explain cost models.
• Clear, concise communication with senior leaders, engineers and suppliers.
• Bias toward action; comfortable with ambiguity in a fast-growing company.

Responsibilities

• Build sourcing strategy by analyzing spend, capabilities, and market options.
• Support negotiations with cost models, breakdowns, and negotiation plans.
• Plan supply to align with production schedules and launches.
• Map risks, identify single sources, and develop dual-sourcing or contingencies.
• Drive cost reduction via value engineering and design-for-cost ideas.
• Create supplier scorecards tracking quality, delivery, and cost.
• Spend time on the factory floor to understand buildability and cost drivers.
• Present final sourcing recommendation to leadership in April.

Skills

Analytical skills

Financial modeling

Clear communication

Bias toward action

Strategic thinking

Cost modeling

Education

MBA student

Engineering degree (undergrad)

Tools

ERP systems

Total cost of ownership

Incoterms

Job description

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.

We're looking for a Global Supply Manager MBA Intern to join our Supply Chain & Manufacturing team in Austin for the Spring 2027 term, January 12 to April 16, 2027. You'll work alongside our Global Supply Managers on the commercial side of building P3: choosing contract manufacturers and suppliers, negotiating cost, planning supply and managing risk as we move from first units toward volume production.

This is a strategic internship with real stakes. You'll own a sourcing project from analysis to recommendation, sit in on supplier negotiations, and present your findings to Supply Chain & Manufacturing leadership.

This role is in-person at our Austin facility.

What you'll do

• Build sourcing strategy. Analyze spend, supplier capabilities and market options for key P3 components and contract manufacturing, and recommend where and how we should source.
• Support negotiations. Build should-cost models and cost breakdowns, prepare negotiation plans, and join supplier and contract manufacturer negotiations.
• Plan supply. Help turn production schedules and forecasts into supply plans so materials and components arrive in time for builds and product launches.
• Reduce risk. Map single-source and long-lead parts, assess supplier risk, and develop dual-sourcing, safety stock and contingency options.
• Drive cost reduction. Identify savings through value engineering, design-for-cost ideas, volume strategy and process improvements, working with our engineers.
• Measure suppliers. Build supplier scorecards and reporting that track quality, delivery and cost performance.
• See the hardware. Spend time on the factory floor and in the lab with the parts, tooling and fixtures you're sourcing, to understand what makes them buildable and what drives their cost.
• Present your work. Deliver a final recommendation to Supply Chain & Manufacturing leadership in April.

What you'll bring

• Currently enrolled in an MBA program, with a focus or strong interest in operations, supply chain or strategy.
• Available to work on site at our Austin, TX facility from January 12 to April 16, 2027.
• 2+ years of work experience before your MBA, ideally in supply chain, procurement, operations, engineering, manufacturing or consulting.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills: you can build a cost model, test the assumptions and explain what it means.
• Clear, concise communication with senior leaders, engineers and suppliers.
• A bias toward action: you drive issues to resolution and are comfortable with ambiguity in a fast-growing company.

Nice to have

• An undergraduate degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial or another engineering discipline.
• Experience with contract manufacturers, strategic sourcing or supplier negotiations.
• Exposure to hardware product development, from prototype to production.
• Experience in energy, automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment or electronics manufacturing.
• Familiarity with ERP systems, total cost of ownership analysis or Incoterms.