Intern, Automation Controls Engineer (Fall 2026)

Heron Power; Scotts Valley (CA); On-site; USD 27,552,000 - 41,328,000; Full time

Job summary

Heron Power is seeking an Intern, Automation Controls Engineer to support wiring, fabrication, and documentation on our pilot production line and lab. You will assist with sensor integration, PLC/HMI tasks, and SOP creation while collaborating with a controls engineer to meet industry standards.

Responsibilities include wiring panels, selecting sensors, documenting procedures, and tracking progress against timelines in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of electrical/controls concepts.
• Strong documentation habits and methodical work style.
• Willingness to learn and ask for best approach before building.

Responsibilities

• Wire control panels, fabricate enclosures and brackets, and support mechanical build-out of automation equipment.
• Specify, order, and install sensors and field devices to production-ready standards.
• Support PLC/HMI programming tasks under guidance, following naming conventions and documentation standards.
• Read and red-line electrical schematics, and use tools like PowerPoint/Excel to communicate scope of work.
• Help document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the pilot line and lab equipment.
• Track task timelines and keep stakeholders informed of progress.

Skills

Automation concepts

Electrical/controls basics

Documentation

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

What to Expect

Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to debottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything.

Our first focus goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron Power's leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade.

We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems.

Job Overview

As an Intern, Automation Controls Engineer, you will support the wiring, fabrication, and documentation of controls and automation equipment on our pilot production line and lab. Additionally, you will assist with sensor and field-device integration, PLC/HMI integration, and SOP creation, working closely with a controls engineer to ensure new work is integrated to an industry standard level.

How You Will Contribute

• Wire control panels, fabricate enclosures and brackets, and support mechanical build-out of automation equipment.
• Specify, order, and install sensors and field devices (cables, junction boxes, labeling) to a consistent, production-ready standard.
• Support PLC/HMI programming tasks under guidance, following existing naming conventions and documentation standards.
• Read and red-line electrical schematics, and use tools such as Claude in PowerPoint/Excel to communicate scope of work.
• Help document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the pilot line and lab equipment.
• Track task timelines and keep stakeholders informed of progress.

What You Will Bring

Must-Have Requirements

• Organized, methodical work habits, with strong written documentation instincts.
• Willingness to ask "what's the best approach?" before building, rather than working in isolation.
• Ability to follow and extend existing engineering conventions rather than starting from scratch.
• Basic understanding of electrical/controls concepts (sensors, digital and analog I/O, wiring fundamentals).

Nice-to-Haves

• Sheet-metal or shop-class experience.
• Exposure to PLC/HMI programming (e.g., basic sensor logic, ladder logic).
• Schematic drafting experience (electrical or mechanical).
• Experience sourcing industrial components (e.g., AutomationDirect).
• Experience with HTTP/REST and other software APIs

If you are passionate about technology and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you. Join us in accelerating the electrification of everything at Heron Power.