Lab Intern

TERRANOVA; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Company perks

Job summary

Terranova in Berkeley is seeking a Lab Intern to support the engineering team with hands-on experiments, data logging, and hardware testing of our robotic systems. You’ll spend time in the lab running experiments, maintaining test rigs, collecting data, and helping turn engineering designs into working hardware.

You will learn how a physical product is built and proven out, from bench test to field-ready system, while gaining exposure to environmental materials and lab safety in a fast-moving

Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor's degree or higher in a related field.
• Comfortable in a lab environment and adaptable to startup pace.
• U.S. permanent residency required.

Responsibilities

• Set up, run, and monitor lab experiments and hardware tests in support of the engineering team
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab equipment, test rigs, and sensor instrumentation
• Collect, organize, and log test data, and help summarize results for engineers
• Assist with prototyping, assembly, and basic fabrication of hardware components
• Support integration and validation testing as systems move from bench to field
• Document lab procedures, test setups, and findings for the team
• Follow lab safety protocols and help keep the workspace organized and running smoothly

Skills

Wet lab experience

Data analysis

Python

Excel

Lab safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Biomedical Engineering or related field

Tools

pH meters

Spectrophotometers

GC/HPLC

Microscopy

Job description

Lab Intern

Company Description

Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself — lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise.
Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond.
We're assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world — literally — this is the place to do it.

What to Expect

We're seeking a lab intern to support our engineering team in testing, validating, and iterating on the robotic systems that power Terranova's work. You'll spend your time hands-on in the lab — running experiments, maintaining test rigs, collecting and logging data, and helping turn engineering designs into working hardware. It's a chance to see how a physical product gets built and proven out, from bench test to field-ready system.

Key Responsibilities

• Set up, run, and monitor lab experiments and hardware tests in support of the engineering team

• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab equipment, test rigs, and sensor instrumentation

• Collect, organize, and log test data, and help summarize results for engineers

• Assist with prototyping, assembly, and basic fabrication of hardware components

• Support integration and validation testing as systems move from bench to field

• Document lab procedures, test setups, and findings for the team

• Follow lab safety protocols and help keep the workspace organized and running smoothly

Requirements

• Comfortable with the pace and intensity of early-stage startup life

• Working towards a bachelor's degree or higher in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field

• Comfortable in a lab environment

• U.S. permanent residency required

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Hands-on wet lab experience

• Experience with environmental or materials testing — soil, sediment, water quality, corrosion, or durability

• Familiarity with lab instrumentation (pH meters, spectrophotometers, GC/HPLC, microscopy)

• Basic data analysis skills (Excel, Python, or MATLAB) for processing experimental data

• Background in materials science, polymers, or composites a plus

• Coursework or project experience in environmental, geotechnical, or fluid systems a bonus

• Strong lab safety practices and attention to detail

• Comfortable with fieldwork or sample collection outside the lab

Compensation and Timeline

• $25–35/hr, plus relocation and company perks

• Fall internship, September through December, with flexibility around your school schedule