Mechanical Engineer Intern - Mechanism and Structures Design (Spring 2027)

Socket.dev; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

Strata is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Intern to bring robot hardware from design into reality over a 3-month Fall internship. You will work hands-on across prototype manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test, turning early concepts into functioning hardware systems on a fast-moving project.

You will own CAD development in NX for subsystems, perform mechanism design and analysis, support prototype bring-up, design test fixtures, and help maintain a productive build environment while

Qualifications

• Pursuing a BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Strong hands-on experience building, manufacturing, and testing complex mechanical systems.
• Familiarity with CAD and mechanical design workflows.
• Experience creating fixtures or custom hardware for build and test.
• Comfort working in a shop or lab with strong ownership.
• Experience in build-focused teams such as robotics is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own CAD development in NX for subsystems, taking mechanisms from early concept sketches through detailed part design, assembly modeling, and release-ready drawings.
• Perform mechanism design and analysis (motion studies, interference/clearance checks, load paths, tolerance stacks) to validate design intent before parts are cut.
• Support prototype manufacturing, assembly, and bring-up across Strata's robot subsystems, translating your own CAD work into physical hardware.
• Design and fabricate test fixtures, assembly aids, and other hardware needed for efficient integration and validation.
• Write test plans and support execution of benchtop, subsystem, and integrated hardware tests.
• Troubleshoot mechanical integration issues during build, assembly, and prototype iteration, feeding lessons learned back into CAD and drawings.
• Create CAD updates, drawings, and documentation (GD&T, BOMs, revision control) to support fabrication, assembly, and design changes.
• Work closely with the engineering team to improve build quality, test readiness, and hardware reliability.
• Help maintain an organized, high-functioning build environment across parts, tools, and active prototypes.

Skills

Mechanical Eng

Hands-on build

NX CAD

Prototype testing

Documentation

Education

BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

About Strata

Heavy infrastructure cannot be built fast enough to fulfill the promises of reindustrialization. With labor availability tightening and the workforce aging, construction faces a multi-trillion-dollar execution gap over the next decade. We're building a construction robotics platform designed for outdoor environments, heavy payloads, and immediate deployment. We're partnering with the largest heavy construction firms to put robots on sites for material handling now, building hardware, data, and commercial moats to bring end-to-end autonomy to construction. Robots are folding clothes and washing dishes, while dangerous and heavy work in remote environments remain manual. Furthermore, construction firms cannot physically fulfill their contracts - they should not have to choose between building a hospital or a data center. Join us to build a robotics platform that delivers real value immediately, saving lives and bringing abundance to construction. Backed by a $5.2 million seed round led by Founders Fund, the team is developing robots for outdoor, high-payload job site work with a focus on immediate deployment and autonomy that delivers value immediately. We're partnering with the largest heavy construction firms to put robots on sites to handle material now, building hardware, data, and commercial moats to bring end-to-end autonomy to construction.

Who We're Looking For

We are looking for a Mechanical Engineering Intern specializing in systems integration and build to help bring Strata's robot hardware from design into reality over a 3-month Fall internship. This person will work hands-on across prototype manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test, helping turn early concepts into functioning hardware systems. They will work closely with the Lead Mechanical Engineer Intern, and should be excited to spend the Fall designing, building, and validating real robot hardware in a fast-moving development environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Own CAD development in NX for assigned subsystems, taking mechanisms from early concept sketches through detailed part design, assembly modeling, and release-ready drawings.
• Perform mechanism design and analysis (motion studies, interference/clearance checks, load paths, tolerance stacks) to validate design intent before parts are cut.
• Support prototype manufacturing, assembly, and bring-up across Strata's robot subsystems, translating your own CAD work into physical hardware.
• Design and fabricate test fixtures, assembly aids, and other hardware needed for efficient integration and validation.
• Write test plans and support execution of benchtop, subsystem, and integrated hardware tests.
• Troubleshoot mechanical integration issues during build, assembly, and prototype iteration, feeding lessons learned back into CAD and drawings.
• Create CAD updates, drawings, and documentation (GD&T, BOMs, revision control) to support fabrication, assembly, and design changes.
• Work closely with the engineering team to improve build quality, test readiness, and hardware reliability.
• Help maintain an organized, high-functioning build environment across parts, tools, and active prototypes.

What You Bring

• Pursuing a BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Strong hands-on experience building, manufacturing, and testing complex mechanical systems.
• Familiarity with CAD and mechanical design workflows.
• Experience creating fixtures, prototypes, or custom hardware for build and test.
• Comfort working in a shop, lab, or hands-on engineering environment with a high level of ownership.
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to do the practical work required to get hardware built correctly.
• Experience in build-focused teams such as Formula SAE, robotics, rocketry, or similar is strongly preferred.