Mechanical Engineering Intern

Solcoa Industries; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly pay

Company-provided lunch daily

J1 Visa sponsorship available

Job summary

A leading rare-earth metal company based in California is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Intern to join their hardware team. The role focuses on updating CAD models, assisting with prototype builds, and performing tests to support reactor design. Candidates should be pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with proficiency in CAD. This hands-on position requires attention to detail, a comfort with fast-paced environments, and availability to start soon. Competitive hourly pay and benefits are provided.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Working proficiency with CAD (Fusion preferred; SolidWorks okay).
• Hands-on build experience from labs, clubs, internships, or personal projects.
• Detail-oriented, disciplined documentation, and reliable follow-through.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, hardware-centric environment and willing to get your hands dirty.
• On-site availability; able to start soon.

Responsibilities

• Update and create CAD models/drawings and BOMs.
• Assist with prototype fabrication and assembly.
• Run tests, collect/clean data, and summarize results.
• Run tests, collect/clean data, and summarize results to inform design iterations.
• Perform leak checks, pressure tests, maintain organized logs.
• Support vendor outreach, quotes, and purchasing; keep parts and tooling organized.
• Contribute to safety-first culture and continuous improvement on the shop floor.

Skills

CAD (Fusion preferred; SolidWorks okay)

Hands-on build experience

Detail-oriented documentation

Comfortable in fast-paced environments

On-site availability

Start soon

Education

Pursuing a BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Machine shop tools

3D printing equipment

Job description

Making the Metals Powering the World

Solcoa exists to stabilize the western rare-earth metal supply chain—powering every fighter jet, EV, wind turbine, phone, and generator. We’re among the very few companies outside China producing rare-earth metals—and the only one delivering a 100% U.S. supply of both light and heavy rare earths. Our carbon-zero process converts end-of-life magnets directly into metal, ready to accelerate energy independence and secure one of the world’s most vital resources.

We are a lean, well-funded team rapidly accelerating Western rare-earth production. We’re building a world-class team to solve this crisis.

The Role — Mechanical Engineering Intern

Join our hardware team and help turn designs into working systems. You’ll support reactor subsystem design in CAD, assist with prototype builds and testing, and keep our documentation tight—working with engineers, machinists, and technicians to move quickly from concept to operation.

What You’ll Do

• Update and create CAD (Fusion) models/drawings, BOMs, and simple GD&T for thermal, vacuum, and handling subsystems.
• Assist with prototype fabrication and assembly: cutting, drilling, tapping, fitting, and basic machining.
• Help select components (valves, fittings, heaters, sensors) for high-temperature and vacuum environments under engineer guidance.
• Run tests, collect/clean data, and summarize results to inform design iterations.
• Perform leak checks, pressure tests, maintain organized logs.
• Support vendor outreach, quotes, and purchasing; keep parts and tooling organized.
• Contribute to safety-first culture and continuous improvement on the shop floor.

What You Bring

Required

• Pursuing a BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Working proficiency with CAD (Fusion preferred; SolidWorks ok).
• Hands-on build experience from labs, clubs, internships, or personal projects (machine shop tools, 3D printing, or fabrication).
• Detail-oriented, disciplined documentation, and reliable follow-through.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, hardware-centric environment and willing to get your hands dirty.
• On-site availability; able to start soon.

Preferred

• Exposure to high-temperature or vacuum systems (furnaces, pumps, flanges) and basic thermal/fluids coursework.
• Simple analysis skills (hand calcs, spreadsheets; FEA/thermal tools a plus).
• Welding or TIG familiarity; basic machining on mill/lathe.
• Python/MATLAB for data analysis.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive hourly pay
• Company-provided lunch daily
• J1 Visa sponsorship available if needed