Mechanical Engineering Intern

base-power; Austin (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Base seeks a Hardware Engineering Intern in Austin, TX to participate in every stage of battery and power‑system development. You’ll collaborate with senior engineers on electrical and mechanical design, run simulations, build prototypes, and test during R&D and production handoffs.

You’ll gain hands‑on experience with CAD tools like SolidWorks or Fusion 360, learn to diagnose thermal and integration issues, and contribute to design reviews and documentation in a fast‑moving startup environment.

Qualifications

• Current junior or senior in engineering, physics, math, or related field.
• Strong fundamentals in electrical or mechanical engineering.
• Hands-on hardware development passion and real-world impact.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior engineers to design, simulate, build, and test systems.
• Prototype, debug, and iteratively test early and late-stage hardware.
• Support R&D and production from breadboard to high-volume manufacturing.
• Diagnose performance, thermal, and integration issues.
• Contribute to design reviews and system documentation.

Skills

CAD design

Electrical fundamentals

Mechanical fundamentals

Hands-on hardware

Curiosity / self-motivation

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

Job description

About Base

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

About the Role

At Base, we’re building the future of residential energy. Our unique battery, power inverter, and interconnection systems are designed from the ground up to deliver affordable, reliable, and resilient power to households that are underserved by today’s aging and overloaded electrical grid.

Unlike conventional energy storage solutions that cost 5–10x more, our vertically integrated approach allows us to deliver larger, more powerful batteries at a fraction of the price. We’re combining innovative hardware, clever business models, and local manufacturing to get this product in the hands of real people–fast.

As a Hardware Engineering Intern, you'll be hands‑on with every phase of product development–from early prototyping to production support. You'll work alongside experienced engineers in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment, solving challenging problems in mechanical and electrical design for cutting‑edge batteries, inverters, and microgrid interconnection devices. You’ll learn by doing–and what you do will ship.

What You’ll Do

• Collaborate with senior engineers to design, simulate, build, and test electrical and mechanical systems.

• Participate in hands‑on prototyping, debugging, and iterative testing of early- and late-stage hardware.

• Support both R&D and production efforts–from first breadboard to high-volume manufacturing.

• Help diagnose and solve real-world performance, thermal, and integration issues.

• Contribute to system documentation, test procedures, and design reviews.

What You’ll Bring

• Current junior or senior in an undergraduate program, or a graduate student, in Engineering, Physics, Math, or a related technical field.

• Strong understanding of electrical or mechanical engineering fundamentals (depending on focus).

• Passion for hands‑on hardware development and building things that work in the real world.

• Experience with CAD design (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar) is a plus.

• Curious, self‑motivated, and eager to work on hard problems with real-world impact.

Why Base?

You won’t be stuck on the sidelines. At Base, interns contribute to meaningful product work that ships. You’ll gain real experience with real stakes–mentored by engineers who’ve built systems at scale across the energy, aerospace, and hardware industries. This is a chance to make a dent in the energy transition, not just study it. Come help us build something better.

Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.

Our Values

• First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.

• Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.

• Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.

• Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.

• Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.

• Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in‑person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all‑in.

• Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.

Do the best work of your life at Base.