Mechanical Engineering Intern - Dropship Fall 2026

Pyka; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 31,822 - 45,323; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid holidays and generous PTO

Free catered lunch and snacks

Job summary

Pyka is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Intern to contribute directly to aircraft hardware development and gain real-world experience. Interns will work closely with senior engineers and support the design, prototyping, and testing of mechanical components at a rapidly growing startup.

With a focus on electric aviation, this role offers a unique opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and a passionate team. Compensation includes $28 hourly pay along with employer-sponsored health benefits.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Genuine interest in electric aviation, robotics, mechanical design, or sustainability.
• Comfort getting hands‑on in the shop — building, testing, iterating.

Responsibilities

• Support design, prototyping, and testing of mechanical components.
• Validate environmental and performance requirements for aircraft parts.
• Create or update 3D CAD models under guidance.

Skills

Strong problem‑solving skills

Curiosity and willingness to dive into complex challenges

Familiarity with 3D CAD (SolidWorks, NX, Inventor)

Interest in electric aviation or sustainability

Education

Pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Inventor

Job description

About the Internship

We’re looking for curious, driven, and hands‑on mechanical engineering students who want to learn from a team of engineers, builders, and innovators redefining what’s possible in aviation. As a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Pyka, you’ll be embedded directly with the Mechanical Engineering team — contributing to real aircraft hardware, supporting the entire design cycle, and learning firsthand how we take complex electromechanical systems from concept to field deployment.

You’ll gain real‑world experience working on active projects, collaborating across engineering, manufacturing, and testing teams, and seeing how hardware, software, and operations all come together to bring our autonomous electric aircraft to life.

Why This Internship Is Unique

Pyka’s Mechanical Engineering team handles the same volume of hardware work as teams 10x the size — which means you’ll see and touch more types of parts, subsystems, tools, and tests in one summer than many interns get in several years. This is a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment where you’ll have real ownership and real impact.

What You’ll Do

• Support the design, prototyping, testing, and iteration of mechanical components and assemblies
• Assist in validating environmental and performance requirements for aircraft parts and materials
• Help investigate, root‑cause, and develop solutions for hardware issues discovered during flight testing or field operations
• Create or update 3D CAD models, drawings, and documentation under the guidance of Mechanical Engineers
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineers on improving build processes, tooling, and manufacturability
• Conduct hands‑on testing, research, or analysis to support project milestones
• Present findings or project outcomes at the end of your internship

What We’re Looking For

• Students currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• A genuine interest in electric aviation, robotics, mechanical design, or sustainability
• Strong problem‑solving skills, curiosity, and willingness to dive into complex technical challenges
• Comfort getting hands‑on in the shop — building, testing, iterating
• Familiarity with 3D CAD (SolidWorks, NX, Inventor, or similar)
• Bonus: exposure to FEA, composite materials, 3D printing, CNC machining, or rapid prototyping
• We understand that candidates bring different strengths and experiences, and you don’t need to meet every qualification to be considered. If this role excites you, we’d love to learn more about you. You may be a great fit even if your background doesn’t align perfectly with the list

Why You’ll Love It Here

• Work on actual flight‑critical hardware (not hypothetical student projects)
• Join a small, passionate team building something world‑changing
• Learn directly from senior engineers with deep aerospace, robotics, and manufacturing experience
• Daily exposure to cutting‑edge electromechanical systems — including carbon‑fiber airframes, electric propulsion, avionics, and autonomy
• Experience the full lifecycle of hardware development at a rapidly scaling aerospace startup

Compensation And Benefits

• $28 hourly pay. Compensation will vary depending on location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly wage ranges are subject to change
• Employer‑sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Pre‑tax commuter benefits
• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks

Export Control Requirements

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.