Mechanical Engineering Intern - Summer

Socket.dev; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 108,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing Stipend

Lunches daily

Weekly Learning & Development

Commuter Benefits

Paid Time Off

Visa Sponsorship

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Life and Disability Insurance

Job summary

fab2, an Austin startup, is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineering Intern for the summer term to design, prototype, and build semiconductor fabrication equipment.

The role emphasizes rapid iteration, a portfolio of projects, and ownership of meaningful work across structures, optics, robotics, and heat transfer. Applicants should demonstrate hands‑on prototyping experience and multitdomain exposure.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in engineering
• Ability to learn quickly and troubleshoot technical problems
• Hands‑on prototyping experience and the ability to move through design cycles quickly
• Hands‑on experience with electromechanical assembly design and analysis from coursework, internships, or personal projects
• Strong foundation in mechanical engineering (Solidworks/Onshape, simulation, materials selection, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and build semiconductor fabrication equipment
• Write mechanical drawings and documentation
• Perform detailed analysis and simulations to evaluate electromechanical designs
• Drive prototypes into production in collaboration with our manufacturing and supply chain teams

Skills

Problem solving

Rapid prototyping

Mechanical design

Solidworks/Onshape

Electromechanical systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

KiCad/Altium

Simulation software

Job description

About fab2

The fab2 team can build anything. We design all the hardware and software needed to make chips and we make the fabs, tools, and components ourselves.

We're looking for exceptional, hands-on people who can iterate to the limits of what's possible.

fab2 was founded by Sam Zeloof and Jim Keller. Sam is best known for making chips in his garage, and Jim has been a leader in the semiconductor industry for the past 40 years.

About the role

We’re hiring full-stack Mechanical Engineering Interns for the summer term. The internship begins in May or June, with a preferred commitment of 4 to 8 months. We’re rebuilding the chip fabrication process from the ground up, so you’ll be exposed to some really interesting and impactful work. Our engineering projects are highly interdisciplinary and span domains such as structures, optics, robotics, heat transfer, physics, and chemistry. As a startup, we offer interns a ton of ownership and mission-critical work.

The ideal candidate has hands‑on experience working in at least one of these areas and broad exposure across other domains. Our philosophy is to get things built and tested in days or weeks, not months. Because of this, a portfolio is required to apply: show us the things you’ve actually built! If you’ve shipped a medium‑to‑high complexity system through a personal project or previous internship, you’d be a good fit here.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and build semiconductor fabrication equipment

• Write mechanical drawings and documentation

• Perform detailed analysis and simulations to evaluate electromechanical designs

• Drive prototypes into production in collaboration with our manufacturing and supply chain teams

Required Experience

• Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in engineering

• Ability to learn quickly and troubleshoot technical problems

• Hands‑on prototyping experience and the ability to move through design cycles quickly

• Hands‑on experience with electromechanical assembly design and analysis from coursework, internships, or personal projects

• Strong foundation in mechanical engineering (Solidworks/Onshape, simulation, materials selection, etc.)

Nice‑to‑have

• Familiarity with semiconductor processing— ALD, CVD, PVD, photolithography, etc.

• Strong foundation in electrical engineering (KiCad/Altium, microcontrollers, embedded systems, digital circuits, etc.)

• Experience in one of the following domains: optical engineering, precision machine design, or vacuum systems

Working at fab2

We’re an early‑stage hardware startup with solid funding, world‑class advisors, and labs/offices in Austin, TX, Lockhart, TX, and San Francisco, CA. fab2 is committed to fair and equitable compensation. Hardware Interns are paid hourly, at a rate equivalent to an annualized range of $108,000–$126,000 depending on experience and education. Actual earnings vary with hours worked.

Internship Benefits:

• Housing Stipend to help with first month expenses

• Lunches daily, Dinners 3x per week, Stocked Office Kitchen with Snacks and Spindrifts

• Weekly Learning & Development opportunities

• Commuter Benefits including Parking and Late Night Uber rides from the office

• Paid Time Off inclusive of Holidays and Sick Time

• Visa Sponsorship

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Life and Disability Insurance

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or other legally protected statuses.

Export Control Analysis: This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant’s capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.

fab2, formerly known as Atomic Semi