Mechanical Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

Second Order Effects; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 63,360 - 77,440; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work hours

Work from home policy

Health insurance (employee)

Job summary

Second Order Effects invites a Mechanical Engineering Intern to contribute to the design, development, and testing of complex mechanical systems for customer projects. You will engage in the full development lifecycle from concept to prototyping and validation, gaining hands-on experience across electromechanical assemblies.

You will use CAD, perform FEA/thermal analyses, and support prototyping and testing.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in college for Mechanical/Aerospace/Physics/Robotics or related field.
• Experience in designing, modeling, simulation, and testing of electromechanical components or assemblies.
• Familiarity with hand calculations, FEA, and CAD.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design of mechanical systems for customers across industries.
• Use CAD and simulation tools to develop structural, thermal, and tolerance analyses for electromechanical assemblies.
• Design and analyze active and passive thermal management systems for electronic systems and packaging solutions.
• Participate in test campaigns to validate hardware performance under environmental stresses.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Currently enrolled in College (Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Robotics, or related field)

Tools

CAD

FEA

CFD

Job description

Company Overview

Second Order Effects started in 2016 as a services firm, taking on other companies’ hardest engineering problems from first principles. We grew into a solutions firm that designs and ships complete custom electronics and systems, including power electronics, RF, and control systems. We’ve completed over 250 projects for more than 100 clients. Our designs control rocket engines, manage satellite communications, instrument fusion reactors, and are enjoyed by consumers around the world.

Company Overview

Second Order Effects started in 2016 as a services firm, taking on other companies’ hardest engineering problems from first principles. We grew into a solutions firm that designs and ships complete custom electronics and systems, including power electronics, RF, and control systems. We’ve completed over 250 projects for more than 100 clients. Our designs control rocket engines, manage satellite communications, instrument fusion reactors, and are enjoyed by consumers around the world.

We approach problems from first principles. We break challenges down to their most fundamental components, which is how we find solutions that hold up across industries, use cases, and engineering functions. We focus on solving the right problems and building the teams to take them on. Because we believe that training and empowering others yields a greater impact than focusing on developing any specific technology, we expect every single member of our team to participate in building up those around them.

In the past year, we’ve started taking our own concepts and spinning them out into separate companies that we believe will meet the emerging needs of our clients and the industry at large. The work is concentrating in frontier technology, including space, fusion and fission energy, and advanced vehicles. We currently have two spinout companies in stealth that we’re working on.

Information about our mission, vision, and values can be found here.

Examples of the projects we have worked on can be found here.

Role Overview

As a Mechanical Engineering Intern, you will play a hands‑on role in designing, developing, and testing complex mechanical systems for customer‑facing projects. In this role, you will contribute to the full development lifecycle, from initial concept and simulation through prototyping, validation, and integration. Whether it’s designing mechanisms and enclosures, performing structural analysis, or designing precision assemblies for manufacturability, you'll be making real contributions to complex systems. This internship is designed to accelerate your technical growth, giving you the chance to build a strong foundation in mechanical engineering while making an immediate impact.

What You Will Do

• Ownership: Contribute to the design of mechanical systems for customers across various industries
• Design & Analysis: Utilize CAD and simulation tools to develop structural, thermal, and tolerance analyses for electromechanical assemblies, using both hand calculations and FEA
• Thermal Management: Design and analyze active and passive thermal management systems for custom electronic systems and packaging solutions
• Prototyping & Testing: Participate in test campaigns to validate hardware performance under shock, vibration, thermal, and other environmental stresses

What You Will Need

• Current enrollment in college (Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Robotics, or related field)
• Experience in designing, modeling, simulation, and testing of electromechanical components or assemblies
• Experience with hand calculations, finite element analysis (FEA), and computer-aided design (CAD)
• Demonstrated passion and curiosity for mechanical engineering
• Strong problem-solving skills and initiative to overcome technical challenges
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills; ability to explain design decisions and component selections

What Would Be Useful

• Experience in team‑based design and build projects (e.g., Formula SAE, Solar Car, CubeSat, Rover Challenge, etc.)
• Familiarity with circuits and electrical engineering fundamentals
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes, such as machining, injection molding, water jetting, electro‑discharge machining, and 3D printing
• Familiarity with generating thermal models for electronic assemblies; experience with thermal analysis of electronic devices with FEA and CFD modeling
• Experience with high‑precision 3D printing processes and design for complex systems
• Ability to analyze and estimate structural loading from environmental sources
• Experience with fatigue and thermal testing of electromechanical assemblies
• Understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $70,400 annual salary, prorated for length of internship
• Flexible work hours and work from home policy
• 100% employer-paid health insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) for employees + 50% dependent coverage
• Accrued paid time off policy, accrued sick days policy, and paid company holidays
• 401(k) retirement account and employer matching (Safe Harbor 4%)
• Housing stipend bonus
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ports
• Catered lunches, snacks, and accessible kitchen

Second Order Effects is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SOE is governed on the basis of excellence and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.