Mechanical Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

Second Order Effects, Inc.; El Segundo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work hours

Health insurance

Paid time off

401(k) retirement

Housing stipend

EV charging ports

Catered lunches

Job summary

Second Order Effects, Inc. in El Segundo, CA is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Intern to help design, develop, and test complex electromechanical systems across customer projects.

You will participate from concept and simulation through prototyping, validation, and integration, gaining strong hands-on experience. Candidates should be enrolled in Mechanical Engineering or related field, with experience in CAD, FEA, hand calculations, and thermo-mechanical analysis.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

CAD

FEA

Thermal analysis

Prototyping

Testing

GD&T

Education

Mechanical Engineering student

Tools

CFD modeling

3D printing

Job description

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

Preferred application deadline: August 31, 2026

Final application deadline: October 15, 2026