Mechanical Engineering Intern, Summer 2027

wing; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid internship

Hybrid in Palo Alto

Job summary

Wing, based in Palo Alto, seeks a Mechanical Engineering Intern to join the Mechanical Engineer Team. You’ll contribute to aircraft design, rapid prototyping, CAD, and manufacturing-ready parts, across the full design cycle from concept to build.

The role emphasizes ownership of projects, cross-functional collaboration, and hands-on lab work with additive manufacturing and mechatronics, in a hybrid internship starting May/June.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering.
• Experience with mechanical design, rapid prototyping, CAD, and FEA.
• Understanding manufacturing methods, especially injection molding.
• Ability to develop and execute test plans for designs.
• Experience with additive manufacturing technologies.
• Hands-on lab and build experience.
• Familiarity with mechatronics, actuators, motors or sensors.
• Strong communication to present findings to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to aircraft design across all design-cycle phases.
• Brainstorm, prototype, and test mechanical components and systems.
• Create CAD models for manufacturing-ready parts.
• Perform hand calculations and FEA analyses.
• Develop test plans to validate assemblies.
• Utilize 3D printing for rapid iteration and prototyping.
• Gain lab experience assembling hardware and prototypes.
• Evaluate mechatronics systems including actuators and sensors.
• Conduct environmental and reliability testing on designs.
• Document analysis, generate reports, and present findings.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Electrical, UX, and vendors.

Skills

Mechanical design

Rapid prototyping

CAD

Test planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Hands-on lab work

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

FEA

Additive manufacturing

Job description

About Wing:

Wing offers drone delivery as a safe, fast, and sustainable solution for last mile logistics. Consumer appetites for on-demand services are increasing, but current delivery methods are inefficient, costly, and contribute to road accidents and air pollution. Wing's fleet of highly automated delivery drones can transport small packages directly from businesses to homes on-demand, in minutes. We design, build, and operate our aircraft, and offer drone delivery services on two continents. Our technology is designed to be easy to integrate into existing delivery and logistics networks, offering a scalable drone delivery solution for a broad range of businesses. Wing is a part of Google's parent company, Alphabet, and our mission is to create the preferred means of delivery for the planet. If you're ready to do the greatest work of your life, come join us.

About the Program

Join Wing's 12-week paid summer internship! This is a hybrid, in-person program based in Palo Alto, CA, with start dates in May or June. Eligible candidates must be a current student enrolled in a degree program and intend to return to the program after the completion of the summer internship.

About the Role

Wing is looking for a Mechanical Engineering Intern to join our Mechanical Engineer Team based in Palo Alto, CA.

Our team develops the hardware in the air and on the ground that enables Wing to operate efficiently at scale. We will be advancing next-generation iterations across our aircraft portfolio, and this intern will directly assist with those projects across all phases of the design cycle - from initial prototyping to final release to manufacturing. This internship is your chance to make an impact on the exciting future of drone delivery. As a Mechanical Engineering intern, you'll take ownership of a project, design components, solve problems, work cross-functionally and collaboratively, and bring your unique perspective to the team.

In this role, you will:

• Contribute to aircraft design across all phases of the design cycle, from initial concept to final release.
• Brainstorm creative solutions and perform rapid prototyping to test and iterate on mechanical components and systems.
• Execute detailed product design in CAD for manufacturing-ready parts.
• Conduct thorough engineering analysis, utilizing hand calculations and FEA to ensure designs are robust and flight‑ready.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans to rigorously validate mechanical and mechatronic assemblies.
• Utilize additive manufacturing & 3D printing for rapid design iteration and functional prototyping.
• Gain hands‑on lab & build experience by assembling hardware and prototype builds in the lab environment.
• Integrate and evaluate mechatronics and electromechanical systems including actuators, motors, and sensors.
• Perform environmental & reliability testing (e.g., drop, vibration, and thermal testing) to validate hardware design integrity.
• Document analysis, generate test reports, and present design choices and findings to key stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams (Manufacturing, Electrical, UX) and external vendors to deliver simple, elegant solutions.

What You'll Need:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or a related field (graduating between Dec 2027 - Aug 2028).
• Experience in mechanical design, rapid prototyping, CAD, and FEA for mechanical components.
• Understanding of common manufacturing methods, particularly plastic injection molding.
• Ability to develop and execute test plans to validate mechanical designs.
• Experience with additive manufacturing technologies.
• Demonstrated hands‑on lab & build experience.
• Familiarity with mechatronics and electromechanical systems (e.g., actuators, motors, or sensors).
• Knowledge of environmental & reliability testing methodologies (such as drop testing, vibration, or thermal testing).
• Strong communication skills to present findings and justify design choices to stakeholders.
• Eager to learn, highly resourceful, and possesses a proactive, self‑starter attitude with a strong drive to figure things out and get the job done.

Salary Range

The US base salary range for this internship position is the salary range below + benefits. Wing's salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

$120,000 - $126,000 USD

Wing is an equal opportunity employer and it is Wing's policy to comply with all applicable national, state and local laws pertaining to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. Employment at Wing is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Wing does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic i