Mechatronics Intern

Physical Intelligence; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

Physical Intelligence is seeking a hands-on Hardware Engineering intern to join the core team in San Francisco. You will design, build, and test subsystems for robotic arms and mobile bases, working across mechanical, electrical, and embedded domains, August–December 2026.

You’ll prototype in our hardware lab, perform bring-up, calibration, and reliability testing, and drive system performance through data-driven iterations and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Qualifications

• Pursuing or completed 3A Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering.
• Strong mechanical and electromechanical design fundamentals.
• Familiarity with embedded and mechatronic systems (CAN, BLDC).
• Proficiency in CAD and rapid prototyping tools.
• Basic electrical design, debugging, and test planning.
• Data-driven debugging with Python or MATLAB.

Responsibilities

• Subsystem design, build, and test for robotic arms and mobile platforms.
• Hands-on prototyping, bring-up, calibration, and reliability testing.
• Integrate inputs from multiple disciplines to solve issues.
• Analyze deployment data to drive design iterations and reliability.
• Own the full subsystem stack from CAD to PCB to bench testing.

Skills

CAN

BLDC control

Motor controllers

Python

MATLAB

FEA

DFM

Education

3A Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering

Tools

NX

OnShape

SolidWorks

3D Printing

Laser Cutting

Job description

Fundamentally, a builder. Someone who loves to make robots real. We want someone who’s as comfortable debugging a CAN bus issue as they are machining a bracket - an individual who thinks in systems, and who gets excited by tight integration between mechanical, electrical, and embedded design. This fall, you’ll join the core Hardware Engineering team at Physical Intelligence who is supporting the robots that power PI’s data collection and model training operations.

The Team

The core Hardware Engineering team designs and builds the robotic arms, mobile platforms, and end-effectors that underpin PI’s data collection and model training operations. They work across mechanical, electrical, embedded, and software disciplines to iterate quickly on prototypes, bring up new subsystems, and keep the fleet performant in real-world environments.

In This Role You Will

• Subsystem Design & Test: Design, build, and test key subsystems for various robotic arms and mobile platforms - including actuation, sensing, enclosures, and power systems.

• Hands-On Prototyping: Work hands-on with prototypes in our hardware lab, including bring-up, assembly, calibration, and reliability testing of arms, lifts, mobile bases, and end-effectors.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration: Integrate cross-disciplinary inputs from mechanical, electrical, and software teams to root-cause mission-critical issues and drive high-level system performance.

• Data-Driven Iteration: Analyze data from deployments to inform design iteration and reliability improvements.

• Full-Stack Subsystem Ownership: Own the full stack of a subsystem from CAD to PCB to bench testing.

What We Hope You’ll Bring

• Completed 3A Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering. Students below 3A with exceptional projects, GitHubs, portfolios, and work experience will also be considered.

• Strong mechanical and electromechanical design fundamentals (dynamic loading, FEA, DFM).

• Familiarity with embedded and mechatronic systems (CAN, BLDC control, motor controllers).

• Proficiency in CAD (NX, OnShape, SolidWorks) and rapid prototyping tools (3D printing - SLA and FDM - laser cutting).

• Basic electrical design and debug (schematics, soldering, test equipment).

• Data-driven debugging and test planning (Python, MATLAB, or similar).

Bonus Points

• Exposure to manufacturing or assembly environments.

• Prior experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or hardware startups.

The duration of this internship is August-December 2026.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.