Summer 2027 Engineering Internship | Panthalassa | Handshake

Panthalassa; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 50,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Panthalassa in Portland, Oregon seeks Summer 2027 Engineering Interns across mechanical, manufacturing, and software disciplines to tackle real technical problems that scale our ocean-energy Node technology. You will work alongside experienced engineers, contribute to high-priority tasks, and learn quickly in a collaborative environment.

The role emphasizes initiative, documentation, ownership, and the ability to thrive in a scrappy, fast-moving setting.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills demonstrated through coursework, research, internships or projects.
• Ability to work on problems with evolving requirements and ambiguous guidance.
• Solid fundamentals in engineering, physics, or computer science relevant to the project.
• Authorization to work in the United States for the full duration of the internship.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute a clearly defined technical project supporting Node technology with guidance from experienced team members.
• Apply engineering fundamentals and analytical reasoning to solve technical problems.
• Build, test, troubleshoot, or improve physical or software systems.
• Analyze technical data and use results to inform engineering decisions.
• Create clear technical documentation, including designs, analyses, test results, or process records.
• Participate in technical reviews and communicate findings, tradeoffs, and recommendations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Engineering or related

Job description

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.

About the Job

Our core technology is the node, a device that produces energy in the ocean’s harshest conditions for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention.

As a Summer 2027 Engineering Intern, you will work on real technical problems that directly support the development and scaling of our Node technology.

We expect to hire interns across several engineering disciplines, including mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and software. Your specific project and responsibilities will depend on your background, interests, and the highest-priority technical needs of the team. You will work alongside experienced engineers, technicians, and operators.

We are looking for exceptional students who have demonstrated technical ability, intellectual curiosity, initiative, and a track record of building, solving, or shipping difficult things.

You will be expected to learn quickly, ask thoughtful questions, document your work, communicate openly, and take meaningful ownership of your project. Candidates should have effective interpersonal skills and be able to thrive in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will vary by discipline and project, but may include:

• Own and execute a clearly defined technical project supporting our Node technology with guidance from experienced team members.
• Apply engineering fundamentals and analytical reasoning to solve technical problems.
• Build, test, troubleshoot, or improve physical or software systems.
• Analyze technical data and use results to inform engineering or process decisions.
• Create clear technical documentation, including designs, analyses, test results, software documentation, or process records.
• Participate in technical reviews and clearly communicate findings, tradeoffs, and recommendations.
• Take ownership of assigned work and proactively communicate progress and blockers.
• Incorporate feedback quickly and adapt as project priorities or requirements evolve.

Required Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in an engineering, computer science, physics, or other closely related technical field.
• Strong technical fundamentals relevant to your area of study.
• Demonstrated experience applying technical skills through coursework, research, internships, student teams, independent projects, or other hands-on work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working on problems where requirements or solutions may initially be ambiguous.
• Able to work full-time and on-site in Portland, Oregon for the duration of the internship, approximately mid-June through early September 2027.
• Authorization to work in the United States for the full duration of the internship.

Desired Qualifications

• Mechanical design, CAD, structural or thermal analysis, or hardware testing.
• Manufacturing engineering, process development, tooling, automation, quality, production systems, or design for manufacturability.
• Software development, data systems, automation, simulation, controls, infrastructure, or developer tooling.
• Skills with machining, fabrication, welding, electronics assembly, and prototyping.
• Designing and executing technical tests and analyzing the resulting data.
• Participation in technically demanding student teams or projects such as Formula SAE, Baja SAE, robotics, rocketry, solar car, marine engineering, or similar programs.
• Experience taking a project from an ambiguous initial problem through implementation and validation.
• Exposure to renewable energy, marine systems, robotics, aerospace, industrial systems, manufacturing, or other complex hardware environments.
• Experience working in a fast-moving technical environment where designs, processes, or software are tested and iterated quickly.

The above qualifications are desired, not required. We encourage you to apply if you are a strong candidate with only some of the desired skills and experience listed.

Compensation

If hired for this internship, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $42.00 per hour.

Location and Duration

• This is an on-site position. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon. You must commit to being in person, in Portland, for the duration of this internship.
• This internship will run from mid-June through early September, with exact dates to be confirmed.