Internship, CAE Mechanical Design Engineer, Optimus (Fall 2026)

About the role

This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through summer term (ending approximately December 2026) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2027 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze comprehensive Finite Element (FE) models for Optimus, from individual components to the full system
• Conduct static, dynamic, structural and Multi-body Dynamics (MBD) simulations to evaluate and validate the performance against key requirements for strength, stiffness, durability and sensing
• Build and refine simulation workflows to assess performance across diverse operating scenarios, automate processes, documentation, and tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and repeatability
• Provide design guidance to world-class engineering teams, enabling data-driven product decisions
• Collaborate with Test Engineering to design and validate experiments, correlate test data with simulations, and enhance predictive modeling capabilities
• Establish and maintain modeling standards, methods, and best practices for current and future programs
• Plan and execute large-scale Design of Experiments (DOEs), creating Machine Learning (ML) driven surrogate models to extract insights to drive key design decisions

Requirements

You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics or a related field with a graduation date between 2026 - 2027
• Strong engineering fundamentals and ability to perform first-principles analysis to ensure a successful design (stress-strain, thermal, tolerance, cost and mass optimization, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to guide structural, sensing, thermal, and mechanism designs through CAE, from concept to mass production, across robotics, automotive, and consumer electronics
• Proficiency in CAE Tools such as BETA CAE, LS-DYNA, Abaqus, ADAMS, COMSOL, OPTISTRUCT, Design Life, FE Safe
• Exposure in building high-fidelity FE models at component, sub-system, and full-system levels
• Advanced knowledge in material characterization and modeling, including nonlinear elasticity, viscoelasticity, creep, and strain-rate dependent plasticity in Metals, Plastics, Polymers and Adhesives
• Strong programming and data analysis skills in MATLAB, Python, or equivalent

Skills

• Strong engineering fundamentals and ability to perform first-principles analysis to ensure a successful design (stress-strain, thermal, tolerance, cost and mass optimization, etc.)
• Proficiency in CAE Tools such as BETA CAE, LS-DYNA, Abaqus, ADAMS, COMSOL, OPTISTRUCT, Design Life, FE Safe
• Exposure in building high-fidelity FE models at component, sub-system, and full-system levels
• Advanced knowledge in material characterization and modeling, including nonlinear elasticity, viscoelasticity, creep, and strain-rate dependent plasticity in Metals, Plastics, Polymers and Adhesives
• Strong programming and data analysis skills in MATLAB, Python, or equivalent

Benefits

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans. Both have an option with a $0 payroll contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Basic Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program

Pay

Expected Compensation $20.00 - $55.00/hour + benefits