Robotics & Sensing - Intern

About the role
This is a hands-on design-and-build role. You'll own mechanical problems end to end: refining the robot's CAD, designing sensor mounts and weatherproof enclosures, printing and testing parts, and iterating based on what actually breaks in the field. Mud, dust, vibration, and moisture are your design constraints — a part that works on the bench but fails in a vineyard doesn't count. You'll work closely with the embedded/software side, because mounting a sensor is never just a bracket: it has wiring, cooling, and placement to get right.

What you'll work on

• Refining and extending the robot's mechanical design in SolidWorks (legs, chassis, joints, sensor payloads)
• Designing mounts, brackets, and field-grade enclosures for sensors — probes, thermal/multispectral cameras, microphones, electronics
• 3D printing, test-fitting, and iterating parts; selecting materials suited to outdoor agricultural use
• Designing for the real environment: ingress protection (dust/moisture), vibration, heat, and serviceability
• Tolerance, fit, and basic structural/load considerations for a legged, load-bearing platform
• Hands-on assembly, mechanical testing, and field iteration at local farm sites
• Producing clean drawings, BOMs, and documentation so parts are reproducible

What we're looking for

• A current student or recent grad in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Design, or a related field
• Solid working knowledge of SolidWorks (or comparable parametric CAD — Fusion 360, Onshape, Inventor)
• Hands-on 3D printing experience — design-for-additive-manufacturing, slicing, and knowing why prints fail
• A builder's mindset: you've designed physical things, printed or machined them, and learned from the ones that broke
• Self-direction and curiosity when the answer isn't in a textbook

Bonus points for any of

• Designing for outdoor, rugged, or weatherproof (IP-rated) applications
• Experience with robot mechanisms — linkages, actuators, servos, gearing, or legged/walking systems
• DFM beyond printing: sheet metal, machining, injection-molding basics, or fastener selection
• Working alongside electronics — cable routing, connector placement, thermal management
• FEA / basic simulation, or hand calculations for stress and load
• An interest in agriculture, sustainability, or working outdoors