Physical IntelligenceMechatronics Intern
Physical Intelligence is hiring a Mechatronics Intern in San Francisco, United States. Level rates it ; you can apply on Physical Intelligence.
Level's read on this job
- Little AI ●○○○ is how Level rates this role: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Python, MATLAB and Nx.
- Level classifies it as an internship.
- Level lists 43 other open roles at Physical Intelligence.
AI in this role
Design and test robotic subsystems to support robotic arms and mobile platforms used in AI data collection and model training.
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. 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 January-May 2027.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
How we rate this
Mechatronics Intern at Physical Intelligence rates 30 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where mechatronics was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where robotics was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where cad was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where hardware engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where rapid prototyping was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Mechatronics, Robotics, CAD, Hardware Engineering, and Rapid Prototyping. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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