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