Intern - Mechatronics Engineer

Responsibilities

• Take on lower-level controls tasks (sensor wiring, calibration, simple test scripts) that free up our controls and mechanical engineers for deeper domain work
• Support mechanical design tasks as needed — CAD iteration, fixture design, fit checks
• Bridge mechanical and controls as the product matures — run reliability/test-rig cycles, troubleshoot integration issues, and translate mechanical design changes into controls adjustments
• Document test results and communicate issues clearly to the team

In this role, you will

• Build and iterate on prototyping rigs — mechanical assembly, wiring, and basic controls integration
• Explore mechanistic interpretability on the models behind LeLamp’s character and behavior, using techniques like probing and activation analysis to understand why the agent responds the way it does
• Help us spot and characterize behavior we didn’t design for, especially as people interact with LeLamp in unexpected ways

You may be a good fit if you

• Are pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Have some exposure to CAD (SolidWorks, Onshape, Fusion360, or similar) and basic controls/embedded work, from class projects, personal builds, or prior internships
• Have hands-on experience with rapid prototyping, machining, microcontrollers, or simple test rigs
• Have exposure to mechanistic interpretability or model-internals work (probing, activation patching, sparse autoencoders, or similar). This is a bonus, not a requirement.
• Are comfortable jumping into unfamiliar systems and can create order through chaos
• Care about users and feel ownership over outcomes, even for systems you don't own
• Think holistically about systems and approach problems with creative, outside-the-box solutions

You will be a strong fit, if you

Are a jack-of-all-trades who's drawn to hands-on prototyping over deep specialization in one domain

Move quickly and work well in rapid iteration cycles

Are curious about what’s actually happening inside the models we ship, not just whether the outputs look right

Take ownership over the systems you touch, even when they're not "yours"

Work well in small, collaborative teams, without needing much day-to-day mentorship

Are curious, resourceful, and motivated to solve difficult problems

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don’t want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.