Test Engineering Intern

Company Description

Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise.

Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond.

We’re assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it.

What to to Expect

As a Test Engineering Intern at Terranova, you will own system level testing and the qualification of new designs.

You’ll be testing large-scale robotic systems that operate in the most demanding environments on Earth. Expect to be hands-on, spend long hours in the factory and in the field working alongside technicians and operators.

Key Responsibilities

• Design in-field full system test and in-warehouse subsystem level testing to ensure the reliability of the robots

• Perform first-principles engineering, FEA, hand calculations to optimize designs for real-world operation environments

• Execute test campaigns and push hardware to its limits to ensure field reliability and deliver battle-tested systems

• Own test setup from mechanical design, to any quick circuits/electronics, to data analysis and deriving conclusions

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in electromechanical system design and analysis (plus for experience in machinery, robotics, or heavy industrial equipment )

• CAD proficiency (OnShape, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or NX)

• Hands-on fabrication and prototyping skills - you enjoy working in the shop

• Deep mechanical intuition and ability to design from first principles

• Python coding and data analysis

• Arduino and Raspberry Pi

• Comfortable with the pace and intensity of early-stage startup life

• Working towards a bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or related field

• U.S. permanent residency required

Nice to Have Skills

• Experience in high voltage AC power (480V, 120+ kW) conversion systems and lithium batteries

• Experience with pumps and fluidics

• Experience in electromechanical controls, hydraulics, or field-deployed systems

• Experience with compliance, HAZOP, or FMEA tools for machine safety

Compensation and Timeline

• $20-28/hr + relocation + company perks

• Summer Internship from May-September depending on your school schedule