Mechanical Engineer Intern

Team Description:

Join the Materials Engineering Team at Neuralink and be part of an elite and diverse team of materials engineers, chemists, and device engineers working on high-performance, biocompatible materials for the next-generation of brain-computer interfaces. We are looking for a hands-on materials engineer to manage and execute materials characterization and mechanical testing experiments using in-house instrumentation. You will be an integral member of a small, fast-moving team with the opportunity to work closely with mechanical engineers and microfabrication experts on system integration and packaging solutions.

Job Description and Responsibilities:

The Materials Intern will be contributing to the development of high-density, reliable neural interfaces that are at the ground level of brain-computer-interfaces. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team in an environment where you will have direct impact on the next-gen product. The job responsibilities will include:

• Evaluate and test the mechanical properties of implant materials under various adverse conditions to determine their performance and longevity.
• Operate high-precision testing instruments, including dynamic mechanical analyzers (DMA) and mechanical oscillators 
• Build, refine, and use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models to predict mechanical response, model material behavior under stress, and support material optimization.
• Use computational models to identify design weaknesses, optimize material selection and geometry, and reduce the need for physical prototyping.
• Assemble, calibrate, and operate components for Accelerated Lifetime Testing (ALT) systems.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design custom fixtures and develop high-throughput testing equipment, incorporating accelerated aging and mechanical fatigue testing.

Required Qualifications: 

• Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly, fabrication, or building and calibrating test equipment.
• Experience with mechanical design (Solidworks or similar CAD software, etc).
• Familiarity with the scientific principles of  Finite Element Analysis (FEA) involved in analyzing mechanical tests.
• Experience with the standard mechanical testing equipment (tensile tester, DMA, etc), user interfaces and familiarity with associated test standards (ASTM, etc).
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with mechanical testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience with FEA software (e.g., COMSOL, Abaqus, ANSYS) to model mechanical behavior.
• Experience with DMA, TMA, and/or other mechanical-related testing equipment.
• Experience calibrating and troubleshooting lab instrumentation for mechanical, electrochemical analysis.
• Experience with instrument operational software in addition to hardware for mechanical testing equipment.

Pay Transparency:

Based on California law, the following details are for California individuals only:

California Hourly Rate: 

$35/hr USD