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Electrical Design Intern Jobs in San Rafael, CA (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview We are looking for an Electrical Engineering Intern to assist in hardware development, high-speed telemetry, and power system design for critical experimental projects. This ...

Summer 2027 Systems Test Engineer

Petaluma, CA ยท On-site

$19.25 - $25/hr

The Test Equipment Engineering Intern assists in the design, development, and implementation of ... S. degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related ...

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Electrical Design Intern information

See San Rafael, CA salary details

$10

$21

$40

How much do electrical design intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for electrical design intern in San Rafael, CA is $21.60, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.06 and $24.13 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an electrical design intern do?

An Electrical Design Intern assists engineers in designing, developing, and testing electrical systems and components for various projects. Typical responsibilities include creating and updating schematics, drafting layouts using CAD software, performing calculations, and supporting prototype development. Interns also help with documentation, conduct research, and collaborate with other engineering teams. The internship provides hands-on experience and helps students apply theoretical knowledge to real-world engineering problems.

What types of projects and responsibilities can an electrical design intern typically expect during their internship?

As an Electrical Design Intern, you can expect to be involved in a variety of tasks such as creating and updating electrical schematics, supporting senior engineers in the design and testing of electrical systems, and assisting with documentation and BOM (Bill of Materials) preparation. Interns often participate in team meetings, collaborate with other engineering disciplines, and may even get hands-on experience with prototyping or troubleshooting. This role provides valuable exposure to industry-standard design tools and real-world project workflows, making it a great stepping stone for a future career in electrical engineering.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an electrical design intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Electrical Design Intern, you generally need a background in electrical engineering or a related field, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Familiarity with CAD software (such as AutoCAD or SolidWorks), circuit simulation tools, and basic programming languages is often expected. Attention to detail, teamwork, and effective communication are essential soft skills that help interns collaborate and learn efficiently. These abilities ensure accurate designs, smooth project execution, and valuable contributions to engineering teams.

What is the difference between Electrical Design Intern vs Electrical Engineer?

AspectElectrical Design InternElectrical Engineer
Required CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related fieldBachelor's degree in electrical engineering; often requires licensure or professional certification for advanced roles
Work EnvironmentInternship setting, often in engineering firms, construction sites, or manufacturing plantsFull-time professional roles in design, development, testing, or project management
Employer & Industry UsageInternship programs in engineering firms, construction companies, or manufacturing industriesEstablished companies, consulting firms, or government agencies in electrical engineering sectors

The main difference between an Electrical Design Intern and an Electrical Engineer lies in experience, responsibilities, and career stage. Interns are typically students gaining practical experience, while Electrical Engineers are full-time professionals responsible for designing, analyzing, and managing electrical systems.

What cities near San Rafael, CA are hiring for Electrical Design Intern jobs?

Cities near San Rafael, CA with the most Electrical Design Intern job openings:

Electrical Engineer Intern

Foundation Robotics

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$22.50 - $29.50/hr

Temporary

Re-posted 24 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Design, build, and iterate on custom electronics for robotic hands, including PCB designs and hardware validation.

  • Own subsystems, spin boards, and debug hardware on the bench alongside the core team.

  • Contribute to hardware validation work that ships to physical robots.


Job description

About Us
Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics with the goal to address the labor shortage.
Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.
We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team.
Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite - it's your talent and determination that truly count.
We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.
Our Culture
We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here https://foundation.bot/culture.
About This Role
Why You Should Join
  • You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
  • You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to "fix" it.
  • You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.

Why are We Hiring for this Role:
  • Building dexterous hands and fingers for a humanoid requires custom electronics at every level - from miniaturized motor drivers to flexible sensor arrays wrapped around fingertips - and we need dedicated EE bandwidth to design, build, and iterate on that hardware
  • Off-the-shelf electronics are not designed for the spatial constraints, flex requirements, and channel density of a robotic hand with 20+ degrees of freedom - most of what we build is custom, and we need people who can design from a blank schematic
  • Our mechanical systems are advancing faster than our electronics stack - this intern will help close that gap by owning real PCB designs, bring-up procedures, and hardware validation work that ships to physical robots
  • The robotic hand is one of the densest and most demanding electronics integration challenges in all of robotics - small form factor, high channel count, mixed signal, high flex cycle life, and real-time performance all at once - and we need EE talent that is excited by that challenge, not intimidated by it
  • We are a small startup moving at speed - interns own subsystems, spin boards, and debug hardware on the bench alongside the core team
  • Every intern is a candidate for a full-time role; we are building the founding electrical engineering team for a product that will define what humanoid hands can do, and we want people who want to be part of that from the beginning

What Kind of person are we looking for
  • Currently pursuing a BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field - with solid coursework in circuits, electronics, and systems
  • Strong grasp of analog circuit fundamentals: Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, op-amp configurations, voltage dividers, filter design, and signal conditioning - you can analyze a schematic and spot problems before powering anything up
  • Understanding of power electronics basics: switching regulators (buck, boost), linear regulators, H-bridge motor drive topologies, and the difference between continuous and discontinuous conduction modes
  • Foundational knowledge of digital systems: logic levels, pull-up/pull-down resistors, GPIO, SPI/IยฒC/UART protocols, and how a microcontroller talks to peripheral ICs at the register level
  • Hands-on experience with schematic capture and PCB layout in KiCad, Altium Designer, or Eagle - you have designed at least one board that you ordered, assembled, and powered up yourself
  • Understanding of PCB layout best practices for mixed-signal designs: ground plane management, power plane separation, decoupling capacitor placement, trace impedance, and keeping analog and digital domains from contaminating each other
  • Familiarity with rigid-flex or flex PCB design concepts is a strong plus - robotic fingers have almost no room for rigid boards and connectors, so flex circuits are a primary design medium on this platform
  • Ability to read component datasheets end to end - you can select an appropriate motor driver IC, understand its thermal limits, wire up its bootstrap circuitry, and configure it over SPI without being walked through it step by step

To be a great candidate, you don't have to check every box. If you're excited about building the next generation of robotic hands and believe you'd bring something valuable to the team, we encourage you to apply. If you have a project presentation or portfolio that showcases relevant work, attach it to your application. Concrete proof of excellence will significantly strengthen your candidacy.