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Electrical Power Engineer Intern Jobs in California

Senior Power Engineer

Long Beach, CA ยท On-site

$109K - $150K/yr

You'll also coordinate with the solar array and battery teams on electrical performance and any ... Build a power engineering team as the program scales from first build to production rate Minimum ...

Pulsed Power Engineer

San Leandro, CA ยท On-site

$132K - $245K/yr

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Lead Pulsed Power Engineer Job Location: San Leandro, CA (Can be remote) Business Unit: ATI 9/80 ... Qualifications Required: * BS, MS, or PhD in electrical engineering, physics, or related field, and ...

Senior Power Engineer

Long Beach, CA ยท On-site

$137K - $195K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

You'll also coordinate with the solar array and battery teams on electrical performance and any ... Build a power engineering team as the program scales from first build to production rate Minimum ...

Intern - Electrical Engineer

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$22.50 - $29.50/hr

What to expect We're looking for a hands-on electrical engineering intern who wants to help design ... You'll work on the electronics at the core of the robot's expressiveness (power, sensing, actuation ...

Showing results 41-60

Electrical Power Engineer Intern information

See California salary details

$12

$23

$33

How much do electrical power engineer intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for electrical power engineer intern in California is $23.05, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.70 and $25.67 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

AspectElectrical Power Engineer InternElectrical Power Engineer
CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed a bachelor's degree in electrical engineeringBachelor's degree required; often a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) is preferred
Work EnvironmentInternship settings, often in utility companies, engineering firms, or energy plantsFull-time professional roles in power generation, transmission, and distribution facilities
ResponsibilitiesAssisting with design, testing, and analysis under supervisionDesigning, analyzing, and managing electrical power systems independently

In summary, an Electrical Power Engineer Intern is a student or recent graduate gaining practical experience, while an Electrical Power Engineer is a licensed professional responsible for designing and managing power systems in a full-time capacity.

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

To thrive as an Electrical Power Engineer Intern, you need a solid understanding of electrical engineering principles, circuit analysis, and power systems, often supported by progress toward a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as MATLAB, AutoCAD, or ETAP, as well as basic knowledge of safety standards and testing equipment, is typically expected. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills help interns excel in collaborative engineering environments. These skills and qualities are crucial for contributing to real-world projects, ensuring safety, and supporting innovation in the energy sector.

What does an electrical power engineer intern do?

An Electrical Power Engineer Intern assists in the design, analysis, and maintenance of electrical power systems under the guidance of senior engineers. Their tasks may include conducting power system studies, supporting the development of electrical schematics, and helping troubleshoot issues related to power distribution. Interns often work on projects that involve renewable energy integration, grid analysis, and ensuring compliance with safety standards. This role provides hands-on experience with industry software and real-world engineering problems, preparing interns for future full-time roles in the power engineering field.

What types of projects and responsibilities can an electrical power engineer intern expect to work on during their internship?

As an Electrical Power Engineer Intern, you can expect to assist with tasks such as drafting wiring diagrams, supporting power distribution system analysis, and helping to conduct equipment testing under supervision. Interns often collaborate closely with senior engineers to troubleshoot electrical issues, perform load calculations, and participate in site visits or inspections. This role typically offers exposure to both design and fieldwork, providing a well-rounded understanding of how power systems are engineered and maintained. Active participation and curiosity are encouraged, as interns are often given opportunities to contribute ideas and gain hands-on experience with real-world projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Electrical Power Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Electrical Power Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Electrical Power Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities in California with the most Electrical Power Engineer Intern job openings:

Infographic showing various Electrical Power Engineer Intern job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $47,934 per year, or $23 per hour.

Senior Power Engineer

Vast

Long Beach, CA โ€ข On-site

$109K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago


Job description

Vast is seeking a Senior Power Engineer to own the power system architecture and development for a new constellation-ready 15kW spacecraft bus - a product line designed to scale to hundreds of spacecraft per year.ย 

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in ourย Long Beachย location.ย 

About the role:

You'll define the power system architecture for a 15kW-class spacecraft bus - topology, bus voltage, battery sizing, power electronics, and fault protection. You own the architecture decisions, the end-to-end power budget, and the power quality requirements that payload customers must meet. You'll determine what needs to be built new versus what can be reused from heritage, define requirements for any new avionics boxes, and work with the electronics lead to get them built. You'll also coordinate with the solar array and battery teams on electrical performance and any modifications needed for this mission.

Responsibilities:ย 

  • Define the power architecture - DET vs MPPT topology, bus voltage selection, battery sizing, solar array string configuration
  • Define requirements for power electronics boxes - the electronics lead builds the boards, you own what they need to do and how they're tested
  • Own the power budget - detailed by mode (safe, nominal, peak, eclipse), closed with margin for all payload configurations including high-power compute payloads
  • Coordinate with the internal battery team - assess whether the heritage battery meets this mission's requirements and define any modifications needed
  • Coordinate with the solar array team on array electrical performance - cell selection, string voltage, degradation, articulation strategy
  • Own power distribution - evaluate heritage options or define new requirements as the architecture demands
  • Define requirements for SADA and solar array release mechanism procurement
  • Define and tailor bus power quality requirements - voltage regulation, transient response, inrush management, EMI/EMC (tailored from MIL-STD-461 or equivalent) - and work with payload customers to flow down and verify compliance
  • Own fault protection and safe mode power management - undervoltage protection, load shedding, safe mode power profiles
  • Support system-level power trades - how do high-power payloads affect battery sizing, solar array sizing, and eclipse performance?
  • Contribute power budget and architecture trade results to the spacecraft design and simulation toolchain
  • Build a power engineering team as the program scales from first build to production rate

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • 6+ years of spacecraft power system design experience - solar array, battery, bus regulation, power distribution
  • Experience with power architecture trades (DET vs MPPT, bus voltage selection)
  • Power budget development and management across multiple operating modes
  • Battery management system experience - charge control, cell balancing, state of charge estimation
  • Understanding of solar array electrical performance - I-V curves, temperature coefficients, radiation degradation
  • Experience taking a power electronics box from requirements through functional test
  • Comfortable managing heritage reuse - assessing whether existing hardware meets new mission requirements

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Full lifecycle experience with spacecraft power systems - requirements, design, build, test, flight, and on-orbit operations
  • Able to obtain a security clearance
  • Experience with high-power spacecraft buses (5kW+ class)
  • SADA (solar array drive actuator) selection and integration experience
  • Power system experience across multi-satellite builds
  • Familiarity with LiIon battery electrochemistry and cell-level performance modeling
  • Fault protection and autonomous power management experience