Internship Defense Distributed Jobs in California

About the Role
Chariot Defense is seeking a motivated and hands-on Engineering Technician to join our engineering team, reporting to the Systems Integration Lead. In this entry-level role, you will support the assembly, testing, and basic prototyping of electrical, mechanical, and power electronic systems, including integrated vehicle platforms. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and design teams to help ensure our systems meet performance, endurance, and reliability requirements for deployment in demanding environments.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a junior technician to accelerate their technical skill set, with a fast-track for internal advancement as the team grows and the company scales. We strongly encourage you to research Chariot Defense and our anticipated growth and market positioning.
Key Responsibilities

• Integrated Systems Support: Contribute to the integration of energy storage, materials, thermal solutions, power electronics, PCBs, and wiring, focusing on hands-on assembly and testing in compact, efficient designs.
  
• Assembly and Support: Assist in assembling hardware from initial prototypes to production units, following guidance from engineers, and senior engineering technicians and help with troubleshooting during field deployment.
  
• Rapid Prototyping Assistance: Help rapidly prototype builds and identify issues, support debugging and iteration, and contribute to developing field-deployable products on tight timelines, while learning to balance risks and priorities.
  
• Manufacturing Support: Assist in preparing electrical, mechanical, thermal, and electro-mechanical components for volume manufacturing, including basic shop work and quality checks.
• Customer Engagement Support: Occasionally assist with customer-facing hardware demonstrations and gather feedback to support team understanding of requirements.

What We're Looking For

• Strong basic engineering intuition and a practical approach to building and testing products that work reliably for customers, balancing technical tasks with team needs.
• Able to identify simple gaps in information or priorities and apply effort to help close them under supervision.
• Comfortable working with incomplete information and making quick, practical decisions to support product development.
• Eager to find root causes of issues through hands-on methods and help prevent future problems.
  Team-oriented, with a focus on helping peers succeed, building a positive team culture, and collaborating to solve problems and share knowledge.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Electronics, Electrical Technology, or related field; Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering is a plus.
  
• A minimum of 1-2 years of experience in a technical, assembly, or shop role in a professional or internship setting.
• Basic 3D CAD skills (any platform, SOLIDWORKS preferred), with the ability to read and follow engineering drawings (e.g., basic GD&T and industry standards).
• Hands-on proficiency with oscilloscopes, HV probes, test equipment, and related diagnostic tools.
• Strong knowledge of analog and digital electronics, power systems, and control circuits.
• Skilled in root-cause failure analysis and corrective action methods.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the comfort of working with basic computer software.
• Safety-first mindset with demonstrated experience working under high-voltage protocols is a plus.
• Ability to work with pace and quality while adhering to written work instructions, drawings, and documentation.
• Willingness to work onsite in our San Bruno, CA, shop 5-days per week as well as work extended and weekend hours, when necessary.
  

Preferred:

• Experience with basic manufacturing processes (e.g., sheet metal, CNC, lathe, 3D printing).
• Exposure to low/high voltage systems, power distribution, or thermal management of batteries and electronics.
• Experience in high-reliability environments, such as testing for durability or endurance.
• Understanding of IPC 610 / 620
• Experience with data management tools like JIRA or Confluence.
• Hands on use of Digital multimeters, insulation testers, and microscopes
• Hands on use of Digital multimeters, insulation testers, and microscopes
• Skills in CNC machining, sheet metal, PCBA assembly and wire harness builds.

Role Requirements

• This position is an onsite role based in Chariot Defense's San Bruno, CA, office.
• Willingness to support travel, domestically and internationally, as well as work extended and weekend hours, when necessary.
• Able to work on your feet for extended periods in a shop setting.
• Able to lift and carry 50lbs.

A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $24.40 - $65.40/hour. Compensation packages also include early-stage equity and access to company-sponsored benefit plans.