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Summer 2026 Internship - Mechanical Engineering

Los Lunas, NM

About Pacific Fusion

Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy.

We are rapidly designing and building a pulser-driven inertial fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems.

Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in this letter from our founders.

Why This Role Matters

Pacific Fusion is seeking an exceptional Mechanical Engineering Intern to join our dynamic team and create the path to commercial fusion energy. In your role as a mechanical engineering intern, you will get to own a project through the planning, design, assembly, and testing phases of development. Our intention is for our interns to get experience in cradle to grave design as well as hands-on experience building and testing these systems. All of our intern projects are high priority and value-added efforts that directly contribute to the successful development of our fusion system.

What You'll Do

• Work on a variety of meaningful projects

What You Bring

• Junior or Senior standing in a 4-year Mechanical Engineering program
• Strong foundation in mechanical engineering fundamentals and first principles
• Clear, confident written and verbal communication skills
• Working knowledge of stress analysis (hand calcs and FEA), 2D drawings, and design for manufacturing and assembly
• Experience using 2D and 3D CAD tools such as Creo or SolidWorks

Additional Requirements:

• Able to work full time, onsite in Los Lunas, NM for a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks beginning in June 2026

Bonus Points For

• Hands-on mechanical design through coursework, clubs, research, or personal projects
• Experience with conventional machining, shop tools, and rapid prototyping
• Experience defining system architectures and making design tradeoffs against requirements
• Experience writing build instructions, procedures, or test plans
• Strong measurement, documentation, and data analysis skills
• Curiosity, humility, and a desire to both teach and learn
• Ability to design, build, and operate test stands and experimental hardware
• Experience or strong interest in kinematics
• Experience or strong interest in structures
• Experience or strong interest in robotics
• 6+ months of prior internship, co-op, or substantial project experience
• GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Experience with CAD, MATLAB, Python, or Excel

What We Offer

• Meaningful, resume-building engineering work
• A chance to design, build, and test real systems
• Mentorship from experienced engineers in a high-impact environment
• Exposure to the full product lifecycle—from concept and design to build, test, and operation
• A collaborative, hands-on, learning-driven culture
• An unforgettable summer working on systems that truly matter!

Total Compensation & Benefits for Eligible Employees

• Industry-competitive salary
• Equity plan
• 6% employer 401k matching
• Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Actual base salary offered will be determined by: experience, skills, and work location. This range is for base salary, our total compensation includes equity and benefits. We welcome you to apply even if your expectations are outside our listed range.

Pacific Fusion is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Pacific Fusion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures and throughout employment. If you need assistance or any accommodation, please let us know.

Pacific Fusion does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies without a fully executed recruitment agreement in place. In the absence of such agreement, Pacific Fusion reserves the right to pursue and hire any candidates without an obligation to pay fees. Agencies are requested not to contact Pacific Fusion hiring managers or employees regarding recruiting services.