Platform Solutions Engineer Intern (MechE)

Platform Solutions Engineer Intern (MechE)

About the role

What you will do

• Study platform, server, rack-scale, and evaluation-system architectures, including boards, modules, chassis, connectors, cables, power components, and cooling hardware.
• Translate customer, partner, product, and system requirements into mechanical assumptions, envelopes, mounting constraints, interface definitions, thermal requirements, and technical questions.
• Support mechanical concepts and detailed designs for chassis enclosures, airboxes, heatsinks, backplates, mounting plates, brackets, cables, and board-level hardware.
• Review PCB outlines, component placement, connector locations, keep-outs, stack-ups, mechanical interfaces, and assembly constraints for fit and serviceability.
• Evaluate thermal and airflow behavior, including heat paths, thermal-interface materials, heatsink contact, fan or blower selection, ducting, pressure drop, recirculation, and component temperature margins.
• Support EVB, SVB, evaluation-kit, tester, and lab-fixture designs, including baseplates, sockets, alignment features, plug-in mechanisms, and handling requirements.
• Create or update 3D models, drawings, assembly documentation, bills of materials, fabrication packages, and design-review materials using project tools and standards.
• Participate in design reviews and analyze fit, clearance, interference, structural, thermal, manufacturability, assembly, and serviceability issues.
• Support prototype fabrication, vendor quotation and purchase workflows, first-article assembly, fit checks, thermal or airflow validation, and design iterations.
• Use spreadsheets, Python, or other automation to organize requirements, compare design options, track parts and revisions, analyze measurements, or report project status.
• Collaborate with electrical, signal integrity/power integrity, product applications, NPI, validation, lab, manufacturing, procurement, and mechanical suppliers to resolve integration issues.
• Release and maintain design files, drawings, BOMs, assembly instructions, validation results, and revision history in the appropriate system of record.
• Document the completed project, analysis, methodology, results, and recommendations; present the outcome to engineering and cross-functional stakeholders.

What you bring

• Enrollment in a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework, research, or project experience in mechanical design, CAD, thermal management, fluid mechanics, structures, manufacturing, robotics, or hardware integration.
• Understanding of mechanical design concepts such as tolerances, fits, clearances, fasteners, materials, heat transfer, airflow, and design for manufacturing and assembly.
• Experience with CAD, drawings, spreadsheets, data analysis, or a scripting language such as Python or comparable tools.
• Ability to learn complex hardware systems, organize ambiguous requirements, analyze tradeoffs, and communicate practical recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail, written and verbal communication skills, ownership, curiosity, and willingness to collaborate across functions.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience designing or validating chassis, enclosures, heatsinks, airboxes, brackets, fixtures, baseplates, backplates, or other hardware for electronics.
• Familiarity with PCB and mechanical integration, connector and cable routing, component keep-outs, stack-ups, fasteners, or assembly drawings.
• Exposure to thermal or airflow analysis, CFD or FEA, thermal testing, fan/blower selection, heatsink characterization, or thermal-interface materials.
• Experience with CAD systems, GD&T, tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA, vendor drawings, RFQs, fabrication, machining, sheet metal, 3D printing, or injection molding.
• Familiarity with EVB/SVB bring-up, lab fixtures, test equipment, platform validation, or hardware debug.
• Experience maintaining BOMs, revision-controlled design files, fabrication packages, assembly instructions, or PLM/system-of-record data.
• Internship experience and compensation
• This is a paid, hourly U.S. internship. The applicable hourly rate is determined as part of the offer process and specified in the offer letter, depending on education level ranges from $35/hour to $55/hour. U.S. interns currently receive a $500-per-week housing/relocation stipend for the duration of the internship. Interns participate in Early Career programming, including technical and professional-development sessions, community events, and an end-of-program project presentation.
• Equal opportunity
• Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply.

Internship experience and compensation

Equal opportunity

Qualifications

• Enrollment in a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework, research, or project experience in mechanical design, CAD, thermal management, fluid mechanics, structures, manufacturing, robotics, or hardware integration.
• Understanding of mechanical design concepts such as tolerances, fits, clearances, fasteners, materials, heat transfer, airflow, and design for manufacturing and assembly.
• Experience with CAD, drawings, spreadsheets, data analysis, or a scripting language such as Python or comparable tools.
• Ability to learn complex hardware systems, organize ambiguous requirements, analyze tradeoffs, and communicate practical recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail, written and verbal communication skills, ownership, curiosity, and willingness to collaborate across functions.