Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs in Palo Alto, CA
Mechanical Design Engineer jobs in Palo Alto are concentrated along the University Avenue corridor, Stanford Research Park, and the California Avenue district, where medical device, semiconductor, and clean energy companies cluster alongside hardware-focused startups. Employers hiring right now include Tesla, Rivian, and Lanteris Space Systems Intuitive Machines Company. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 233+ Mechanical Design Engineer jobs
Consider before submitting an application:
This position is expected to start January 2027 and continue through the entire Winter/Spring term (i.e through April/May 2026) or into Summer 2027 if available. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships.
International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.
The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Tesla Energy is looking for a highly motivated engineer to perform and drive mechanical and enclosure design activities for its utility scale energy storage and supercharging products. The role entails strong fundamentals, a passion to push the boundaries of technology and the tenacity to make your designs successful. Tesla operates under compressed timelines, so being self-motivated, disciplined, and resilient is critical. We aim to recruit the most talented engineers to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
What You'll Do
- Modeling and design of mechanical components and assemblies including sheet metal, structural metals, plastics, environmental sealing materials, fasteners, and other components
- Mechanical design analysis including structural finite element analysis, design for assembly, design for manufacturing, and design for test
- Work with cross-functional teams to refine specifications and achieve product performance, aesthetic, schedule, cost, reliability, and quality targets
- Collaborate with thermal, systems, electrical, sourcing, manufacturing, and reliability teams to take designs from prototype through mass production
- Develop engineering test plans for designs
- Assist in engineering prototype builds and component fabrication
- Root cause and solve test failures and production problems
- Create high quality drawing packages and manufacturing instructions for parts and assemblies
What You'll Bring
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Experience designing for high-volume assembly and manufacturing
- Experience designing products for outdoor environments, including IP/NEMA environmental seals
- Strong engineering fundamentals in mechanics, heat transfer, and fluids
- Experience with various manufacturing processes such as metal stamping, extruding, welding/brazing, plating, heat treating, plastic injection molding, thermoforming, and bonding
- Experience in designing for high volume assembly, both manual and automated
- Proficiency in CAD modeling. CATIA V5/V6 experience, a plus
- Experience designing packaging solutions for battery or power electronics systems
- Structural analysis expertise, static and frequency response spectrum FEA experience
- Knowledge of electrical principles and their application in renewable energy systems
Benefits
As a full-time Tesla Intern, you will be eligible for:
- Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
- Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
- Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans. Both have an option with a $0 payroll contribution
- Company Paid (Health Savings Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
- Company Paid Basic Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions), and Paid Holidays
- Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
- Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
- Commuter benefits
- Employee discounts and perks program
Expected Compensation
Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.
Consider before submitting an application:
This position is expected to start January 2027 and continue through the entire Winter/Spring term (i.e through April/May 2026) or into Summer 2027 if available. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships.
International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.
The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Tesla Energy is looking for a highly motivated engineer to perform and drive mechanical and enclosure design activities for its utility scale energy storage and supercharging products. The role entails strong fundamentals, a passion to push the boundaries of technology and the tenacity to make your designs successful. Tesla operates under compressed timelines, so being self-motivated, disciplined, and resilient is critical. We aim to recruit the most talented engineers to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
What You'll Do
- Modeling and design of mechanical components and assemblies including sheet metal, structural metals, plastics, environmental sealing materials, fasteners, and other components
- Mechanical design analysis including structural finite element analysis, design for assembly, design for manufacturing, and design for test
- Work with cross-functional teams to refine specifications and achieve product performance, aesthetic, schedule, cost, reliability, and quality targets
- Collaborate with thermal, systems, electrical, sourcing, manufacturing, and reliability teams to take designs from prototype through mass production
- Develop engineering test plans for designs
- Assist in engineering prototype builds and component fabrication
- Root cause and solve test failures and production problems
- Create high quality drawing packages and manufacturing instructions for parts and assemblies
What You'll Bring
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Experience designing for high-volume assembly and manufacturing
- Experience designing products for outdoor environments, including IP/NEMA environmental seals
- Strong engineering fundamentals in mechanics, heat transfer, and fluids
- Experience with various manufacturing processes such as metal stamping, extruding, welding/brazing, plating, heat treating, plastic injection molding, thermoforming, and bonding
- Experience in designing for high volume assembly, both manual and automated
- Proficiency in CAD modeling. CATIA V5/V6 experience, a plus
- Experience designing packaging solutions for battery or power electronics systems
- Structural analysis expertise, static and frequency response spectrum FEA experience
- Knowledge of electrical principles and their application in renewable energy systems
Benefits
As a full-time Tesla Intern, you will be eligible for:
- Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
- Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
- Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans. Both have an option with a $0 payroll contribution
- Company Paid (Health Savings Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
- Company Paid Basic Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions), and Paid Holidays
- Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
- Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
- Commuter benefits
- Employee discounts and perks program
Expected Compensation
Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.
See All 233+ Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs in Palo Alto
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Find JobsMechanical Design Engineer Job Market in Palo Alto
Who's Hiring
- Tesla209
- Rivian16
- Lanteris Space Systems Intuitive Machines Company8
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs in Palo Alto: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mechanical design engineer job in Palo Alto?
Target Stanford Research Park tenants and the hardware and deep-tech startups along the California Avenue and El Camino Real corridors, where demand for mechanical design engineers is strongest. Experience in medical devices, semiconductor packaging, or precision instruments gives you a clear edge here. Engaging with local engineering meetups tied to Stanford and attending product hardware events in the area also puts you in front of hiring managers before roles are posted.
Which companies hire mechanical design engineers in Palo Alto?
Companies currently hiring mechanical design engineers in Palo Alto include Tesla, Rivian, and Lanteris Space Systems Intuitive Machines Company, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. The local employer mix leans heavily toward medical device manufacturers, semiconductor equipment firms, and venture-backed hardware startups, many of which maintain design and prototyping operations directly in or adjacent to the Stanford Research Park.
Are there remote mechanical design engineer jobs in Palo Alto?
Yes, but only partially: mechanical design engineering is heavily hands-on, so fully remote roles are rare for positions involving prototyping, lab testing, or manufacturing oversight. About 0% of mechanical design engineer openings tied to Palo Alto are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, typically structured around on-site days for physical builds and testing. CAD modeling, simulation analysis, and design review work are the functions most commonly performed off-site in Palo Alto roles.
How can I get a mechanical design engineer job in Palo Alto with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through internships or co-op roles at medical device companies and hardware startups in the Stanford Research Park, many of which recruit directly from Stanford and nearby universities. Applying for associate mechanical engineer or design engineering technician titles opens the door locally, and building a portfolio that shows SolidWorks or CATIA work alongside any physical prototyping projects makes a strong impression with Palo Alto hiring teams who evaluate candidates on practical output, not just credentials.
Which industries hire the most mechanical design engineers in Palo Alto?
Palo Alto mechanical design engineer roles concentrate in Manufacturing and Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. The city's proximity to Stanford and its established base of medical device and semiconductor equipment companies creates sustained demand for precision design and systems integration skills that draws mechanical design engineers from across the region.
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