Hardware Reliability & Test Engineering Intern
Base Power Company · Austin, TX
Extracted from the posting
Hardware Reliability & Test Engineering Intern builds test fixtures and measurement setups for battery modules, inverters, and interconnect hardware. Tasks include accelerated life tests, thermal cycling, environmental stress screening, and Python-based data analysis for anomaly detection and pass/fail evaluation. The intern also supports root cause analysis and writes test reports within the Hardware Reliability and Test team.
About Base
Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.
About the Role
At Base, hardware doesn't ship until we know it works; not just on paper, but under real-world use and abuse. As a Hardware Reliability & Test Engineering Intern, you'll work directly with our Reliability and Test team to design test fixtures, run validation experiments, analyze failure data, and help close the feedback loop between the lab and the design team.
What You’ll Do
- Design and build test fixtures and measurement setups for electrical, mechanical, and environmental validation of battery modules, inverters, and interconnect hardware.
- Build automated test rigs, configure and troubleshoot DAQ systems.
- Run accelerated life tests, thermal cycling, and environmental stress screening in our fleet of environmental chambers.
- Analyze test data in Python using scripts to automate data ingest, anomaly detection, and pass/fail evaluation.
- Support root cause and failure analysis on hardware issues, from visual inspection and solder rework to schematic-level investigation.
- Contribute to test reports and reliability documentation that tell a clear, data-backed story.
What You'll Bring
- Current junior, senior, or graduate student in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Hands-on experience building or testing electromechanical hardware; personal projects count.
- Comfort with Python for data analysis.
- Familiarity with bench instruments: oscilloscopes, power supplies, multimeters, DAQ systems.
- Attention to detail and a high bar for documentation.
- Curious, self-directed, and willing to dig into a problem that doesn't have an obvious answer.
About this Team
The Hardware Reliability and Test team ensures our equipment exceeds engineering and reliability standards through rigorous mechanical, electrical, and environmental testing at the component, sub-assembly, and system levels. When we find failure points, we leverage data-driven insights to identify root causes and provide actionable improvements and mitigations. We act as a tight feedback loop for the design team, accelerating product maturity and ensuring we deliver a stellar experience for our members.
Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.
Our Values
- First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.
- Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.
- Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.
- Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.
- Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.
- Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in.
- Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.
