Feeny
Heron Power

Intern, Automation Controls Engineer (Spring 2027) at Heron Power (Scotts Valley, CA)

Heron Power· Scotts Valley, CA·

Role details

Work type
Onsite
Employment
Full-Time
Level
Internship

Job description

What to Expect Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to debottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything. Our first focus goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron Power’s leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade. We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems.

Job Overview As an Intern, Automation Controls Engineer, you will support the wiring, fabrication, and documentation of controls and automation equipment on our pilot production line and lab. Additionally, you will assist with sensor and field-device integration, PLC/HMI integration, and SOP creation, working closely with a controls engineer to ensure new work is integrated to an industry standard level.

How You Will Contribute

  • Wire control panels, fabricate enclosures and brackets, and support mechanical build-out of automation equipment.
  • Specify, order, and install sensors and field devices (cables, junction boxes, labeling) to a consistent, production-ready standard.
  • Support PLC/HMI programming tasks under guidance, following existing naming conventions and documentation standards.
  • Read and red-line electrical schematics, and use tools such as Claude in PowerPoint/Excel to communicate scope of work.
  • Help document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the pilot line and lab equipment.
  • Track task timelines and keep stakeholders informed of progress.

What You Will Bring

Must-Have Requirements

  • Organized, methodical work habits, with strong written documentation instincts.
  • Willingness to ask “what’s the best approach?” before building, rather than working in isolation.
  • Ability to follow and extend existing engineering conventions rather than starting from scratch.
  • Basic understanding of electrical/controls concepts (sensors, digital and analog I/O, wiring fundamentals).

Nice-to-Haves

  • Sheet-metal or shop-class experience.
  • Exposure to PLC/HMI programming (e.g., basic sensor logic, ladder logic).
  • Schematic drafting experience (electrical or mechanical).
  • Experience sourcing industrial components (e.g., AutomationDirect).
  • Experience with HTTP/REST and other software APIs

If you are passionate about technology and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you. Join us in accelerating the electrification of everything at Heron Power.

Why work at Heron Power

  • High-impact mission: Work on foundational hardware that directly enables the energy transition and AI infrastructure — systems that will be deployed and operated for decades.
  • Engineering culture: Values rapid iteration ("build, test, learn"), first-principles reasoning, and cross-functional collaboration across hardware, software, manufacturing, and operations.
  • Ownership and autonomy: Strong emphasis on taking accountability for outcomes, not just tasks, and working across team boundaries to deliver an impeccable product.
  • Transparent and direct: Culture prizes clear communication, honest feedback, and progress over posturing — "no defensiveness, no ego."
  • Location and flexibility: Based in Scotts Valley, California (near Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley), with a presence in Canada. The work is highly hands-on (hardware, lab, factory), so on-site presence is expected for engineering roles.
  • Growth trajectory: Explosive headcount growth (975% YoY) and 58 open roles across electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, software, and supply chain disciplines — offering significant career acceleration for early hires.
  • Notable perks: Opportunity to work alongside a team with deep expertise from Tesla, Meta, and KKR, with direct mentorship from a proven founder.

Application questions