---
title: 'Mechanical Engineering Intern at Overview Energy'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineering-intern-overview-energy-ashburn-jwa349bpj2hs'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-23'
---

# Mechanical Engineering Intern at Overview Energy

- **Company:** Overview Energy
- **Location:** Ashburn, VA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-23
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy/ccdb875c-6d95-41af-a094-f593aaeefbb2

## Job description

## About Overview Energy

Overview Energy is a mission-driven team committed to building a new layer of energy infrastructure: satellites in geosynchronous orbit that redirect solar energy to terrestrial solar projects via passively safe near-infrared light. We're in the earliest phase, where the ground beacon our satellites will point to is designed end-to-end by a small, dedicated team. Headquartered in the Northern Virginia / Washington, DC area and backed by world-class investors, we are advancing the next generation of clean energy technology.

## About the Role

We're looking for a Mechanical Engineering Intern to design the structure that carries our ground beacon system, including transportation of the system from the lab to the field test.

The beacon and its system components all have to travel together, set up fast, and stay co-located with our observational telescope. Portable, modular, and rigid are competing goals. You'll own that trade and defend it. Alongside the mounting, you'll characterize what the environment does to the installed system so we know how much of the pointing error budget the structure is spending.

This internship supports our program under a Department of War energy investment program. You'll work directly with the optics team to ensure the structure design meets the optical beacon requirements.

## What You'll Do

- Design system mounting for three states: pre-delivery, in transit, and installed at the test site
- Trade portability and modularity against stiffness and alignment retention, and document the reasoning behind the design you pick
- Design a transportable platform to house beacon equipment
- Build parametric CAD models and produce drawings a machine shop can quote and manufacture
- Analyze environmental effects on the installed system, including temperature and wind loading, and quantify the impact on pointing stability
- Characterize transportation effects - shock, vibration, and handling - and recommend mitigations
- Support setup, teardown, and field checkout with the optics team

## What We're Looking For From You

- Currently enrolled in a bachelor's or master's program in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field with an expected graduation in Spring 2027
- Working proficiency in CAD, NX preferred
- Coursework in statics, mechanics of materials, and vibrations
- Hands-on fabrication or assembly experience: machine shop, Formula SAE, robotics, research lab, or your own builds
- Able to commit 5-10 hours per week from September 2026 through March 2027, on-site in Northern Virginia

We Have a Strong Preference For

- FEA experience for static, modal, or random vibration analysis (NX / NASTRAN)
- Exposure to shock and vibration testing, or to transportation environment standards such as MIL-STD-810
- GD&T fluency and practical DFM/DFA judgment
- Experience designing optomechanical mounts, kinematic mounts, or other alignment-critical hardware
- Demonstrated interest in defense, space, or energy applications

Internship Details This is a paid, part-time internship running September 2026 through March 2027 at 5-10 hours per week, based on-site at our Northern Virginia headquarters. Hourly rate: $30-$40.

You'll be mentored directly by the engineers running the program, and your work is a funded DoW deliverable, not a side project.

ITAR Requirements This position is subject to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

## Equal Opportunity Employer

Overview Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact us at talent@overviewenergy.com.

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented groups often only apply for roles where they meet every listed qualification. If you believe you can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply - even if you don't check every box.

## About Overview Energy

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Overview Energy is building a constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit that capture sunlight and beam safe, near-infrared energy to receivers on Earth to provide continuous, grid-scale solar power.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: Ashburn, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Not publicly listed (founded by a team with expertise in energy, aerospace, and software)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Space Research and Technology, Aerospace, Clean Energy, Satellite Communication
- Target customers: Utility companies, grid operators, solar project developers, and governments (B2B, Enterprise)
- Mission or purpose statement: To turn uninterrupted sunlight in space into directable, reliable energy on Earth, making solar a 24/7 resource and solving grid demands without costly infrastructure upgrades.

## Products & Services
- **Space Solar Satellite Constellation**: A system of satellites in geosynchronous orbit that capture sunlight 24/7 and convert it into safe, near-infrared light. This light is beamed to large solar projects (receivers) on Earth, which convert it into electricity for the grid. The system is designed for gigawatt-scale energy generation and can redirect power on demand across continents.
- **Airborne Power Transfer (Demonstrated)**: A first-of-a-kind airborne test that proved the core technology works, validating the beam's safety and efficiency using commercially available components.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Total Funding**: ~$30.1 million (across 2 rounds)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lowercarbon Capital, Mana Ventures (based on employee talent sources); specific lead investors not publicly named for all rounds.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Headcount growth of +13.8% monthly (as of mid-2025).
    - Raised a Venture Round of ~$11.7M in July 2024.
    - Filed 5 patents as of 2025.
    - Targeting delivery of grid-scale power by the early 2030s.
    - Has a "capacity reservation agreement" in place, indicating early commercial interest.

## Competitive Advantages
- **24/7 Baseload Solar Power**: Unlike terrestrial solar, the system generates power continuously regardless of weather, time of day, or season, solving the intermittency problem of renewable energy.
- **Passively Safe Technology**: Uses a wide, near-infrared beam that is inherently below eye-safety limits, described as safer than a supermarket barcode scanner.
- **Grid Infrastructure Bypass**: Can deliver energy directly to receivers, bypassing congested transmission corridors and strengthening grid reliability without costly ground upgrades.
- **Commercially Viable Components**: Relies on proven, commercially available parts (laser diodes, solar panels) rather than requiring "leap-of-faith" scientific breakthroughs, reducing technical risk.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling for Gigawatt Capacity**: Moving from a validated airborne demonstration to building and launching satellites, with a goal of full constellation build-out and gigawatt-scale energy delivery by the early 2030s.
- **Mass Production**: Designing satellites for mass manufacturing to build multiple gigawatts of capacity.
- **Commercialization**: Securing capacity reservation agreements and partners to ensure a market for the delivered energy.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Impact**: Work on a technology that directly addresses climate change and global energy challenges by creating a new, clean baseload power source.
- **Cutting-Edge Technology**: Opportunity to work at the intersection of aerospace, energy, and optical systems, with a focus on building real hardware that flies.
- **Hybrid Work Environment**: Employees work a combination of remote and on-site (in-office) from the Ashburn, VA headquarters.
- **Early-Stage Growth**: As a small, well-funded startup (19-25 employees), there is significant potential for ownership, impact, and career growth as the company scales.
- **Strong Technical Team**: The company attracts talent from top aerospace and tech companies (e.g., Astranis, Starfish Space, RTX).

## Sources
1. [overviewenergy.com](https://overviewenergy.com/)
2. [linkedin.com/company/overviewenergy](https://www.linkedin.com/company/overviewenergy)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy)
4. [cbinsights.com/company/overview-energy](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/overview-energy)
5. [builtin.com/company/overview-energy](https://builtin.com/company/overview-energy)

## Other roles at Overview Energy

- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-overview-energy-ashburn-dgrxfk1fmzgb) — Ashburn, VA
- [Optics Lab Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/optics-lab-manager-overview-energy-ashburn-98cbs8adp6fy) — Ashburn, VA
- [General Application / Future Openings](https://feeny.ai/job/general-application-future-openings-overview-energy-ashburn-az71mdwhwhmv) — Ashburn, VA
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