---
title: 'Mechanical Engineering Intern at Solcoa Industries'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineering-intern-solcoa-industries-alameda-a47shg2j0km7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Mechanical Engineering Intern at Solcoa Industries

- **Company:** Solcoa Industries
- **Location:** Alameda, CA
- **Compensation:** $35–$45/hr
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2025-09-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa/3ee78458-e202-4825-b0f9-abc73252f7c7

## Job description

## MAKING THE METALS POWERING THE WORLD

Solcoa is building the next generation of American metalmaking, starting with rare earths — the metals of power and motion. We've developed a new chemistry that converts rare earth oxides into high-purity metals — the materials inside every EV, fighter jet, wind turbine, and data center — cleaner, cheaper, and faster than any conventional process. Now we're scaling it to thousands of tonnes of annual production.

## THE ROLE — MECHANICAL ENGINEERING INTERN

Join our hardware team and help turn designs into working systems. You’ll support reactor subsystem design in CAD, assist with prototype builds and testing, and keep our documentation tight—working with engineers, machinists, and technicians to move quickly from concept to operation.

## WHAT YOU’LL DO

- Update and create CAD (Fusion) models/drawings, BOMs, and simple GD&T for thermal, vacuum, and handling subsystems.
- Assist with prototype fabrication and assembly: cutting, drilling, tapping, fitting, and basic machining.
- Help select components (valves, fittings, heaters, sensors) for high-temperature and vacuum environments under engineer guidance.
- Run tests, collect/clean data, and summarize results to inform design iterations.
- Perform leak checks, pressure tests, maintain organized logs.
- Support vendor outreach, quotes, and purchasing; keep parts and tooling organized.
- Contribute to safety-first culture and continuous improvement on the shop floor.

## WHAT YOU BRING

Required

- Pursuing a BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- Working proficiency with CAD (Fusion preferred; SolidWorks ok).
- Hands-on build experience from labs, clubs, internships, or personal projects (machine shop tools, 3D printing, or fabrication).
- Detail-oriented, disciplined documentation, and reliable follow-through.
- Comfortable in a fast-paced, hardware-centric environment and willing to get your hands dirty.
- On-site availability; able to start soon.

## Preferred

- Exposure to high-temperature or vacuum systems (furnaces, pumps, flanges) and basic thermal/fluids coursework.
- Simple analysis skills (hand calcs, spreadsheets; FEA/thermal tools a plus).
- Welding or TIG familiarity; basic machining on mill/lathe.
- Python/MATLAB for data analysis.

## COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

- Competitive hourly pay
- Company-provided lunch daily
- J1 Visa sponsorship available if needed

## About Solcoa Industries

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Solcoa Industries converts end-of-life magnets and magnet production waste from EVs, data centers, wind turbines, and defense directly into high-purity rare earth metals in America, bypassing the traditional Chinese supply chain.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Angel-backed startup)
- **Headquarters**: Alameda, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Hooman Reza Nezhad (Co-founder, CEO) and Artem Iurkovskyi (Co-founder, CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Rare earth metals recycling and manufacturing; critical minerals supply chain.
- **Target customers**: B2B – OEMs, magnet producers, defense contractors, and supply chain partners in EV, renewable energy, data center, and aerospace sectors.
- **Mission**: “Bring rare earths home” – establish a domestic, carbon-zero source of rare earth metals to reduce Western dependence on China.

## Products & Services
- **NdPr Metal Alloy (Sample E-44-3)**: High-purity neodymium-praseodymium metal derived directly from scrap magnets. Available now for testing and production trials.
- **Heavy Rare Earths**: Coming soon.
- **SWARF Processing**: Conversion of magnet cutting waste (swarf) directly into magnet-ready metal.
- **Primary Oxides Processing**: Metal production from refined oxides.
- **Scrap Magnet Procurement**: Solcoa sources end-of-life magnets as feedstock, offering a demagnetization line and on-site storage.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available.
- **Key Metric**: Total funding undisclosed; backed by “Strategic Angels across defense, robotics, and…” (no named investors disclosed).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Strategic angel investors in defense and robotics; partnerships with OEMs and magnet producers (not named).
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Active 35,000 sqft production facility in Alameda
  - 10 tonnes-per-annum REE metal production line under construction (current line: 3 tpa)
  - 8 employees with 9 open positions – headcount growth expected
  - Stated goal: “scale to meet one-third of US demand”

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary process**: Solcoa is one of the only companies in the world that converts magnet waste directly into magnet-ready metal, bypassing the intermediate steps that typically require China.
- **Faster, cleaner, cheaper**: Claims to be faster, cleaner, and cheaper than conventional processes.
- **In-house capabilities**: Full metallurgical lab, analytical equipment (ICP-OES, SEM-EDS, LECO), high-temperature furnaces, and fabrication tools – all under one roof.
- **National security angle**: Reduces US reliance on Chinese rare earth supply, a critical geopolitical moat.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale production**: Ramping up to a 10-tpa line and expanding the Alameda facility.
- **New chemistries**: Developing entirely new processes for rare earth metal production in America.
- **Talent acquisition**: Hiring engineers, R&D technicians, plant operators, and procurement specialists to build a world-class team.
- **Customer engagement**: Offering metal samples and production trials to OEMs and magnet producers.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Small, obsessive team (8 people) solving a deeply technical and mission-critical problem. Described as “truly obsessive people working on what might be the most important industrial problem of our time.”
- **Work model**: On-site in SF Bay Area (Alameda) – all current roles require physical presence.
- **Compensation**: Highly competitive base salaries ($100K–$350K for engineering roles), stock options, and strong benefits.
- **Impact**: Direct contribution to Western industrial independence and climate goals (carbon-zero metals).
- **Engineering focus**: Heavy emphasis on metallurgy, process engineering, and high-temperature chemistry; chance to build from scratch.

## Sources
1. [solcoaindustries.com](https://solcoaindustries.com/)
2. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa)
3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/solcoaindustries)
4. [solcoaindustries.com/team](https://www.solcoaindustries.com/team)
5. [solcoaindustries.com/capabilities](https://www.solcoaindustries.com/capabilities)

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