Systems Engineering Intern

Location: San Francisco, CA | Full-Time
Timeline: June – August/September

About Pila

Pila is reinventing home energy with a battery system designed for modern living—intuitive, renter-friendly, and seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Our mission is to bring resilience and control to how people use energy, with a design-first approach that makes backup power both beautiful and accessible.

Our team has deep experience building the world’s most innovative energy and IoT products—SPAN, Tesla, Apple, Lightship, and Amazon Alexa, just to name a few. We’re looking for hands-on, detail-oriented engineers who want to make an impact in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

The Role

We’re looking for a Systems Engineering Intern to support the testing and validation of new features and system performance for Pila’s next-generation energy products. This is a hands-on, lab-based role where you’ll work directly with electrical, thermal, and power systems, ensuring our technology continues to meet the highest standards of reliability, efficiency, and performance.

You’ll work closely with hardware, firmware, and mechanical engineers to develop and execute test plans, build test fixtures, automate testing, and analyze results. This internship provides valuable experience in hardware validation, automation, and energy system testing, helping bring new features from concept to reality.

Key Responsibilities

  • Test and validate new features across power, thermal, and electrical performance to improve system capabilities.

  • Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, and thermal sensors to collect and analyze system data.

  • Automate test processes using Python scripts to improve efficiency and repeatability.

  • Design and build test fixtures to simulate real-world conditions and validate system performance.

  • Troubleshoot and debug issues, identifying failure points and working with engineers to resolve them.

  • Contribute to prototype testing, documenting observations, and providing feedback to refine system behavior.

  • Assist in developing manufacturing test processes to ensure product quality at scale.

  • Document test procedures, results, and insights to support product development and future iterations.

  • Collaborate across teams, ensuring testing aligns with product development timelines and quality goals.

Qualifications

  • Currently pursuing a BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

  • Familiarity with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, power meters, data loggers, and thermal sensors.

  • Basic proficiency in Python for automating tests and processing data.

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to debug hardware and software interactions.

  • Hands-on experience with hardware testing, electronics troubleshooting, or working in a lab environment.

  • Strong attention to detail and structured documentation skills.

  • Passion for clean technology, renewable energy, and sustainability.

Bonus Qualifications

  • Experience with embedded systems testing and low-level debugging.

  • Knowledge of battery technology, power electronics, or thermal management.

  • Experience designing automated test rigs or data acquisition systems.

  • Familiarity with communication protocols (CAN, I2C, SPI, Modbus, etc.).

  • Understanding of manufacturing test and validation processes.

What We Offer

  • An opportunity to work at the forefront of home energy innovation, helping create a more equitable and sustainable future.

  • Mentorship from seasoned professionals in energy, IoT, and hardware development.

  • Competitive salary in a fast-growing, mission-driven startup.

  • Generous time off and flexible work arrangements.

How to Apply

Ready to test and refine the future of home energy?

Send your resume and a brief introduction to careers@pilaenergy.com with the subject line “Systems Engineering Intern – Your Name.”