Intern, Medium Voltage Test Engineering

About the role#

You will build and operate the high-voltage test infrastructure used to characterize and qualify insulation systems in medium-voltage power electronics. This role owns a significant part of the reliability validation loop, including test bench setup, dielectric characterization campaigns, degradation analysis, and failure mode documentation. You will work with equipment and methodologies rarely seen in standard engineering programs while building the data foundation that informs how we design insulation systems for grid-tied hardware.

What you'll do#

• Design, build, and operate medium-voltage test benches, including HV power supplies, measurement dividers, partial discharge detection systems, and safety interlocks.
• Manage bench system design, such as HV clearances, grounding architecture, protection strategy, and safe operating procedures.
• Build and document test fixtures for cable assemblies, busbars, insulation specimens, and HV subcomponents.
• Enforce MV lab safety protocols, including electrical clearances, interlock design, lockout/tagout, and safe approach procedures.
• Execute dielectric strength tests, such as AC/DC withstand and impulse, while managing data collection and reporting.
• Perform insulation resistance, polarization index, and dielectric loss measurements.
• Run partial discharge measurements from setup through pattern generation and interpretation.
• Execute accelerated aging and environmental stress campaigns on insulating materials.
• Track and analyze degradation trends, including capacitance drift and breakdown statistics.
• Build data workflows and visualizations to track baseline, stressed, and failed states.
• Produce documentation on failure modes, mechanisms, and precursor signals.
• Partner with design and materials engineering to translate findings into corrective actions.
• Support post-failure analysis, including specimen dissection and microscopic inspection.
• Maintain sample tracking logs, calibration records, and test procedure documentation.

What you'll need#

• Pursuing a BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Materials Science.
• Coursework in electromagnetics, dielectrics, or high-voltage engineering, or demonstrated independent study in these areas.
• A genuine technical interest in high-voltage physics, insulation behavior, and failure mechanisms.
• Strong debugging instincts with the ability to isolate failure modes and design targeted experiments.
• High attention to detail and a safety-conscious mindset, as MV lab work demands rigor and discipline.
• Exposure to partial discharge theory, dielectric spectroscopy, or high-voltage lab techniques.
• Familiarity with IEC or IEEE dielectric testing standards like IEC 60243 or IEC 60270.
• Experience with data analysis and visualization in Python or MATLAB.
• Prior lab research in materials characterization, high-voltage systems, or power electronics.

Location & details#

• Location: Scotts Valley, California, United States.
• Modality: On-site.
• Employment: Full-time internship.
• Compensation: Paid position.