Engineering Co-op - Electronics / Robotics (May / June until December 2026)

DropletPharma is funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to build breakthrough microscale systems that transform radiopharmaceutical discovery and production. Our goal is to dramatically accelerate the development of life-saving cancer therapies and improve patient outcomes at scale.

This is not a typical internship — what you build will go directly into real systems actively being developed for clinical and research use. Our past interns have presented directly to ARPA-H program managers overseeing multi-million-dollar project portfolios, and we make a deliberate effort to ensure you have the same opportunity.

You will gain hands-on experience building real hardware in a fast-moving startup environment, with significant ownership and visibility into system-level design. You will contribute directly to systems designed to accelerate the development of life-saving therapies.

As an Electronics Engineering Intern, you will own and design critical components of the control systems powering our flagship platforms. This is a highly hands-on, in-person role based in Los Angeles, CA from May 2026 until December 2026.

What work you’ll be doing during your internship:

• Designing, implementing, testing, and characterizing electrical and electromechanical subsystems for our radiopharmaceutical production and discovery systems
• Generating new solutions to design problems
• Building and testing assemblies and prototyping systems
• Analyzing test assemblies and prototypes to assess their performance with respect to engineering requirements
• Assisting with the development and maintenance of design documentation (e.g., engineering drawings, BOMs, etc.) as well as manuals and SOPs for operation of prototype systems
• Designing and performing experiments to evaluate new concepts and designs
• Troubleshooting and improving designs
• Developing test instrumentation, tooling, and fixtures

Requirements

What we’re looking for:

• Pursuing B.S. degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar
• Experience with PCB/PCBA design in Altium, KiCad, OrCad, or similar
• Experience with SolidWorks
• Assembly of complex systems (electrical, electromechanical, mechanical, fluidic, optical)
• Experience using or implementing real-time control systems
• Proficiency with electronics and microcontrollers
• 3D Printing & Rapid prototyping experience
• Automation/test tools in Java, Labview, Matlab etc.
• Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

Experience that would be great, but not required:

• Microsoldering
• Machine shop experience (CNC Mill, manual tools, and lathe)
• Industrial DAQ or control systems
• Flex / Rigid-flex PCB design

Qualities we look for in your work (We strongly encourage you to highlight personal, club, or research projects):

• At least one exceptional project or accomplishment you are proud of
• A first-principles, deeply logical approach to engineering problems
• Demonstrated curiosity and drive to understand how systems actually work
• Clear examples of overcoming technical challenges or roadblocks
• Experience collaborating across disciplines (electrical, software, mechanical, optical)
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment and deliver under tight timelines
• Comfort taking ownership in a startup setting, including proposing impactful improvements
• Strong communication skills across written, verbal, and presentation formats

Benefits

Compensation & Logistics:

• Hourly rate: $25–35/hour, depending on experience and education
• This is a full-time, in-person role in Los Angeles, CA
• We are unable to sponsor visas for this position; applicants must be authorized to work in the United States

Ensuring purpose and belonging at our company:

Cancer and other debilitating diseases don’t discriminate, and neither do we. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. DropletPharma is committed to providing the best possible environment to ensure that our team members feel valued and have purpose in the work they do.