Mechanical/Test Engineering Intern

About Terranova Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise. Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond. We’re assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it. Forward Deployed Operator Terranova is hiring a Forward Deployed Operator to help deploy, operate, and improve our robotic land elevation systems in the field. This is a hands-on, field-heavy role for someone who can run machines, fix equipment, work outside, and solve weird, difficult problems in real time. You will work either a Thursday-Monday or Friday-Tuesday schedule. Weekend work is part of the job. A sixth day will be required in rare weeks where you were not deployed to the field for most of the week. Most days, you will be on site preparing for injections, operating robots, running support equipment, troubleshooting failures, and helping the team execute field work safely and quickly. The role will include moving heavy materials and equipment, some manual labor, and operating or supporting traditional field machinery such as loaders, forklifts, skid steers, trailers, pumps, generators, and other site equipment. You will work closely with mechanical engineers, embedded systems engineers, and senior forward deployed engineers to test new hardware, improve field procedures, suggest changes to robots, and make the system more reliable every week. You will also help improve our autopilot system by giving strong field feedback on robot behavior, sensors, controls, operator workflows, failure modes, and what needs to change for real deployments. A lot of the job involves tricky physical and mechanical work where the right answer is not obvious, the equipment is heavy, the environment is imperfect, and mistakes can damage equipment or create safety risks. We need someone who can think clearly, communicate well, and do hard things safely while still moving fast. Responsibilities * Deploy and operate Terranova’s field robots, injection systems, pumps, sensors, and support equipment * Operate or support traditional field equipment and heavy machinery * Prepare field sites for injection work, including setup, staging, surveying support, material handling, and cleanup * Move heavy equipment, materials, hoses, tools, and parts safely and efficiently * Diagnose and repair mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, controls, and field equipment issues * Test new hardware, tools, procedures, robot upgrades, and autonomy features with the engineering team * Help improve Terranova’s autopilot system by identifying field gaps, testing changes, and giving clear feedback to senior forward deployed engineers and embedded systems engineers * Support drilling, pumping, sensing, injection sequencing, and field data collection * Document work clearly, including equipment issues, repairs, test results, site conditions, field procedures, and lessons learned * Identify failure modes and suggest practical changes to robots, equipment, software, and field processes * Work through hard, ambiguous problems using first-principles thinking, including underground flow, pressure, injection behavior, soil response, and equipment performance * Maintain a high standard for safety, urgency, and quality in the field What we’re looking for We are looking for someone who is mechanically sharp, reliable, physically capable, and calm under pressure. You should like fixing things, operating equipment, working outside, and figuring out problems where there is no manual. You do not need a college degree, but you should have strong technical judgment and a track record of building, repairing, operating, or improving real systems. Experience with robotics, controls, mechanical systems, electrical systems, pumps, hydraulics, engines, construction equipment, vehicles, heavy machinery, field operations, or industrial equipment is valuable. A background in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, embedded systems, robotics, or controls is a strong plus. This is a great fit for someone who wants to operate real machines, solve hard field problems, and help turn a new robotic construction technology into a reliable deployed system. Requirements * U.S. permanent residency.

Company Description Backed by leading climate and American dynamism investors, Terranova builds intelligent robotic systems to terraform the Earth itself - lifting land, restoring wetlands, and protecting critical infrastructure from floods and sea-level rise. Our mission is to preserve the built environment, create new habitats, and usher in an era of abundance. Our work supports climate resilience, disaster recovery, and defense across the United States and beyond. We’re assembling a world-class team that wants to work on something real, physical, and civilization-scale. If you want your work to reshape the world (literally), this is the place to do it. What to to Expect Terranova is seeking a senior business development leader with a proven track record of both sales and project development. This person will own Terranova’s growth pipeline - building relationships with construction primes, agencies, congress, and partners - and translating large, complex opportunities into executable projects. You’ll work directly with Terranova’s leadership and lobbyist to identify target programs, shape proposals, and close high-impact deals spanning new development projects, wetland restoration, land resilience, base hardening, and coastal protection. You should be equally comfortable in a hard hat or a boardroom, able to move fluidly between technical teams, customers, and government stakeholders. The role is remote with strong preference for the SF Bay Area or Washington, D.C. The former to work in person with the team at our Berkeley office and the latter due to proximity to Washington D.C. Expect frequent travel to Berkeley, CA for coordination with engineering, as well as to bases, field sites, capitol hill , and major conferences nationwide. Key Responsibilities * Lead end-to-end BD cycles from identification through close across state, federal, civil and defense markets * Develop and maintain executive relationships with public-sector clients, EPCs, and defense contractors * Structure multi-year partnerships and contracts in the $1M–$50M+ range * Translate technical solutions into clear value propositions, proposals, and budgets * Work directly with engineers to scope, price, and deliver pilot-to-scale programs * Represent Terranova at conferences, site visits, and high-level briefings at the state and federal level Preferred Skills and Experience * Experience in construction, defense contracting, or infrastructure development * Experience in startups 0 to 1 sales, ideally being in a sales role from seed through series B * Experience with federal acquisition (FAR/DFARS) or contracting frameworks * Deep understanding of earthworks, ground modification, or related heavy civil domains * Exceptional commercial acumen and negotiation skills * High tolerance for travel, long hours, and direct accountability for outcomes * Strong writing and presentation ability for executive-level proposals Nice to Have Skills * Familiarity with engineering design-build workflows and bid preparation * Technical fluency to interface effectively with mechanical, controls, and robotics teams * Closed and led negotiations exceeding $50M+ in aggregate value * Strong existing network in FEMA, USACE, DoD or major primes Compensation $90k-150k base salary, stock options, and additional benefits